Beyoncé has confirmed plans to release a country-themed album and dropped two new singles.
The pop superstar announced her new music in an ad for Verizon, which aired during the Super Bowl on Feb. 11. In the promo, she attempts to break the internet with stunts including a hologram called Beyonc-AI and a film called Barbey before she declares, “OK, they ready. Drop the new music. I told y’all the Renaissance is not over.”
After the commercial aired, she immediately released two new singles, “Texas Hold ‘Em” and “16 Carriages,” and confirmed Renaissance Act II — the second part of her planned Renaissance trilogy — will land on March 29.
The new album is a follow-up to 2022’s Renaissance and will be followed by a third record in the future.
At the time she released Renaissance, Beyoncé revealed she started work on the project during the COVID-19 pandemic and recorded the albums over three years.
“This three-act project was recorded over three years during the pandemic. A time to be still, but also a time I found to be the most creative. Creating this album allowed me a place to dream and to find escape during a scary time for the world,” she explained.
Beyoncé also launched a tour and a concert film Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé off the back of the first album, and she recently thanked her fans for all their support for the movie.
“It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done because of the short turnaround time. I practically slept in the edit, color and mix sessions,” she wrote in a post on Instagram.
“The race against time continued in order to get this film out so quickly. But it was so worth all the grind. I am overwhelmed by the outpouring of love from my Hive. And WOW! I am so touched and encouraged by the incredible reviews!!!” she added.
Beyoncé was also thrilled that she’s managed to reach new fans.
“I also love seeing the positive takeaways from people who were not my fans or didn’t yet know my story. The people who had no interest in seeing my shows who have now gained a deeper understanding and respect for all it takes to be a RENAISSANCE woman,” the award-winning star added on the photo-sharing platform.
