On Sunday (Feb. 11), millions tuned in as the Kansas City Chiefs narrowly beat the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII. In addition to a halftime show performance from Usher, Beyoncé decided to use the big event to surprise everyone with a massive announcement — RENAISSANCE ACT II is finally arriving on March 29. Fans were also treated to two singles from the forthcoming effort, “16 CARRIAGES” and “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM,” both of which mark Bey’s latest entry into the country genre.
Just prior to the reveal, Beyoncé appeared in a humorous advertisement for Verizon that saw her attempting to “break the internet” in a variety of ways. At the end of the clip, Beyoncé could be heard saying, ‘Okay, they’re ready. Drop the new music,’ a direct segue into the aforementioned singles and an official trailer for RENAISSANCE ACT II.
The new album will follow 2022’s RENAISSANCE, a 16-song body of work that boasted assists from BEAM, Grace Jones, and Tems. Mike Dean, Boi-1da, Hit-Boy, Honey Dijon, The-Dream, Skrillex, Tricky Stewart, Syd, and many more contributed to its production. The well-received RENAISSANCE was a commercial success that debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and earned a platinum certification. In 2023, Beyoncé embarked on her “Renaissance World Tour” in support of the project, complete with several stops in Europe and North America.
“Creating this album allowed me a place to dream and to find escape during a scary time for the world,” Beyoncé explained in an Instagram post about her seventh LP. “It allowed me to feel free and adventurous in a time when little else was moving. My intention was to create a safe place, a place without judgment. A place to be free of perfectionism and overthinking. A place to scream, release, feel freedom. It was a beautiful journey of exploration.”
Check out “16 CARRIAGES” and “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM” below.