Beyoncé Announces "RENAISSANCE: Act ii" With 2 New Songs

The BeyHive were right all along. Moments after Beyoncé appeared in a Verizon commercial during Super Bowl LVIII on Sunday night (February 11), the Columbia Records artist announced the release date of her next album, RENAISSANCE: Act ii, which appears to be a country record. Minutes later, she released two songs from the project—”Texas Hold ‘Em” and “16 Carriages”—which adhere to the country theme.

The Instagram announcement included a short clip, which looks to be set in the 1970s. It finds a wild cast of characters staring at a billboard that reads “Texas Hold ‘Em.” Beyoncé is then heard singing, “This ain’t Texas/ Ain’t no hold ’em/ Lay our cards down, down down” in what sounds like a nod to Kenny Rogers. The spot ends with “act ii” and a March 29 release date.

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Fans have been whispering that she may have switched gears musically and was working on a country album. The rumors were fueled by Beyonce’s outfit at the 66th annual Grammy Awards on February 4—not only was she wearing a ribbon tie, which they interpreted as a nod to country attire, she was also sporting a large, beige cowboy hat, to boot.

Considering Beyoncé comes from Texas, some believe it wouldn’t be completely out of left field for her to work some wild west energy into her repertoire. There’s also the name she gave her 2021 sportswear collaboration with Adidas: Ivy Park Rodeo. At the time, Beyoncé said the name arose in homage to the eclectic musical influences she had growing up.

“I grew up seeing artists like Selena and Frankie Beverly and Maze and today it is just as eclectic with artists like Kacey Musgraves to Mary J. Blige,” Beyoncé said. “I remember the trail ride, with people riding from all over to the Houston Rodeo.”

Check out the new singles below.