Beyoncé reveals the cover of her new album ‘Cowboy Carter’

Beyoncé is riding her post-‘renaissence’ era, starring in a second act or continuing stage as a country girl of the West.

During the countdown to the release of her long-awaited album – due out on Friday 29 March – the artist has offered a preview, sharing on her Instagram profile a touching text in which she thanks the support of her entire community, as well as the honour she feels for being the first black woman to have a number 1 single on the Hot Country Songs chart. “This would not have been possible without the support of each and every one of you. My hope is that years from now, the mention of an artist’s race, when it comes to releasing genres of music, will be irrelevant.”

In that powerful statement, Beyoncé also delves into the origins and creative process of the new album, which she spent five years developing. “It was born out of an experience I had years ago where I didn’t feel welcome… and it was very clear that I wasn’t welcome. But, as a result of that experience, I delved 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 amplifying the voices of some of the people who have dedicated so much of their lives to educating about our musical history”.

“The criticism I faced when I first got into this genre forced me to overcome the limitations that were placed on me. act ii is the result of challenging myself, and taking my time to bend and blend genres to create this body of work,” continues Queen B about her foray into country music, and the criticism she received for it.

She added that she had some surprises on her album, including collaborations with “some brilliant artists she deeply respects”. Because, as the post says: “This is not a country album. This is a Beyoncé album. This is act ii COWBOY CARTER’.