Beyoncé has officially revealed the highly-anticipated artwork for her upcoming eighth studio album Cowboy Carter.
As the second act of her previously announced trilogy, Cowboy Carter follows the release of the award-winning and critically acclaimed Renaissance (2022) and will feature a stark sonic departure from the majority of the musical icon’s discography. Through embracing the genre of country music (which she previously touched upon in 2016’s Lemonade on the track “Daddy Lessons”), Beyoncé has released a full statement regarding the forthcoming release of the record on her official social media platforms, which you can read in full below:
Today marks the 10-day countdown until the release of act ii. Thank you from the bottom of my heart to all of the supporters of TEXAS HOLD ‘EM and 16 CARRIAGES. I feel honored to be the first Black woman with the number one single on the Hot Country Songs chart. That would not have happened without the outpouring of support from each and every one of you. My hope is that years from now, the mention of an artist’s race, as it relates to releasing genres of music, will be irrelevant.
This album has been over five years in the making. It was born out of an experience that I had years ago where I did not feel welcomed…and it was very clear that I wasn’t. But, because of that experience, I did a deeper dive into the history of Country music and studied our rich musical archive. It feels good to see how music can unite so many people around the world, while also amplifying the voices of some of the people who have dedicated so much of their lives educating on our musical history.
The criticisms I faced when I first entered this genre forced me to propel past the limitations that were put on me. act ii is a result of challenging myself, and taking my time to bend and blend genres together to create this body of work.
I have a few surprises on the album, and have collaborated with some brilliant artists who I deeply respect. I hope that you can hear my heart and soul, and all the love and passion that I poured into every detail and every sound.
I focused on this album as a continuation of RENAISSANCE…I hope this music is an experience, creating another journey where you can close your eyes, start from the beginning and never stop.
This ain’t a Country album. This is a “Beyoncé” album. This is act ii COWBOY CARTER, and I am proud to share it with y’all!
In reference to what the former Destiny Child member mentioned about not feeling welcome in the genre, she may be referring to her live performance at the 2016 Country Music Awards with The Chicks –– wherein she faced criticism and sparked controversy due to the racist response from some artists in attendance of the show.
Leading up to the release of the record, Beyoncé made the surprise announcement of the album’s release during the 2024 Super Bowl –– dropping two singles off the record, including “16 Carriages” and the chart-topping lead track “Texas Hold ‘Em“.
Cowboy Carter is now available for pre-order here, with pre-save availability on digital platforms such as Spotify and Apple Music found here.
As we anticipate the release of the record, feel free to revisit Beyoncé’s “Texas Hold ‘Em” below: