Beyoncé Announces July Release Date for Seventh Studio Album

Beyoncé marked her return to music with a photo shoot for British Vogue.  

After two weeks of cryptic clues that had the Beyhive abuzz that their Queen B was on the verge of releasing new music, the Beyoncé stans were vindicated Thursday morning when their liege's record label took to social media to officially announce her seventh studio album.

Posting an image of a black square with "act i" and "RENAISSANCE" written in white on each side, the record label captioned the post: "Beyoncé. RENAISSANCE. July 29."

Tidal, the streaming music service formerly owned by her husband Jay-Z (who still retains a board seat) before he sold it to Square for $297 million last year, posted a similar message at the same time.

While the details of the album have yet to be officially revealed, BeyLegion shared a screenshot implying that the project will have 16 tracks.

The star's self-proclaimed "biggest fansite" has a solid record of breaking legitimate news about its subject.

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"Renaissance" is the 40-year-old's first solo since 2016's critically acclaimed triple-platinum album "Lemonade."

During the six-year gap, she kept busy with collaborative projects. In 2018 she released "Everything Is Love" with Jay-Z, and in 2019 she curated and was heavily featured on "Lion King: The Gift" a soundtrack for Disney's live-action adaptation of the classic animated movie. She also released "Homecoming: The Live Album" that same year, which features live renditions of some of her biggest hits. In 2022 she earned an Oscar nomination for her song “Be Alive,” which was featured in King Richard.

An interview with Vogue's Rafael Pavarotti, done in conjunction with Beyoncé's cover shoot for British Vogue's July issue, sheds a little light on the project. In an excerpt, the longtime fan wrote:

She then asked me if I wanted to hear her new music. As someone who first saw her perform live with Destiny’s Child 23 years ago, a moment’s walk from my family home when the group played at the Notting Hill Carnival in 1999, I can feel the tingling excitement build as we make our way to her home recording studio. With minimal ceremony, she takes her laptop and plugs it in as we all sit on some sofas. Quietly, the superstar hits play on her upcoming album.

Instantly, a wall of sound hits me. Soaring vocals and fierce beats combine and in a split second I’m transported back to the clubs of my youth. I want to get up and start throwing moves. It’s music I love to my core. Music that makes you rise, that turns your mind to cultures and subcultures, to our people past and present, music that will unite so many on the dance floor, music that touches your soul. As ever with Beyoncé, it is all about the intent. I sit back, after the wave, absorbing it all.

Four unique box sets are currently available for pre-order on Beyoncé's website. Every purchase includes a CD, T-shirt, mini-poster and a 28-page photo booklet.