The Super Bowl is notorious for its extravagant, funny and wild commercials, this year, at Super Bowl LVIII, this wasn’t any different. At this year’s Super Bowl, Beyonce collaborated with Verizon in a commercial set around Beyonce and breaking the internet. In the commercial, Beyonce was told to ‘drop the new music’ which sent fans into a spiral. Soon after the airing of the commercial, it was announced that Act ll of Beyonce’s Renaissance album would be released. Since then, two songs have been released titled 16 CARRIAGES and TEXAS HOLD ‘EM have been released.
When announcing the release of her critically acclaimed 2022 album Renaissance, it was revealed that the album would be released in three acts, making the first album Act l. While Beyonce toured the world and released a concert film, fans waited for the announcement of the other acts of the albums. Act ll was teased during Beyonce’s ad during the Super Bowl but the album was officially announced via Twitter with an album trailer with the caption ACT ll 3.29.
While Act l was a house and dance album, Act ll has an entirely different sound. The album, and the two singles already released have a distinct country sound which Beyonce says “inspired by growing up in Texas and American history, specifically the overlooked history of the American Black cowboy.” Since the songs’ release, they occupy the top two spots on the iTunes charts in over 60 countries.
This is not the first time Beyonce has done the country genre. On her 2016 Album of the year nominee, culturally significant and one of the most influential albums of the 2010’s, Lemonade, track six titled Daddy’s Lesson which is her first endeavor into country and is inspired by lessons her father taught her growing up. The song has been credited as starting a trend of “pop stars toying with American West and Southern aesthetics,” according to Rolling Stone Magazine.
Students at Shadow Ridge are just as shocked and excited about the upcoming album.
“When I saw the ad saying ‘release the music’ I didn’t think anything of it but I was pretty shocked to see her actually release two new songs. I was even more shocked after hearing the songs. Her voice sounds so nice in country songs and I’m excited to hear more,’ says junior Loryn Mohlman.
Additionally, TEXAS HOLD ‘EM has been going viral on TikTok, since the release people have been uploading videos of them dancing to the country song and has gained a lot of traction.
