Beyoncé has announced the countdown to her upcoming country album, Act II: Cowboy Carter, in a long statement reflecting on its making.
Photo: Instagram.com
Beyoncé will release her new country album Act II: Cowboy Carter in 10 days (March 29), the singer announced via Instagram on Tuesday. The reveal was accompanied by a lengthy statement in which the Grammy-winner reflected on the deeply personal experience of creating the album, and why working with the country genre of music was so important to her.
“Thank you from the bottom of my heart to all of the supporters of Texas Hold ‘Em and 16 Carriages,” Beyoncé wrote, referring to the two singles that saw her make history as the first Black female artist to top Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart. “That would not have happened without the outpouring of support from each and every one of you,” she added. “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.”
Photo: Instagram.com/beyonce
Beyoncé went on to share that the country album had been over five years in making and that it was inspired by a personal encounter where she was made to feel left out. “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 42-year-old star said. “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.”
Beyoncé added that the new album is a continuation of Renaissance, and that fans can expect a few surprises from the album in the form of “collaborations with some brilliant artists who I deeply respect.” She ended her message with a powerful statement saying that Act II: Cowboy Carter is not a “country album”, but a “Beyoncé album”. The post was accompanied by an image—which could be the cover art for the album—featuring Beyoncé on top of a horse, wearing a red, white, and blue cowboy outfit complete with a hat and a sash that reads “Cowboy Carter”.
Read Next: Beyoncé Debuted a New Hair Color at the Launch Event of Her Brand Cécred
