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Beyoncé to overshadow Dolly Parton with new country album, Cowboy Carter
Two years after her last solo opus, Renaissance, Beyoncé announced on Instagram the upcoming release of her new album, Cowboy Carter (previously advertised as Renaissance: Act II), on March 29th, 2024. The singer also shared two amazing exclusive tracks, the very country Texas Hold ‘Em and 16 Carriages, as well as the cover of the album.
By Violaine Schütz.
3. Sexy and political: a musical odyssey
Whether she’s rapping or singing, Queen Bey’s voice has rarely been that smooth. The lyrics in Renaissance are often very daring, like this sexplicit line from Alien Superstar: “Keep him addicted, lies on his lips, I lick it.” However, Beyoncé’s intention is not simply to make the whole planet sway and have sex to her sexy, uninhibited, and fun songs. The anti-capitalist lyrics of Break My Soul have established her as the priestess of The Great Resignation, a social movement that emerged at the beginning of the pandemic in the United States and which TikTok witnessed first-hand. Disappointed by a general lack of meaning, many American employees started to massively resign from their jobs. On the song, the singer urges people to work less or to even quit their jobs, which is what motivated many of her fans to serve their bosses with resignation letters, according to some posts on Twitter. Another song on the album is America has a Problem. Even though it refers to the track sampled on Cocaine by American rapper Kilo Ali, which talks more about drugs than social issues, it can also be understood as an allusion to police violence and racism in the country. Faced with a difficult context – the war in Ukraine, the pandemic, the ongoing social and racial injustices, the decline in women’s rights – Beyoncé sits on a luminous horse in a metal corset, like the queen and warrior we have all been waiting for, on the cover of Renaissance. A free, flamboyant, and proud heroine, inviting us to commune with her cathartic house music and to the sound of her overpowering voice. Even if we won’t quit our jobs, as Break My Soul urges us to do, it will be difficult to do anything else but dance to these consoling anthems from now on.
Renaissance (2022) by Beyoncé, available on every streaming platform.
While Rihanna seems to have forgotten about her first job, her long-time rival is making a comeback. Two years after the release of her last solo album, Renaissance, Beyoncé announced the upcoming release of her new album, initially entitled Renaissance Act II, on Instagram and in a commercial during the Super Bowl, last February 11th, 2024. It was enough to almost overshadow Usher’s half-time show… Since March 12th, we know for sure that this new opus will in fact be titled Cowboy Carter.
“Cowboy Carter”, Beyoncé’s new country album scheduled for March 2024
The new opus is the second act of a trilogy and will come out on March 29th, 2024. The singer has also shared two amazing exclusive tracks on YouTube, the country-inspired 16 Carriages and Texas Hold’ Em, as a reference to Wim Wenders’ film Paris, Texas. More minimalist and with less house sounds than the Renaissance tracks, the songs are inspired by the singer’s Texan roots and hint at a more rock’n’roll album. She covers Dolly Parton’s cult classic Jolene, while country legend Willie Nelson is featured on Smoke Hour. Other songs include Spaghetti, Protector and Bodyguard.
Beyoncé has made implicit references to her new country aesthetic with recent Instagram posts of her wearing chic cowboy looks and her public appearance at the 2024 Grammy Awards ceremony dressed in Louis Vuitton by Pharrell Williams.
Following the announcement of Beyoncé’s country album release, rapper Lil Nas X joked on the platform X: “Beyoncé finna make me put my cowboy hat back on.”
On March 19th, 2024, Beyoncé gave more information about her new record via her Instagram account as she shared the album cover art. It shows the singer dressed as a cowboy and riding a white horse. In the caption, she explains: “I have a few surprises on the album, and have collaborated with some brilliant artists who I deeply respect. I hope you can hear my heart and soul, and all the love and passion I poured into every detail and every sound. 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.”
The album Cowboy Carter (former Renaissance: Act II) (2024) by Beyoncé, available on March 29th, 2024.
Traduction Emma Naroumbo Armaing
