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Photo Credit: Beyonce

Beyonce announces a new album, Act II, arriving March 29, and drops two new songs ahead of its release.

During the Super Bowl on Sunday, Beyonce announced a new album, Act II, sharing the news on her Instagram. Arriving on March 29, the album is the second part of her Renaissance trilogy, and based on the teaser’s footage and the sound of the two new songs it previews — “Texas Hold ‘Em” and “16 Carriages” — Queen Bey is going country this time around.

The album news comes as a surprise, although Verizon had been hinting all week at its new advertisement featuring the superstar, which aired during the Super Bowl and teases Beyonce releasing new music to “break the internet.” Moments after the commercial aired, she took to Instagram to announce the new album.

“Texas Hold ‘Em” was co-written by Canadian artist Lowell, with instrumental contributions and production from Rhiannon Giddens, Raphael Saadiq, Hit-Boy, Nathan Ferraro, and Killah B, among others. “16 Carriages” features Saadiq, Dave Hamelin, Gavin Williams, Justus West, and more.

Renaissance, Beyonce’s seventh studio album as a solo artist, released in July 2022 and was initially billed as Act I: Renaissance, implying future acts would follow. The subsequent tour led to a concert film that played in theaters worldwide, raking in over $44.4 million and taking the No. 1 film spot in the US during its debut weekend.

The album’s breakout single, “Break My Soul,” only earned one of the three awards for which it was nominated at the 2023 Grammy Awards — but Beyonce still took home four trophies that night, breaking the record for most Grammys won by an artist in the award show’s history, with 32 wins.

This year, Bey notably sported a white cowboy hat to the 2024 Grammy Awards — now an obvious nod to her upcoming country-themed release. Of course, only a day after the announcement, fans are already eagerly discussing what genre the star will pivot to for the eventual release of Act III.