After a Verizon commercial featuring Beyoncé aired during the Super Bowl, speculation arose regarding her statement, “They ready, drop the new music.” Following this, a cryptic Instagram video surfaced on her page, adorned with country iconography, hinting at “act ii” set for March 29.
At the conclusion of the clip, a spirited acoustic guitar riff accompanies Beyoncé’s unmistakable voice as she croons, “This ain’t Texas / Ain’t no hold ’em / So lay your cards down down down,” in a Southern twang.
The intrigue deepens as Beyoncé’s official website reveals two listed titles under the “music” tab: “Texas Hold ‘Em” and “16 Carriages,” later released as full songs on Tidal, YouTube, and Spotify.
“Texas Hold ‘Em” features an uptempo country and western stomp, with Beyoncé delivering catchy lyrics in the earworm bridge: “And I’ll be damned if I cannot dance with you / Come pour some liquor on me honey, too / It’s a real-life boogie, and a real-life hoedown / Don’t be a bitch, come take it to the floor now.”
The second track, “16 Carriages,” presents a soulful slow-burn accompanied by ascendant organs and steel guitar. Beyoncé delivers an ode to hard work and legacy, singing in the pre-chorus, “I miss my kids / Overworked and overwhelmed. Still workin’ on my life, you know / Only God knows, only God knows.” A closer look at the credits suggests Beyoncé may be collaborating closely with Raphael Saadiq from Tony! Toni! Toné!.
In a largely fictional Verizon commercial aired just before the Instagram announcement, Beyoncé attempts various tactics to “break the internet.”
With former “Veep” star Tony Hale as her adviser, she embarks on a series of outlandish ventures: opening a “Lemonade” stand, dropping a saxophone album titled “Let’s Get Saxy,” creating her own rendition of the “Barbie” movie called “BarBey,” marketing a cyborg version of herself, launching a presidential campaign for “Beyoncé of the United States,” and finally, blasting off into space to become the first woman in space.
Following Hale’s advice that none of her previous attempts worked, Beyoncé, speaking over the space ship intercom, declares, “OK, Bey ready: drop the new music.”
Additionally, Beyoncé was spotted shortly after on the telecast at Allegiant Stadium, where she watched the Super Bowl alongside her husband Jay-Z.