Beyoncé revealed Wednesday on Instagram the tracklist of her highly-anticipated album, "Act 2: Cowboy Carter" ahead of the March 29 release date.
The list includes: "American Requiem," "Blackbird," "16 Carriages," Protector," "My Rose," "Smoke Hour," "Texas Hold 'Em," "Bodyguard," "Jolene," "Daughter," "Spaghetti," "Alligator Tears," "Smoke Hour II," "Just for Fun," "II Most Wanted," "Levii's Jeans," "Flamenco," "The Linda Martell Show," "YaYa," "Oh Louisiana," "Desert Eagle," "Riverdance," "II Hands II Heaven," "Tyrant," "Sweet Honey Buckin'," and "Amen."
Both Dolly Parton and Willie Nelson are named on the tracklist, but it is unclear if they will be featured on the songs alongside Beyoncé.
The tracklist featured notable inclusions are “Jolene,” which Dolly Parton previously mentioned may appear on the second installment of the “Renaissance” trifecta, and “The Linda Martell Show,” a reference to one of the first Black commercially successful artists in the country and the first to play the Opry.
Beyoncé began working on “Act 2” five years ago and in addition to collaborations with Raphael Saadiq, Robert Randolph, and Rhiannon Giddens, she has more surprises in store for the album.
The singer kicked up her new era in February when she surprise-dropped two singles—“Texas Hold ‘Em” and “16 Carriages”—during the Super Bowl.
“Act 2: Cowboy Carter” is the follow-up to 2022’s “Renaissance”, which the singer initially revealed would be a three-part project.
While the first leaned heavily on club and dance music, “Act 2” is expected to be a country album, as Beyoncé explained that she was inspired to dig into the genre after an incident where she did not feel “welcomed.”
She was likely referring to her 2016 performance at the Country Music Association Awards, where she presented a duet with the Dixie Chicks (as they were known at the time).
The performance caused controversy in the country community, particularly on social media, and some expressed displeasure at the fact that she was given such a prominent spot at the show.
In a lengthy Instagram post, the singer explained that the incident inspired her to study the origins of country music.
“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,” she noted. “But, because of that experience, I did a deeper dive 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 also amplifying the voices of some of the people who have dedicated so much of their lives educating on our musical history. The criticisms I faced when I first entered this genre forced me to propel past the limitations that were put on me,” she continued.
“[Act II] is a result of challenging myself, and taking my time to bend and blend genres together to create this body of work. I have a few surprises on the album, and have collaborated with some brilliant artists who I deeply respect. I hope that you can hear my heart and soul, and all the love and passion that I poured into every detail and every sound.”
“I feel honored to be the first Black woman with the number one single on the Hot Country Songs chart,” she gushed. “That would not have happened without the outpouring of support from each and every one of you. My hope is that years from now, the mention of an artist’s race, as it relates to releasing genres of music, will be irrelevant.”
“This ain’t a Country album. This is a ‘Beyoncé’ album,” she declared at the end of her message. “This is act ii COWBOY CARTER, and I am proud to share it with y’all!”.
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