If, like us, you've been desperately waiting for a new Beyoncé album to drop, you can count your lucky stars, as the music mogul has announced her next solo album, Renaissance.
As the album appears to be due for release on July 29, let's just say our soundtrack to summer is sorted.
In June 2022 Bey shared the words 'act i … RENAISSANCE' on her social media accounts and streaming platforms such as Spotify, Apple Music and Tidal. She also posted understated artwork with the same wording and a release date.
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Here's everything you need to know about Beyoncé's Renaissance album:
When will Beyoncé's Renaissance album be released?
It's expected to be released on July 29.
How many songs will feature on Beyoncé's Renaissance album?
On Wednesday, July 20 2022, just over a week before the album's release, Beyoncé revealed the tracklist for Renaissance.
'Break My Soul', the only single to drop from the album so far, is the sixth track on the 16-track album.
A song titled 'I'm That Girl' will be the first song on Renaissance, which concludes with Summer Renaissance. Other tracks include 'Alien Superstar', 'Plastic Off The Sofa' and 'All Up In Your Mind'. Beyoncé will also seemingly address a political issue with 'America Has A Problem'.
It was on Monday June 20 when, ahead of the album's release, which is a follow-up to her famed 2016 anthology Lemonade, Beyoncé surprised fans by releasing her latest single 'Break My Soul'.
The dance-worthy song dropped hours before it was originally expected, just after 10pm, even though she previously promised it wouldn't be available until midnight.
It was released on streaming platform Tidal, which made sense considering her husband Jay-Z is co-owner of the company.
Producer Tricky Stewart and The-Dream, who worked on hit track 'Single Ladies', reunited with the singer for the song.
Part of the lyrics read: 'Now, I just fell in love, and I just quit my job
'I'm gonna find new drive, damn, they work me so damn hard...
'I'm looking for a new foundation, yeah. And I'm on that new vibration. 'I'm buildin' my own foundation, yeah.'
The multi-Grammy winner continues: 'Bey is back and I'm sleeping real good at night'.
Bounce rapper Big Freedia also features on the track.
Although Jay-Z doesn't appear on 'Break my soul', he's listed as one of its songwriters, referred to as S. Carter.
Adam Pigott (aka BlaqNmilD, a collaborator with Drake, Megan Thee Stallion and more), and Freddie Ross (Big Freedia) are also credited as songwriters.
The track takes inspiration from Robin S' 1993 song 'Show Me Love', and its songwriters Allen George and Fred McFarlane are credited.
Bey also shows off her rapping skills in the single.
She teased some of the lyrics when sharing a post to her Instagram feed.
Which singers and rappers will feature on Beyoncé Renaissance album?
One artist already confirmed to feature on Bey's album is rapper Big Freedia, who appears on her 'Break my soul' single.
News about others who will feature on Renaissance remains to be seen, but we could see her husband Jay-Z on one or more of her tracks, at least.
He's listed as a songwriter, after all.
Flashback to 'Deja Vu', 'Drunk in Love' and 'Bonnie & Clyde'.
Who shared the news about Beyoncé's Renaissance album?
It appears the singer did herself, though subtly.
She deleted her profile picture from her social media platforms in June 2022, and her website teased a new project, spelling out 'What is a B7?'
What music has Beyoncé released since Lemonade?
The 'Run the World' singer released a joint album with husband Jay-Z, Everything Is Love, in 2018.
After that, The Lion King: The Gift - a soundtrack she curated for Disney’s animated rendition of The Lion King, came in 2019.
Then, in November 2021, she released an Oscar-nominated single, 'Be Alive', for King Richard - the film about tennis legends Venus and Serena Williams, with Will Smith in an acclaimed role as their father.
What has Beyoncé said about her Renaissance album?
While the multi-Grammy winner hasn't publicly spoken about her Renaissance album in particular, she previously revealed that she'd begun working on new music.
Speaking to Harper's Bazaar in 2021, she told the publication: 'With all the isolation and injustice over the past year, I think we are all ready to escape, travel, love, and laugh again.
'I feel a renaissance emerging, and I want to be part of nurturing that escape in any way possible. I’ve been in the studio for a year and a half.'
Discussing her music-making journey, she continued: 'Sometimes it takes a year for me to personally search through thousands of sounds to find just the right kick or snare. One chorus can have up to 200 stacked harmonies.
'Still, there’s nothing like the amount of love, passion, and healing that I feel in the recording studio. After 31 years, it feels just as exciting as it did when I was nine years old.
Yes, the music is coming!'
And we're here for it.
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