Beyoncé; Dolly Parton; Willie Nelson.Photo:Kevin Mazur/WireImage; Jason Kempin/Getty; SUZANNE CORDEIRO/AFP via Getty
Kevin Mazur/WireImage; Jason Kempin/Getty; SUZANNE CORDEIRO/AFP via Getty
Giddy up!Beyoncé’s eighth studio album,Cowboy Carter, has officially arrived!
The new project, also known as Act II from herRenaissancerelease, has made its way to the U.S. as of midnight Friday, after fans in countries like New Zealand and Australia got a sneak peek of sorts thanks to their time zones. Beyoncé also published lyric videos onher YouTube channel.
“The joy of creating music is that there are no rules,” said Beyoncé in a press release. “The more I see the world evolving the more I felt a deeper connection to purity. With artificial intelligence and digital filters and programming, I wanted to go back to real instruments, and I used very old ones. I didn’t want some layers of instruments like strings, especially guitars, and organs perfectly in tune. I kept some songs raw and leaned into folk. All the sounds were so organic and human, everyday things like the wind, snaps and even the sound of birds and chickens, the sounds of nature.”
Beyoncé.Blair Caldwell
Blair Caldwell
She continued, “My process is that I typically have to experiment,” Beyoncé says. “I enjoy being open to have the freedom to get all aspects of things I love out and so I worked on many songs. I recorded probably 100 songs. Once that is done, I am able to put the puzzle together and realize the consistencies and the common themes, and then create a solid body of work.”
“This album took over five years,” Beyoncé revealed. “It’s been really great to have the time and the grace to be able to take my time with it. I was initially going to putCowboy Carterout first, but with the pandemic, there was too much heaviness in the world. We wanted to dance. We deserved to dance. But I had to trust God’s timing.”
She ended, “I think people are going to be surprised because I don’t think this music is what everyone expects — but it’s the best music I’ve ever made.”
On March 19, the 32-time Grammy winner, 42, told her supporters, “This ain’t a country album. This is a “Beyoncé” album,” but the 27-track body of work features some big-time country heavy hitters.
Dolly PartonandWillie Nelsonare among the featured artists. Nelson, 90, can be heard on “Smoke Hour Willie Nelson” and “Smoke Hour II.”
Last month, Parton, 78,congratulated the “Texas Hold ‘Em” singerafter the song earned her a “Billboard Hot Country number one single.”
The hitmaker previously stated that she wished “someone like Beyoncé” would re-record the classic — which does appear onCowboy Carter.
In addition to the remake, there is also an interlude titled “Dolly P” that seems to already be a hit with the “I Will Always Love You” singer.
“Just call me Dolly P 🤠,” she captioned a throwbackInstagram photoof herself ahead of the release.
There’s also Linda Martell, whomade history in 1969as the first Black female solo artist to play the Grand Ole Opry.
The 82-year-old is featured in an interlude that introduces the song “Ya Ya.”
Miley CyrusandPost Malonealso appear on the album. The Disney channel alum, 31, joins the Houston native for the track “II Most Wanted.” The “Sunflower” artist, 28, collabs with Beyoncé for a song called “Levii’s Jeans.”
Shaboozey, known for blending hip-hop and country, shows up on “Spaghettii.”
Other Black country artists that appear onCowboy Carterinclude Rhiannon Giddens, Tanner Adell, andWillie Jones. Addell, Brittney Spencer, Tiera Kennedy and Reyna Roberts joined Beyoncé for her cover of The Beatles’ “Blackbird.” Jones contributed to “Just for Fun,” while Giddens plays banjo on “Texas Hold ‘Em.”
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter.Blair Caldwell
Queen Beyteased her tracklistvia social media on Wednesday with a flyer showcasing all of the songs.
The “16 Carriages” singer first revealed her new project after starring in a Verizon wireless commercial that aired during the 2024 Super Bowl.
Once the ad ended, the rollout began.
source: people.com
