In a 2021 interview with Harper's Bazaar, Beyoncé promised "the music is coming." Now, it seems the music is almost here.
In June, Tidal teased details of a new creative project from Beyoncé. Entitled "Renaissance," this project appears to be a solo album — her first in six years, since 2016's "Lemonade."
Since then, Beyoncé has been busy. She won a Grammy for her 2019 concert film “Homecoming.” She voiced Nala in Disney's 2019 movie, "Lion King," and produced and curated the movie's soundtrack, entitled "The Lion King: The Gift." Her 2020 visual album "Black Is King" paired the songs with stunning visuals.
After all that, Beyoncé seemed to tease her new project by removing all of her profile pictures on her Twitter and Instagram accounts.
Beyoncé’s official website has also gotten ready for this new era, allowing fans to preorder a Renaissance box set that comes with a Renaissance T-shirt, CD and a 28-page photo booklet.
Here's what we know about the next phase of Beyoncé's career.
This is why the album is called 'Renaissance'
Based on the Tidal announcement, Beyoncé’s next work appears to be called “Renaissance.”
In a 2021 interview with Harper’s Bazaar, while speaking of her upcoming project, Beyoncé mentioned the word "renaissance" and potentially spoke to the album's themes.
“With all the isolation and injustice over the past year, I think we are all ready to escape, travel, love, and laugh again. I feel a renaissance emerging, and I want to be part of nurturing that escape in any way possible,” she said.
The release date is coming soon
The cryptic announcement included the date July 29. If, in fact, that is the release date, then Beyoncé's album will be here before the end of the summer.
In a tweet, Spotify, a music streaming platform, said Beyoncé would be "back" July 29, seemingly confirming the date.
Fans spotted a clue about B7, the nickname for Beyoncé's seventh album
Her fans also think that they've spotted another hint about "Renaissance" in a tweet that BeyGOOD, the singer's nonprofit organization, shared to celebrate Black music.
In the tweet, BeyGOOD shared a collage of album covers by Black musicians. Everything was there from Lauryn Hill’s 1998 masterpiece, "The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill" to Cardi B's debut solo album, "Invasion of Privacy."
However, there was one album cover that fans couldn't recognize. Situated in the last row toward the right, the image featured someone wearing a red glove and pointing to the left. To the left of that picture was Brandy's 2020 "B7" album — and "Renaissance" would be Beyoncé's seventh album.
She spoke about the process of making 'Renaissance'
Beyoncé talked more about making new music in her 2021 interview with Harper's Bazaar.
"I’ve been in the studio for a year and a half," she said. "Sometimes it takes a year for me to personally search through thousands of sounds to find just the right kick or snare."
"One chorus can have up to 200 stacked harmonies. Still, there’s nothing like the amount of love, passion, and healing that I feel in the recording studio," she continued. "After 31 years, it feels just as exciting as it did when I was nine years old. Yes, the music is coming!"
Here's how someone who heard 'Renaissance' described it
Beyoncé appeared on the July 2022 cover of "Vogue."
In the accompanying story, writer Edward Enninful describes his reaction to hearing music off of Beyoncé's upcoming album.
"Instantly, a wall of sound hits me. Soaring vocals and fierce beats combine and in a split second I’m transported back to the clubs of my youth. 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," Enninful wrote.
Beyoncé releases first lead single from the album
On June 20, Beyoncé released her new song, "Break My Soul," which is an upbeat track from "Renaissance," and it features vocals from gay rapper Big Freedia’s 2014 song “Explode.”
Big Freedia and Beyoncé have worked together before on Beyoncé's 2016 song “Formation." After "Break My Soul" was released, Big Freedia expressed his joy on Twitter.
“It feels surreal to be on the track with the Queen Beyonce once again I’m so honored to be apart of this special moment I’m forever grateful lord. someone please catch me,” Big Freedia wrote.
With a catchy tune, "Break My Soul" talks about the hardships of working a 9 to 5 job.
Beyoncé sings, “Now I just fell in love/ And I just quit my job / I’m gonna find new drive/ Damn they work me so damn hard/ Work by nine / Then off past five / And they work my nerves/ That’s why I cannot sleep at night.”
"Break My Soul" debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 15 and became the first song in 26 years to debut in Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay top 10.
The song names for all 16 songs are announced
Ahead of the album's release, Beyoncé revealed the official tracklist for "Renaissance" on her website and Instagram Story. The album is composed of the following songs:
- I'm That Girl
- Cozy
- Alien Superstar
- Cuff It
- Energy
- Break My Soul
- Church Girl
- Plastic Off the Sofa
- Virgo's Groove
- Move
- Heated
- Thique
- All Up in Your Mind
- America Has a Problem
- Pure/Honey
- Summer Renaissance
Beyoncé unveiled her album's vinyl cover art
After dropping "Break My Soul," Beyoncé gave fans a first look at the vinyl cover art and design for "Renaissance" when she shared a picture of herself riding a horse on Instagram.
Beyoncé captioned it, "Creating this album allowed me a place to dream and to find escape during a scary time for the world. It allowed me to feel free and adventurous in a time when little else was moving. My intention was to create a safe place, a place without judgment. A place to be free of perfectionism and overthinking. A place to scream, release, feel freedom. It was a beautiful journey of exploration. I hope you find joy in this music. I hope it inspires you to release the wiggle. Ha! And to feel as unique, strong, and sexy as you are."
Beyoncé also took that same picture of herself on a horse and made that her profile picture on all her social media accounts.
Beyoncé dedicates 'Renaissance' to her family and the LGBTQ community
On her official website, Beyoncé thanked her family for giving her the inspiration that she needed to complete the project.
“I want to give a special thank you to Rumi, Sir, and Blue for allowing me the space, creativity, and inspiration. And a special thanks to my beautiful husband and muse, who held me down during those late nights in the studio," she wrote.
She also dedicated the album to uncle Johnny and the LGBTQ+ community.
“A big thank you to my Uncle Jonny. He was my godmother and the first person to expose me to a lot of the music and culture that serve as inspiration for this album,” Beyoncé continued. “Thank you to all the pioneers who originate culture, to all of the fallen angels whose contributions have gone unrecognized for far too long. This is a celebration for you.”