From the second Beyoncé introduced her 2022 album Renaissance, she made it clear that the undertaking was solely the start of a multi-act physique of labor. And now, after protecting followers ready nearly two years for a follow-up, the 42-year-old famous person has lastly introduced that Act II is on its method.
True to Bey trend, the “Halo” singer unloaded the information with principally no prior warning. Whereas she was casually having fun with the 2024 Tremendous Bowl with Jay-Z in Las Vegas Feb. 11, followers all around the world had been freaking out over the Act II announcement that concurrently went dwell on her socials (however extra on that later).
As soon as it arrives, Act II will mark Bey’s eighth studio report. It’ll additionally vie to turn out to be her eighth straight No. 1 album on the Billboard 200, as all seven of her earlier LPs have debuted atop the chart — from 2003’s Dangerously in Love to Renaissance.
And as excited because the Hive is to enter the Act II period, Renaissance is actually a troublesome one to depart behind. The album discovered the previous Future’s Baby member embracing a completely new sound impressed by electro-house music, touring the world on her record-breaking Renaissance Tour and incomes a whopping 4 Grammys on the 2023 awards — finest dance album, finest dance/digital recording for “Break My Soul,” finest conventional R&B efficiency for “Plastic Off the Couch” and finest R&B tune for “Cuff It” — after which she turned the winningest artist in Recording Academy historical past.
Extra details about Act II will are available due time. However for now, see all the pieces we all know concerning the album to this point under.
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The Verizon Partnership
The Act II period was born out of an action-packed Verizon business that aired in the course of the 2024 Tremendous Bowl broadcast. On the very finish, Bey teased, “OK, they prepared … drop the brand new music.”
Shortly after the advert went dwell, the famous person confirmed the Act II launch date on Instagram.
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The Launch Date
Act II will arrive March 29, Beyoncé confirmed in a Texas-themed Instagram video mere minutes after her Verizon business aired.
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The Lead Singles
On the identical date because the Tremendous Bowl, Bey dropped not one, however two country-tinged lead singles for Act II — “Texas Maintain ‘Em” and “16 Carriages.” Each tracks premiered on Tidal earlier than making their option to YouTube and different streaming companies.
“This ain’t Texas/ Ain’t no maintain ’em/ So lay your playing cards down, down, down, down,” she sings on the primary monitor. “Come pour some sugar on me, honey too/ It’s a real-life boogie and a real-life hoedown.”
On “16 Carriages,” she laments, “Sixteen carriages drivin’ away/ Whereas I watch them experience with my desires away/ To the summer season sundown on a holy night time/ On a protracted black street, all of the tears I struggle.”
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She’s Going Nation
Although she’s dipped her toes into the style earlier than (see: “Daddy Classes”), Bey appears to be totally embracing nation on Act II. A minimum of, that’s what the sound of the undertaking’s lead singles suggests.
In actual fact, “Texas Maintain ‘Em” marks the Ivy Park mogul’s first tune to be formally promoted on nation radio. It’s additionally her first entry on the Billboard Nation Airplay chart (dated Feb. 24), debuting at No. 54.
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