When is Beyoncé not breaking the internet? I like to think that she is continuously showing her star power, and her 2024 Super Bowl LVIII commercial for Verizon showed that she’s still finding new ways to make the beehive buzz. (See what I did there?) Case in point? The announcement of Beyoncé’s Act II.
The Verizon ad depicted Beyoncé attempting to beat Verizon’s 5G signal by breaking the internet by performing a range of activities, like opening a lemonade stand — a nod to her Lemonade album, which practically crushed the internet in 2016 — and traveling to space. But what drew the most attention from fans was when, after all her ineffective attempts to break the internet, she could be heard stating, “Okay, they’re ready; drop the new music.” Pause, Did she mention new music?
Everyone, stay calm — Act II is coming. Beyoncé’s new album follows the huge success of her Renaissance project which was released in July 2022. Additionally, Beyoncé revealed in a statement on her official website back in 2022 that the album would be divided into three acts.
Well, Beyoncé has now confirmed that the new music coming our way is indeed the second act of Renaissance. In an Instagram post she made immediately following the release of the Verizon ad, the video depicts Beyoncé driving a taxi in the middle of the desert. The camera then pans to a gathering of people staring at a sign with a cartoon image of Beyoncé with the caption “Texas! Hold ‘Em.”
On her official website in 2022, she announced ahead of the release of Act I of Renaissance that the creative process took over three years, beginning during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. Beyoncé mentions in her note that the time was “A time to be still, but also a time I found to be the most creative.”
On Mar.12, Beyoncé revealed the album’s title, Act II: Cowboy Carter, on her Instagram and official website. On her IG, the singer revealed the title by simply adding it and the album’s release date to her Instagram bio. Bey also shared a photo of a saddle with a red, white, and blue sash that reads “Cowboy Carter” on her Instagram Story. She even included a link so fans can pre-save the album.
So far, Beyoncé’s only dropped two singles from Act II: Cowboy Carter. The tracks “Texas Hold Em” and “16 Carriages” ‘ became available on streaming platforms immediately following the new music announcement during the Super Bowl.
However, on March 27, the singer unveiled Cowboy Carter’s full tracklist. In addition to “Texas Hold Em” and “16 Carriages,” the album includes “American Requiem,” “Blackbiird,” “Protector,” “My Rose,” “Smoke Hour Willie Nelson (Ft. Willie Nelson),” “Bodyguard,” “Dolly P,” “Jolene,” “Daughter,” “Spaghettii,” “Alligator Tears,” “Smoke Hour II,” “Just For Fun,” “II Most Wanted,” “Levii’s Jeans,” Flamenco,” “The Linda Martell Show,” “Ya Ya,” “Oh Louisiana,” “Desert Eagle,” “RIiiverdance,” “II Hands II Heaven,” “Amen,” “Sweet Honey Buckin’,” and “Tyrant.”
The album is slated to be released on March 29, as confirmed by her Instagram post’s end credits.
Even since Bey hinted at this new album in her Verizon ad during the 2024 Super Bowl, members of the Beyhive have been flooding X/Twitter to express their excitement that the singer is coming out with new music.
X/Twitter stans have also shared their feelings about “the new singles”16 Carriages” and “Texas Hold Em,” and let’s just say everyone is loving it.
March 29, WYA?