On Tuesday, Beyoncé revealed the title of her upcoming country album Confirming her earlier hints about a country music project and the continuation of her acclaimed 2022 album Renaissance on March 29, she officially christened it Act II: Cowboy Carter.
The pop icon made the announcement by updating her Instagram bio with the title and release date, alongside sharing a photo on her Instagram Story featuring a saddle adorned with a red, white, and blue sash bearing the words “Cowboy Carter.”
In the image, it appears as though the metallic, disco-inspired saddle that Queen Bey rides on the cover of Renaissance is undergoing a transformation into a western-style saddle. This visual transition signifies her artistic evolution.
The image also takes center stage on Beyoncé’s website. In the Shop section, where fans can pre-order merchandise and the new album, alternate artwork is revealed.
These images feature close-up shots of the Grammy winner wearing a black cowboy hat, with a white snake over her eye, and her hair styled in a blonde, feathered cut with braids.
Beyoncé initially surprised fans by announcing her highly anticipated new album during the Super Bowl in early February.
During a Verizon commercial, the “Alien Superstar” singer playfully joked about her internet-breaking abilities, followed by proving her skills by promptly posting a teaser on social media after the commercial aired.
The teaser clip hinted at the release of the second act of Renaissance on March 29 and prompted speculation among fans that Beyoncé was exploring the country genre.
The visual appeared to be inspired by the cult-loved western film Paris, Texas, from 1984.
Following the viral announcement, the Lemonade artist confirmed fans’ suspicions by releasing two roots-inspired songs: “Texas Hold ‘Em” and “16 Carriages.” Each track featured artwork of the star sporting a cowboy hat and western attire.
Thanks to the BeyHive’s efforts in requesting “Texas Hold ‘Em” on country radio, the song was officially serviced to genre stations in mid-February, eventually reaching No. 1 on the Hot Country Songs chart.
With this achievement, Beyoncé has made history as the first Black female artist to top the chart.Details about Cowboy Carter, set to release on March 29, remain scarce.
However, rumors suggest that a cover of Dolly Parton’s classic “Jolene” may be included in the tracklist.
The country icon, aged 78, mentioned in an interview with Knox News that she had heard Beyoncé recorded a rendition of her beloved song for the album.
Since the announcement of Cowboy Carter, Beyoncé’s mother Tina Knowles has expressed how her daughter’s foray into country music is a natural progression. Sharing a series of old magazine covers of Beyoncé dressed in cowboy attire on Instagram, Knowles, aged 70, captioned,
“I just came across this video on my IG feed! We have always celebrated Cowboy Culture growing up in Texas.”
She continued,
“We also always understood that it was not just about it belonging to White culture only. In Texas there is a huge black cowboy culture. Why do you think that my kids have integrated it into their fashion and art since the beginning.”
The note concluded,
“When people ask why is Beyoncé wearing cowboy hats? It’s really funny, I actually laugh because it’s been there since she was a kid, we went to rodeos every year and my whole family dressed in western fashion. Solange did a whole brilliant Album and Project based on Black Cowboy Culture. It definitely was a part of our culture growing up.”