While the Super Bowl is ostensibly about football (and, to an increasing degree, Taylor Swift), the sporting event is just as focused on creating pop culture moments. From the long-awaited arrival of buzzy trailers to the halftime shows that define the year in music, many of the Super Bowl’s millions of viewers might be tuning in for everything other than the actual game.
Super Bowl LVIII has proven to be no exception. Even as the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers faced off in one of the most nail-biting games in recent memory, this year’s Super Bowl was almost outshone by Usher’s halftime show, the first teaser trailer for Wicked, and, perhaps most excitingly, the announcement of Beyoncé’s upcoming new album.
Fans had long speculated that the pop star would reveal something about new music during the game, and thankfully the rumors were true. Here’s everything we know about Beyoncé’s album reveal during the Super Bowl 2024.
Was Beyoncé’s Super Bowl music announcement real?
Beyoncé officially announced her new album, Act II, during the Super Bowl LVIII. The reveal came in the form of a commercial with Verizon, in which Beyoncé, starring opposite Veep’s Tony Hale, hilariously tries to break the internet. After multiple failed attempts — which saw her skyrocket to space and run for President (is that actually a great idea?) — the singer revealed what was the ultimate internet-breaker all along, finishing the commercial with “drop the music.”
Moments later on Instagram, Beyoncé unveiled the cover art for the Act II singles. In a nod to the album’s genre, the singer dons a country-style hat and leather jacket. The reveals didn’t stop there, however, as she then promptly released the first two singles for Act II, titled “Texas Hold ‘Em” and “16 Carriages.” In what appears to be a brief music video for the latter single, Beyoncé shared visuals for “Texas Hold ‘Em,” featuring a smattering of countryfolk, tumbleweeds and ukulele strings.
What is Act II’s release date?
The album, which is set to arrive in full on March 29, is thought to be the second in a trilogy of projects by Beyoncé, which began with the Act I album Renaissance in 2022. While that album leaned heavily into dance music, Act II is expected to mark Beyoncé’s foray into country. While unconfirmed, there is speculation that Act II will serve as a rock album.
Act II marks a much quicker turnaround in terms of Beyoncé’s usual album release schedule. It will arrive less than two years after Renaissance, which itself marked the singer’s first album since 2016’s Lemonade. In any case, the musician’s masterclass reveal makes one thing clear: even the Super Bowl can’t outshine Queen Bey.
Published: Feb 11, 2024 11:33 pm