Fresh off of becoming the first black woman artist to hit number one on the Billboard country charts, Beyoncé announced the release date of her highly anticipated country album: Cowboy Carter.
Dropping March 29, “Cowboy Carter” marks Beyoncé’s first foray into country. The album has reportedly been five years in the making and is first record since her highly-acclaimed album, Rennaissance, which Pitchfork named the best album of the year.
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“Today marks the 10-day countdown until the release of act ii,” Beyoncé wrote in an Instagram post.
“Thank you from the bottom of my heart to all of the supporters of TEXAS HOLD ‘EM and 16 CARRIAGES. I feel honored to be the first Black woman with the number one single on the Hot Country Songs chart. That would not have happened without the outpouring of support from each and every one of you. My hope is that years from now, the mention of an artist’s race, as it relates to releasing genres of music, will be irrelevant.”
Upon receiving backlash for her genre-shift to country, Beyoncé stated that it was in part inspired by rejection the artist faced years prior:
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“The criticisms I faced when I first entered this genre forced me to propel past the limitations that were put on me. act ii is a result of challenging myself, and taking my time to bend and blend genres together to create this body of work.”
Knowles also promises surprises with the upcoming album with unique collaborations between big name artists.
“I have a few surprises on the album, and have collaborated with some brilliant artists who I deeply respect. 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.”
“This ain’t a Country album. This is a ‘Beyoncé’ album. This is act ii COWBOY CARTER, and I am proud to share it with y’all!”