Mere days before its release on Friday, Beyoncé has revealed the tracklist for her impending country-themed album Cowboy Carter.
As teased by Dolly herself, the follow-up to 2022's dance music-inspired Renaissance will feature a cover of Dolly Parton's 1973 hit "Jolene" and a guest appearance from outlaw country legend Willie Nelson on a song entitled "Smoke Hour."
One track on the LP is straight-up called "Dolly P." Another, "The Linda Martell Show," is named after the 82-year-old singer who became the first successful black female country music artist.
Act II: Cowboy Carter, out March 29, is the second installment of a "three-act project" that Beyoncé conceived during the COVID-19 pandemic.
It will also include the previously released singles "16 Carriages" and "Texas Hold 'Em," the latter of which became a No. 1 hit — and the first song by a Black woman to top Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart, in spite of early reticence from some country stations to play it.
Beyoncé shared the album's cover artwork last week alongside a statement addressing her recent shift into country music and feeling "unwelcome" in the genre.
Beyoncé first dabbled in country music on her 2016 single 'Daddy Lessons.'
"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," Beyoncé wrote. "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. 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. "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 focused on this album as a continuation of Renaissance…I hope this music is an experience, creating another journey where you can close your eyes, start from the beginning and never stop," she added, concluding, "This ain’t a Country album. This is a 'Beyoncé' album. This is Act II Cowboy Carter, and I am proud to share it with y'all!
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The Cowboy Carter rollout began with a Verizon commercial that aired during the Super Bowl, and Uber seems to be teasing some sort of partnership announcement arriving tomorrow.
On Monday, Beyoncé is set to receive the Innovator Award at the 2024 iHeartRadio Music Awards.
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