Beyoncé, the 32-time Grammy Award winner, recently clarified in a new Instagram post that her upcoming album, “Cowboy Carter,” is not a country album.
This announcement surprised fans who had initially dubbed the album “Renaissance Act II” after Queen Bey teased her new music in a Verizon commercial during Super Bowl LVIII on February 11.
In her Instagram caption on March 19, Beyoncé revealed that this album has been over five years in the making. She explained that it was born out of an experience where she did not feel welcomed and decided to delve deeper into the history of country music.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Cardi B Opens Up About Her Struggles With Anxiety And Overcoming Challenges
Through studying the rich musical archive, she discovered how music can unite people around the world and amplify the voices of those who have dedicated their lives to educating on our musical history.
Beyoncé acknowledged her criticisms over the years, stating that they forced her to push past limitations and challenge herself. “Act II” is the result of her taking her time to bend and blend genres to create this body of work.
She also mentioned collaborating with brilliant artists whom she deeply respects. The album, “Cowboy Carter,” is set to be released on Friday, March 29. Beyoncé confirmed the release date in an Instagram video promoting the new album on Super Bowl Sunday.
While she hasn’t unveiled the full tracklist, she did release two lead singles: “Texas Hold ‘Em” and “16 Carriages.” Both songs have a country theme, paying homage to Beyoncé’s Texas roots.
Billboard reported that “Texas Hold ‘Em” debuted at number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, while “16 Carriages” entered the list at number 38. The former also reached number one on the hot country list, making Beyoncé the first black woman to achieve this milestone.
Beyoncé first teased “Cowboy Carter” in a Verizon commercial that aired during the 2024 Super Bowl. The ad showed Beyoncé enacting various publicity stunts to crash Verizon’s 5G feature. Eventually, she resorts to “dropping the new music.”
Following the commercial, Beyoncé released a teaser video for the album on Instagram. The video features the “Halo” singer driving a taxi cab through Texas, with people looking up to see a billboard of Beyoncé waving in a country hat.
Her vocals, delivered in a country twang, play in the background. The video ends with the reveal of the album’s release date, March 29.
View this post on Instagram
Catch up with the latest news from SurgeZirc on WhatsApp by following our channel. Click here to join.