After taking things to the the discotheque with 2022’s act i: RENAISSANCE, Beyoncé heads to the dude ranch with her eighth studio album act ii: COWBOY CARTER.
“This album has been over five years in the making. 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,” she said on social media. “But, because of that experience, I did a deeper dive into the history of Country music and studied our rich musical archive. It feels good to see how music can unite so many people around the world, while also amplifying the voices of some of the people who have dedicated so much of their lives educating on our musical history.
“The criticisms I faced when I first entered this genre forced me to propel past the limitations that were put on mem” she continued. “act ii is a result of challenging myself, and taking my time to bend and blend genres together to create this body of work.”
A 27-song effort, the album is led by the singles “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM” and “16 CARRIAGES.” Contributions include The-Dream, Pharrell, NO I.D., Raphael Saadiq, Ryan Tedder, Ryan Beatty, Swizz Beatz, Khirye Tyler, Derek Dixie, Ink, Nova Wav, Mamii, Cam, Tyler Johnson, Dave Hamelin, and Shawn “JAY-Z” Carter. Meanwhile, features come in the form of Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Linda Martell, Stevie Wonder, Chuck Berry, Miley Cyrus, Post Malone, Jon Batiste, Rhiannon Giddens, Nile Rodgers, Robert Randolph, Gary Clark, Jr., Willie Jones, Brittney Spencer, Shaboozey, Reyna Roberts, Tanner Adell, and Tiera Kennedy.
Stream act ii: COWBOY CARTER below.
