American pop star Beyoncé announced on Game Day her plans to release "Act II" of her highly acclaimed "Rennaisance" project this coming March 29.
However, fans of the artist were even more surprised when she actually dropped two new singles, "16 Carriages" and "Texas Hold 'Em," along with the special announcement.
A Turning Point in Beyoncé's Career
As fans have pointed out, the two new tracks mark a significant step away from Beyoncé's pop and house sensibilities, and a step towards the country genre.
While the pivot was a move anticipated by long-time fans of the "Renaissance" artist, given away by the giant cowboy hat she wore to the Grammy's, it may also tap into a growing market of country listeners.
According to data company Luminate, country music grew in streams by 24% year over year through the third quarter of 2023.
Notably, two of Billboard's Hot 100 chart toppers were also country songs: Luke Combs' cover of "Fast Car," as well as Morgan Wallen's hit single "Last Night."
This gives 'Yoncé's upcoming musical project a chance to tap into new audiences, all while she maintains her strong fan base and her status as one of the most iconic pop artists of the decade.
How Did Beyoncé Break the News?
Queen Bey's announcement during the Big Game came in the form of a one-minute Verizon ad, where she attempts to "break the internet" through several antics: "Beyonc-AI," "BarBey," a "yoncéB" alter-ego, and even as BOTUS (Beyoncé of the United States).
While none of her attempts broke the Verizon network, the pop star had one last resort: to "drop the new music," which she actually did.
Shortly after her spot, the artist uploaded a teaser on her YouTube channel to formally announce "act ii," which is set to be released next month.
Just a day since posting, and the teaser already has 26.6 million views, showing that the diva can still break the internet.
Editing by Katherine 'Makkie' Maclang