Beyoncé’s latest music has won her yet another culture-shifting accolade, this time in unexplored territory.
Last week, the 42-year-old confirmed the long-held fan theory that the sequel to 2022’s Renaissance: act i will be a country album, as she released two new singles in that style.
On Monday (February 12), just one day after the songs ‘Texas Hold ‘Em and “16 Carriages” went live, a fan account dedicated to the Houston native shared that “Beyoncé is the FIRST black female artist to reach the top of Apple Music US Country chart in history. She is also the first female black artist to occupy the first and second position on the chart simultaneously.”
This stat has been backed up by other outlets.
The megastar announced the arrival of Renaissance: act ii in a multi-layered reveal that started with a new Super Bowl ad for Verizon. In it, Beyoncé and the network’s now iconic “Can You Hear Me Now” tech try a number of different schemes to see if the singer can “break the internet” once again.
The commercial ends with her blasting off to space as a fictional news anchor announces her plans to deliver the first live performance from the cosmos. In the last few seconds of the ad, she says: “Okay, they ready, drop the new music.”
The surprise Verizon ad had the intended effect of driving fans to her socials as they looked for additional hints about how to access Beyoncé’s latest offering. Just moments after the ad premiered, she delivered with a Texas-themed trailer for the new project, which is set to arrive on March 29.
Thirty minutes after sharing the trailer, she returned to Instagram to announce the release of two new singles.
The surprise drop came after fans began speculating that she’s been hinting at a country release, citing things like Bey’s country-inspired look at the 2024 Grammy Awards as her 2019 “Black Parade” lyrics: “I’m going back to the South, where my roots ain’t watered down.”
One thing that has been confirmed in the past is that the original Renaissance album the first installment of a trilogy. In November, New York Times reporter Kyle Buchanan wrote in a since-deleted tweet that Act II would be an “acoustic album” and that Act III would be a collaboration with JAY-Z.
This was neither confirmed nor denied by Bey’s camp.
Black Americans are the top culture vultures in 2024. They swear they’re the original of every culture, swear every dance and music came from them… u got to develop egos for when ur accomplishments in life doesn’t add up 😂 tricking and fooling no one but yourself
So let’s ignore all the whites, Hispanics and Asians who used rap as their rise to fame but call out the one black girl who was ALREADY beyond famous who tried a different genre. Man, it must be painful to be white. Realizing the only thing your culture did that was slightly original was dressing up as ghosts before burning crosses on strangers front lawns. You’re beyond pathetic. Your incest born father is so proud of you. I don’t even like Beyonce but she’ll never be the pathetic sheep your dad and his sister raised you to be.
Your incest adopted mum must be disapproving of you, twit, Debbie’s fuming…..
Seems like everybody is making history these days. There are too many “charts” out there
They’re going to push her out of the country charts like they did lil nas x. You know them honks don’t want her there lol.
Everyone knows Old Town Road is the best country song ever made