It’s been six years since Beyoncé blessed the world with Lemonade in 2016. Six long, agonising years of waiting, longing, hoping for a new solo album.
But the day has finally arrived: we have news! Beyoncé has announced her new 16-track solo studio album Renaissance will be with us next month, on July 29.
Tidal’s official Twitter account posted the name and release date for the singer’s next project on Thursday, while Beyoncé’s social media bios were updated with the mysterious words “act i RENAISSANCE 7.29”. Whether this means more “acts” down the track remains to be seen, but both the title, Renaissance, and release date are clear.
Beyoncé hasn’t been entirely silent during her six-year hiatus from solo album production. In 2018, Bey and husband Jay-Z released Everything Is Love, a collaborative album which was accompanied by the world On the Run II tour. In 2019, she released Homecoming: The Live Album, following her incredible Coachella headline performance. That year, she also released The Lion King: The Gift, a soundtrack album to accompany the remake of The Lion King and stunning visual album Black Is King.
Naturally, Bey fans were pretty ecstatic at the news that a brand new solo album is right around the corner.
Fans were quick to point out that this announcement, complete with release date, is a break with Beyoncé’s typical surprise album drop style.
The countdown has officially begun.