Beyoncé has finally revealed the cover art and title of her forthcoming country album as part of her Renaissance series of albums. This new installment, known as Act II, will be called Cowboy Carter. The cover art features an image of a western saddle with a red, white, and blue sash draped over it bearing the album’s name.
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She shared a pre-order link, as well as a link to merch on her Instagram stories recently. The image was also posted on Twitter/X. The album will release on March 29.
Beyoncé’s recent releases include “Texas Hold ‘Em” and “16 Carriages.” There have been numerous debates surrounding whether or not Beyoncé “belongs” in country music, which has stirred up commentary about who gets to make country music at all. Tina Knowles, Beyoncé’s mother, even stepped in to clear the air, sharing that cowboy culture was always in her family’s lives, being from Texas.
[RELATED: Dolly Parton Fuels Speculation She’ll Make an Appearance on Beyoncé’s New Country Album]
Beyoncé Hasn’t Said Much About Her Act II, But Everyone Else Seems to Have an Opinion
Good or bad, a lot of people are having opinions about Beyoncé’s genre shift. Maren Morris recently commented on the shift, saying that Beyoncé made a “purposeful” step into country. At Billboard‘s Women in Music event this year, Morris said that Beyoncé’s “very purposeful” reclamation of country music “to Black people because they invented the genre is so astounding and important.”
Additionally, Kacey Musgraves had some thoughts about Bey’s genre shift. Mainly that “It doesn’t affect me.” She continued, “The more the f—ing merrier. I don’t really care. It doesn’t affect what I’m doing. It doesn’t affect me. I’ve always been just doing my own thing. It’s just fun to watch.”
Dolly Parton even weighed in, but not in the way you’d think. There’s a possibility that she may be featured on the new album. Or, at least, her song may be. “I’m a big fan of Beyoncé and very excited that she’s done a country album,” Parton wrote in a February Instagram post. Recently, though, she fueled rumors that Beyoncé’ covered “Jolene” for the album.
“I think she’s recorded ‘Jolene’ and I think it’s probably gonna be on her country album, which I’m very excited about that,” Parton said early last week. The two have been in contact sporadically through the years, Parton revealed, because Beyoncé and her mother were big Dolly fans. We’ll have to wait for March 29 to see if Bey actually covered “Jolene,” though.
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