Beyoncé shocks the world with announcement of country-themed album Renaissance Act II

12 February 2024, 10:51 | Updated: 12 February 2024, 11:21

Beyonce stars in Verizon ad

By Mayer Nissim

Beyoncé also immediately releases her first two country tracks during the Super Bowl.

Loading audio...

The Super Bowl is a great spot for artists looking to make a splash, but there's also tough competition for eyes and ears as everyone gets their ads out.

This year though Beyoncé looks to have blown everyone else out of the water with the shock announcement of her new album Renaissance Act II.

The follow-up to her critically acclaimed 2022 album Renaissance isn't just the second-part of a planned trilogy, but Beyoncé's first major step into country music.

There had been rumours that Beyoncé was poised to jump into the genre when she was seen wearing a Stetson hat at the Grammy Awards earlier in the month.

act ii 3.29

And the whispers proved to be true, confirmed confirmed by the immediate release of two tracks from the album, 'Texas Hold 'Em' and '16 Carriages'.

The album was teased during Super Bowl LVIII with an advert for telecoms company Verizon starring Veep actor Tony Hale.

In the commercial, Hale challenged Beyoncé to break the internet – specifically the company's 5G network.

TEXAS HOLD 'EM (Official Visualizer)

Bey sets up a lemonade stand, plays sax, launches a Bar-bey, becomes president and unveils an uncanny AI Beyoncé.

With the network still holding up, she even goes into space to shoot a music video, but still, the internet remains unbroken.

Eventually satisfied, she says the magic words: "Okay, they ready. Drop the new music."

16 CARRIAGES (Official Visualizer)

Renaissance Act II will be released on March 29, 2024 via Parkwood/Columbia.

Given its involvement in the Sphere in Las Vegas where U2 are currently enjoying a residency, there have been rumours of a Beyoncé at the venue, but they are yet to be confirmed.

Beyoncé released the concert film Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé last December, which captured the creation of Renaissance and the production of the tour.