Beyonce is opening up about her forthcoming act ii: Cowboy Carter album, in which she blended country music with her own style of music. The mega-star penned a lengthy letter to her fans, shared on Instagram and on her website, where she outlined the inspiration behind the project.
In her letter, Beyonce gets candid about feeling unwelcome in the country music space and how that initial rejection fuels her desire to finish the album she started recording five years ago.
“This album has been over five years in the making,” Bey wrote. “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. 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 continues. “act ii is a result of challenging myself, and taking my time to bend and blend genres together to create this body of work.”
Beyonce shared that she has some surprises coming on the album, which is set for release on March 29, 2024. The pop star released two singles off the album on February 11, “Texas Hold ‘Em” and “16 Carriages.”
Because of the experience of criticisms she received when tapping into the country genre, Beyonce says she delved deeper into the history of the genre and its rich musical heritage. “Because of that experience, I did a deeper dive into the history of country music and studied our rich musical archive,” she says. “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.”
She added that the backlash forced her to push past any limitations that were placed on her. Beyonce emphasized that the project is not a country album but a “Beyonce album.”