Beyoncé wasn’t lying when she said, “I’m one of one, I’m number one, I’m the only one.” The global superstar sent the internet into a frenzy when she announced the second album in her “Renaissance” trilogy. Beyoncé announced during the Super Bowl that she would release “Act Il” of her “Renaissance” project on March 29, 2024.
However, the “Alien Superstar” crooner didn’t stop there. She accompanied the announcement with two new singles! The two new singles, “Texas Hold Em” and “16 Carriages,” indicate that “Act II” will be a country-themed album. “Act II” will accompany the dance and house music juggernaut that was 2022’s “Renaissance.”
The Beyhive took to social media after the announcement to express their surprise. One fan wrote on X, “Beyoncé creates moments. I’m so inspired by her calculations of everything. Her timing. Her mystery.” Furthermore, fans commended the singer’s success.
“She has mastered being hyper-visible and simultaneously inaccessible. She’s earned the hype, the success, the freedom,” a fan added. Beyoncé dropped the surprise songs after a self-referential teaser during the Super Bowl as part of a Verizon ad campaign.
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In the ad, Beyoncé tried, unsuccessfully, to break the internet via a series of stunts. She tried a film called Barbey, a hologram called Beyonc-AI, and a presidential campaign for “Botus.” Afterward, she proclaimed, “OK, they’re ready. Drop the new music.”
Shortly after the ad, Beyoncé posted a new clip to her Instagram, teasing the single “Texas Hold Em.” Since “Renaissance” dropped in July 2022, the singer’s fans have been expecting a new accompaniment. According to the liner notes Beyoncé wrote, the album is a three-act project.
Before Beyoncé released the two new singles, her outfit at the Grammys led to fans’ speculation. The talented singer wore a white cowboy hat to the Grammys, which made fans wonder whether she was dropping Country music next.
Similarly, artworks for the two new singles feature Beyoncé wearing a cowboy hat. After Beyonce’s announcement, rapper Lil Nas X, who smashed records with “Old Town Road” in 2019, also took to X. He wrote, “Beyonce finna make me put my cowboy hat back on!”
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In addition, other Beyhive members started making predictions about her following projects. Many noted that the “Cuff It” singer was “reclaiming genres that started with Black culture.” They pointed to “Act I” as an ode to house music and now “Act Il” with country music.
According to the credits for the new songs, Beyoncé worked with influential Black artists in the country music genre. She features Rhiannon Giddens on the banjo in the single “Texas Hold’ Em.” Giddens is a prominent country music artist who educates the nation about the banjo.
In addition, Giddens has always talked about its roots in Black culture before becoming a predominantly white instrument. Similarly, Beyoncé’s single “16 Carriages” features Robert Randolph on steel guitar. Randolph is another legendary artist famous for staying true to his Black roots.
Consequently, fans pointed to the significance of Beyoncé’s project and its impact. Many claim country music’s roots and African American influence are still not widely embraced within the genre. One fan wrote, “I hope this Beyoncé era inspires people to look up influential Black artists in country music.”
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