Queen Bey is keeping her crown as "Cowboy Carter" becomes Spotify’s most-streamed album in a single day this year.
On Friday, Beyoncé released her eighth studio album, a twang-tinged departure from her previous records inspired by her Texas roots and personal musical exploration. The album featured covers of Dolly Parton's beloved track "Jolene" and The Beatles' ballad "Blackbird."
The global superstar also collaborated with "X Factor" alum Willie Jones, Willie Nelson, Miley Cyrus, Brittney Spencer, Shaboozey, Tanner Adell, Tiera Kennedy, Reyna Roberts, Post Malone and Parton herself.
The Houston native first teased her new music during a Super Bowl commercial for Verizon before posting on Instagram that her "act ii" project would be released March 29. She released a pair of singles "16 Carriages and Texas Hold 'Em."
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10 days before "Cowboy Carter" was released, Beyoncé gave the public a rare inside look at her creative process with an Instagram she penned amid criticism and praise for "Texas Hold 'Em" and "16 Carriages."
"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. But, because of that experience, I did a deeper dive into the history of Country music and studied our rich musical archive," she wrote in an Instagram post.
The star's remarks were in apparent reference to the reception of her performance of "Daddy Lessons" featuring The Chicks at the 2016 CMA Awards.
"The criticisms I faced when I first entered this genre forced me to propel past the limitations that were put on me. act ii is a result of challenging myself, and taking my time to bend and blend genres together to create this body of work," she continued.
"Cowboy Carter" is the follow-up to Beyoncé's 2023 album "Renaissance" which featured upbeat house music.
Contributing: Caché McClay
