Beyonc’s ‘Cowboy Carter’ comes ’round, ’round, ’round this week. Here’s what we know
Alexandra Del Rosario March 27, 2024 hed is reference to Texas Hold Em’ lyrics
Howdy, “Cowboy Carter.”
Almost two y
ears after
Beyonc
ushered fans into her glitzy disco “Renaissance,” the countdown for her latest album is finally on. “Cowboy Carter,” the second act of the pop diva’s promised “Renaissance” trilogy, lands later this week and with it, a bounty of material for the Beyhive.
Beyonc enters her “Cowboy Carter” era months after revealing the new album, and dropping two singles, during Super Bowl LVIII in February. Since then, the
32
-time Grammy winner has shared several album images, topped Billboard’s country-music chart, dropped “Cowboy Carter” merchandise and more.
In a rare post directly addressing fans, Beyonc revealed
that
“Cowboy Carter” has been in the works for more than five years.
“I focused on this album as a continuation of RENAISSANCE I hope this music is an experience, creating another journey where you can close your eyes, start from the beginning and never stop,” she wrote.
With
just mere
days to go before “Cowboy Carter
,
”
arrives,
here’s what we know so far about Beyonc’s newest release from its track list to the merchandise drop.
Beyonc announces her new album is on the way: Hear two songs nowWhen does ‘Cowboy Carter’ come out?
“Cowboy Carter,” Beyonc’s
eighth
studio album, is set to drop
Thursday evening
at 9 p.m. Pacific
on Thursday
.
friday midnight
The superstar,
42
, announced her album’s release date on Super Bowl Sunday with a video promoting
her single, the single
“
Texas Hold ‘Em.
” The clip briefly read, “act ii 3.29.” Beyonc’s big game announcement was met with shock on social media. Celebrity fans, including
Issa Rae, Queen Latifah
,
Lil Nas X
,
Ziwe
and
Brandi Carlile,
voiced their excitement in the Instagram comments.
“Herstory!!!!!!,” Ziwe wrote.
“WHAT,” Rae commented.
Country music star Carlile said, “Omg she’s swimming out to save country.”
Beyonc: Upcoming release ‘ain’t a Country album. This is a “Beyonc” album’Is ‘Cowboy Carter’ a country album?
No. Take it from Beyonc herself.
Upon revealing the album’s name and sharing the album art, the singer declared: “This ain’t a Country album. This is a ‘Beyonc’ album.” She wrote in an Instagram missive that “Cowboy Carter” originated from an experience “where I did not feel welcomed … and it was very clear that I wasn’t.”
The “Break My Soul” singer did not share more details about her experience
,
but said it prompted her to take
a
“a deeper dive into the history of Country music
,” where she and “
studied our rich musical archive.”
“It feels good to see how music can unite so many people around the world,” she wrote, “while also amplifying the voices of some of the people who have dedicated so much of their lives educating on our musical history.”
Despite her message, Beyonc’s
twangy
“Cowboy Carter”
twangy
singles “Texas Hold Em” and “16 Carriages” climbed up Billboards Hot Country Songs chart upon release. “Texas Hold Em” has secured the No. 1 spot since its release, while the slower “16 Carriages” cracked the
T
op 10 in February.
Hold em! Beyonc makes history as she tops Billboard’s country-music chartHow many songs will be on ‘Cowboy Carter?’ Any guest artists?
Beyonc has kept “Cowboy Carter” details including the
track list
and featured artists under tight lock and key, much to some fans’ frustration.
“Beyonc drop the tracklist and shift the conversation,” one fan on X (formerly Twitter) captioned a .GIF of reality TV star
Nene Leakes
taking a deep exhale.
“so…where’s the tracklist? @Beyonc,” another fan tweeted.
Additionally, the Beyhive speculated that the absence of a track list days before the album drop could mean
there are
features from other major pop artists.
Beyonc teased on Instagram that she has a “few surprises” in store for “Cowboy Carter” listeners and “collaborated with some brilliant artists who I deeply respect,” but didn’t list any names.
“I hope that you can hear my heart and soul, and all the love and passion that I poured into every detail and every sound,” she added.
Any word about potential “Cowboy Carter” music hasn’t come from Beyonc
,
but rather from other celebrities
,
including
, Dolly Parton
.
The
c
ountry music darling said in an interview earlier this month that she thinks Beyonc recorded a cover of her beloved song
“Jolene.”, “9-5.”
Parton, 78, told
the
Knox News
Sentinel
, “its probably gonna be on her country music album.
A representative for Beyonc did not respond to The Times’ request for confirmation at the time.
Beyonc’s ‘Jolene’ cover may be on the way, Dolly Parton shares: ‘I’m very excited’Is there ‘Cowboy Carter’ merchandise?
Yes, and it all can be found
inon
Beyonc’s online shop.
Currently,
the
Beyhive can shop for limited-edition CD
‘
s, vinyls (in red, white, blue and black)
,
and box sets that include a white T-shirt with a red or black photo of Beyonc, a CD with a limited-edition cover and a “unique back image” from her various “Cowboy Carter” shoots.
Most items in the current merch drop tout an image of the Hustler singer adding her own twist to the Statue of Liberty and its signature raised-arm pose. With long, beaded braids, Beyonc holds a smoky cigar in her right hand, covers her chest with her left hand and poses in the nude, with
just
a sash reading “act ii Beyinc”
the only thing
covering her body.
ICYMI: The sash’s “Beyinc” is not a typo, but rather a nod to an alternate spelling of
Tina Lawson’s (
Beyonc’s mother
‘s )
family name.
Beyonc’s ‘Beyinc’ sash is no mere typo: Tina Knowles offered an explanation years agoHow can I listen to the new album?
“Cowboy Carter” won’t drop until Thursday evening for West Coast listeners, but in the meantime, Beyonc fans can take steps to ensure they won’t miss a beat.
Spotify, Apple Music and Tidal users can pre-save “Cowboy Carter” via Beyonc’s website. After
that
, they’ll just need patience
for until
Thursday night, when they can
finally
get down, down, down.
texas hold ’em lyricsTimes staff writer Nardine Saad contributed to this report.
