It’s really happening: Beyoncé reveals new album title and release date
Beyhive, this is not a drill.
On Wednesday night, Beyoncé revealed that her highly anticipated seventh studio album, “Renaissance,” is coming July 29. The announcement comes shortly after the singer raised fans’ suspicions by wiping the profile pictures on her social media accounts — suggesting something big was on the way.
The “Formation” artist broke the news via her social media bios, which now read, “act i RENAISSANCE 7.29.” Tidal, the music streaming platform co-owned by Beyoncé and husband Jay-Z, also shared the title and release date on social media.
Additionally, a mysterious box set of “Renaissance” merchandise — including a CD, T-shirt and 28-page booklet — is now available for preorder on Beyoncé’s website.
Six weeks after the Super Bowl’s hip-hop halftime show, Beyoncé dazzled from a tennis court in Compton, training ground for Serena and Venus Williams.
“Renaissance” is set to arrive six years after Beyoncé’s last studio album, “Lemonade,” came out. That seminal project was nominated for nine Grammy awards, including record (“Formation”), song (“Formation”) and album of the year. In 2020, Rolling Stone ranked “Lemonade” No. 32 on its list of the 500 best albums of all time.
Since “Lemonade,” Beyoncé has kept busy by famously headlining Coachella (dubbed “Beychella” by fans) in 2018 and releasing a Grammy-winning Netflix documentary about it, “Homecoming.” She also starred as Nala in Disney’s 2019 remake of “The Lion King” and recorded an entire tandem album — including the Golden Globe-nominated song “Spirit” — for the film.
Beyoncé’s wins at this year’s COVID-compliant Grammys broke records, but she was passed over for the night’s biggest prizes.
The following year, Beyoncé co-wrote, co-directed and executive produced “Black Is King,” a visual version of her “Lion King” album. And in 2021, the visionary musician became the most Grammy-winning female artist of all time after accepting the prize for R&B performance for her hit single “Black Parade.”
Most recently, the music icon opened the 2022 Oscars with a stunning live performance of “Be Alive” — her song from the movie “King Richard” — filmed at a public tennis court in Compton.
Before the debut of “Renaissance,” Beyoncé will grace the July cover of British Vogue. The vocalist told the fashion magazine that creating new music has been a lengthy process magnified by the COVID-19 pandemic, which gave her more time to think and rethink every decision.
“Soaring vocals and fierce beats combine and in a split second I’m transported back to the clubs of my youth,” wrote British Vogue’s Edward Enninful wrote upon listening to the album for the first time.
“I want to get up and start throwing moves. It’s music I love to my core. Music that makes you rise, that turns your mind to cultures and subcultures, to our people past and present, music that will unite so many on the dance floor, music that touches your soul. As ever with Beyoncé, it is all about the intent. I sit back, after the wave, absorbing it all.”
Naturally, the Beyhive has been buzzing nonstop since the album title dropped. Though “Renaissance” has already received more advance promotion than some of her other surprise releases, fans remain in awe of Queen B’s unique ability to sell a product without even trying.
Who could forget when Beyoncé changed the music game in 2013 by quietly launching her eponymous fifth studio album without so much as a peep of prior notice? After that project sold almost a million copies within three days of its unexpected release, the performer used the same sneaky strategy for “Lemonade” and other major artists began to follow her lead.
“Only Beyoncé, a woman 25 years in the game, could shake the entire WORLD (again!) after midnight to charge $40 for CDs with no music, no artwork, no tracklist, no trailer & no visuals,” one person tweeted. “AND WE’RE ALL GONNA BUY IT!”
“Beyoncé has people buying boxes with no idea what’s inside during inflation,” wrote Philip Lewis, senior front page editor at the Huffington Post. “Her power.”
See more reactions to the latest Bey bombshell below.
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