Beyoncé officially announces new album title Act II: Cowboy Carter and shares alternate artwork release date

The superstar’s highly anticipated, country album and follow-up to 2022’s ‘Renaissance’ is due out on March 29

Beyoncé at the 2024 Grammys in Los Angeles in February 2024. PHOTO: KEVIN MAZUR/GETTY

Giddy on up, BeyHive!

On Tuesday, Beyoncé announced the title of her forthcoming, country album. Having previously teased that she was going to release a country music project and the next phase of her acclaimed 2022 album Renaissance on March 29, she officially revealed that it’s called Act II: Cowboy Carter.

The pop superstar shared the title by simply adding the title and release date to her Instagram bio and posting a shot of a saddle with a red, white and blue sash that reads “Cowboy Carter” on her Instagram Story.

In the image, it’s as if the metallic, disco-esque saddle that Queen Bey rides on the cover of Renaissance is transforming into a western one — signaling her artistic transition.

Beyoncé announces ‘Act II: Cowboy Carter’ on her Instagram Story.BEYONCE/INSTAGRAM

 When Is Beyoncé’s New Album Coming? What We Know About Act II’s ‘Cowboy Carter’ (So Far)

The image is also displayed front and center on Beyoncé’s website. The Shop section of her site where fans can pre-order merchandise and the new record also reveals alternate artwork to feature close-up photos of the Grammy winner’s face as she wears a black cowboy hat, has a white snake over her eye and her hair done up in a blonde, feathered cut and braids.

Beyoncé first surprised fans by announcing her highly anticipated, new album during the Super Bowl in early February. At the time, the “Alien Superstar” singer appeared in a Verizon commercial in which she joked about her internet-breaking abilities — subsequently proving her skills by posting a teaser on social media immediately after the ad spot played.

The clip teased that the second act of Renaissance is set for release on March 29 and led fans to speculate she was dipping into the country genre, as it appeared to be a visual inspired by the 1984, cult-loved western Paris, Texas.

After the viral announcement, the Lemonade artist confirmed their suspicions by dropping two roots-inspired songs, “Texas Hold ‘Em” and “16 Carriages,” which each featured artwork of the star rocking a cowboy hat and western apparel.

Thanks to the BeyHive’s efforts in requesting “Texas Hold ‘Em” on country radio, the song officially became serviced to the genre’s stations in mid-February and eventually hit No. 1 on the Hot Country Songs chart.

By reaching the peak position, Beyoncé has made history as the first Black female artist to ever reach the top spot on the chart.

Few details are known about Cowboy Carter, which arrives in just a few weeks on March 29. Although, it’s possible that a cover of Dolly Parton’s classic “Jolene” is included in the tracklist. The country icon, 78, shared in an interview with Knox News that she heard the hitmaker had recorded a rendition of her beloved song for the album.

Beyoncé performing on the ‘Renaissance’ World Tour in June 2023 in Warsaw, Poland.KEVIN MAZUR/WIREIMAGE

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Since announcing Cowboy Carter, Beyoncé’s mother Tina Knowles has spoken out about how her daughter’s country album is a natural progression.

Resharing a series of old magazine covers of her daughter dressed in cowboy attire on Instagram, Knowles, 70, wrote in the caption, “I just came across this video on my IG feed! We have always celebrated Cowboy Culture growing up in Texas.”

She continued, “We also always understood that it was not just about it belonging to White culture only. In Texas there is a huge black cowboy culture. Why do you think that my kids have integrated it into their fashion and art since the beginning.”

The note concluded, “When people ask why is Beyoncé wearing cowboy hats? It’s really funny, I actually laugh because it’s been there since she was a kid, we went to rodeos every year and my whole family dressed in western fashion. Solange did a whole brilliant Album and Project based on Black Cowboy Culture. It definitely was a part of our culture growing up.”