Beyoncé drops new album ‘Cowboy Carter’

For Beyoncé fans, the wait is now over. On Thursday night, the Houston native released her highly anticipated eighth studio album “Act II: Cowboy Carter.”

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The album was described by promoters as a multi-genre experiment firmly rooted in country music.

“The joy of creating music is that there are no rules,” the 32-time Grammy winner said. She added, “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.”

She announced her latest release in a post on social media.

Originally, Beyoncé teased “Cowboy Carter” in a Super Bowl ad for Verizon, and she subsequently shared two tracks from the record — “16 Carriages” and “Texas Hold ‘Em.” The latter song made her the first Black woman to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.

“This album has been over five years in the making,” she said last week. “It was born out of an experience that I had years ago where I did not feel welcomed… and it was very clear that I wasn’t. But, because of that experience, I did a deeper dive into the history of Country music and studied our rich musical archive.

The resulting album includes collaborations with artists famed for their country music and more, including Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Miley Cyrus and Post Malone. Beyoncé's daughter, Rumi Carter, is featured on one track. Also appearing on the album are up-and-coming artists, including Tanner Adell and Shabozzey, Variety reported.

“I have a few surprises on the album, and have collaborated with some brilliant artists who I deeply respect,” Beyoncé said last week. “I hope that you can hear my heart and soul, and all the love and passion that I poured into every detail and every sound.”

She added, “This ain’t a Country album. This is a ‘Beyoncé’ album.”

“Cowboy Carter” follows Beyoncé's 2022 dance album “Act I: Renaissance.”

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