What to know about Beyoncé’s hot bodyguard Julius since he sent TikTok into meltdown

If, like the rest of the globe, you’ve had Beyoncé’s new album Cowboy Carter on repeat since it dropped last Friday, then you’ll know her balmy summer song Bodyguard is already TikTok’s most loved track on the album— and has sent the rumour mill into overdrive with talk that it may have been inspired by her seriously hot head of security: Julius de Boer.

Julius has been intensely adored by the Beyhive for many years and drew particular attention all through her Renaissance tour last year, too. But, in case you’ve only discovered Julius now thanks to the Cowboy Carter album and those Bodyguard lyrics, here’s everything you need to know about exactly who Julius really is and whether Bodyguard is actually about him at all:

Right, so who actually is Beyoncé’s bodyguard Julius de Boer and why is everyone talking about him?

Everyone has started chatting about Julius de Boer again because Beyoncé’s Bodyguard lyrics (“I give you kisses in the backseat / I whisper secrets in the backbeat”) are seriously hot and everyone in the Beyhive is sort of hoping the song is about him. Hardcore Beyoncé fans have been obsessed with Julius for years. She reportedly hired him sometime between 2008 and 2009 and, since then, anywhere she’s gone— he’s gone too. 

As well as looking out for Beyoncé, Julius is also head of his own international security firm called De Boer Global, which he started when he was 24. Julius’ company has offices in New York and London and, according to the company’s LinkedIn page, Julius is a “highly trained close protection officer with an extended martial arts background and qualified firearms operation skills”.

TikTokkers have now started making videos pretending to be Julius kicking his feet and giggling listening to the Bodyguard lyrics. Basically, they suspect there’s something going on between Beyoncé and him and now she’s writing her sexiest song about him. However, there’s nothing to actually support this fan theory – no matter how much chemistry her stans claim the pair have while he’s keeping an eye on her on stage.

So, what is the actual meaning behind the Bodyguard lyrics?

Rather than Bodyguard being literally about Beyoncé’s security, the lyrics express her desire to look after the person she loves like a bodyguard” or “lifeguard” or “Kevlar”, which is the material used to make bulletproof vests. So, realistically – even though fans want the song to be about Julius – the lyrics aremore likely to be about her husband Jay-Z.

In the second verse, Beyoncé also references her feelings of jealousy, singing: “I don’t like the way she’s lookin’ at you / Someone better hold me back, oh-oh / Chargin’ ten for a double and I’m talkin’ / I’m ’bout to lose it, turn around and John Wayne that ass.”

Ok, and is Taylor Swift actually featured on Beyoncé’s Bodyguard track?

Since Bodyguard was released, as well as rumours about Julius, there have also been claims Taylor Swift is the backing singer on the song. A screenshot from the lyrics website Genius was shared all over Twitter/X this weekend, which gave Taylor credit for “Background vocals”. However, this is yet to be substantiated by any news outlet and the credit hasn’t been added on other platforms like Spotify or Apple Music.  Twitter/X has also added a warning to posts which claim Taylor is featured on Bodyguard highlighting the fact that Genius allows the public to add annotations and credits to its pages. So, it all still seems a little suss right now.

And what are the full lyrics to Bodyguard by Beyoncé?

All in all, it’s fair to say – so far – Bodyguard is the song with the most lore, rumour and chaos surrounding it from the Cowboy Carter album. So, in case you want to examine and investigate the lyrics further for yourself, here they are in full:

[Intro]
One, two, three, four
Ooh-ee-ooh, ah
Ooh-ee-ooh

[Verse 1]
So sweet
I give you kisses in the backseat
I whisper secrets in the backbeat
You make me cry, you make me happy, happy (Happy)
Leave my lipstick on the cigarette
Just toss it, and you stomp it out, out, out
Inhalin’ whiskey when you kiss my neck
We’ve been hurtin’, but it’s happy hour, oh, hour
Oh, oh, oh

[Pre-Chorus]
They couldn’t have me (Ah)
And they never will
And sometimes I hold you closer
Just to know you’re real (Ah)
Wheels in the gravel
Davis in my bones
Sometimes I take the day off (Ah)
Just to turn you on
On, on, oh

[Chorus]
Honеy, honey
I could be your bodyguard (Hey)
Oh, honеy, honey
I could be your Kevlar (Huh)
Oh, honey, honey
I could be your lifeguard (Huh)
Ooh, honey, honey
You should let me ride shotgun, shotgun
Oh, oh, oh

[Verse 2]
Be your best friend
I protect you in the mosh pit
And I’ll defend you in the gossip
You know how people like to start shit and pop shit
I don’t like the way she’s lookin’ at you
Someone better hold me back, oh-oh
Chargin’ ten for a double and I’m talkin’
I’m ’bout to lose it, turn around and John Wayne that ass (One, two, three, four)

[Pre-Chorus]
They couldn’t catch you (Ah, with me)
And they never will (You see)
Sometimes I hold you closer
Just to know you’re real (Ah)
Tell me your problems (I got you)
I take how you feel (Mm, huh)
I show you an exit (Ah)
When you’re restless I take the wheel
Ooh, oh, oh
[Chorus]
Honey, honey
You could be my bodyguard (Huh, uh)
Oh, honey, honey
Will you let me ride shotgun? Shotgun
Oh, oh, oh

[Outro]
Oh (Ah)
Oh
Oh (Ah)
Oh
I could be your bodyguard
Please let me be your Kevlar (Huh)
Baby, let me be your lifeguard
Would you let me ride a shotgun? Shotgun
Oh, oh, oh
One, two, three, four

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Featured image credit via TikTok/Instagram (@beyonce)