Update – 12:34pm June 21, 2022. It’s official: Beyoncé has dropped her first single, BREAK MY SOUL, from her upcoming album Renaissance.
The elusive chanteuse updated her social media profiles on Monday to announce the new track by simply stating: “BREAK MY SOUL midnight ET”.
But the girl has kept us on our toes by dropping it on TIDAL three hours ahead of schedule, just before 10pm ET.
.@beyonce – BREAK MY SOUL. https://t.co/zy5mKGs7uh pic.twitter.com/8BXmvtNmDD
— TIDAL (@TIDAL) June 21, 2022
TIDAL girlies can listen to the track here.
Update — 4:40pm June 16, 2022. Well then, Beyoncé has only gone and done it, hasn’t she. Shortly after the conspiracy about her next release started gaining steam, her album was announced.
Tidal dropped the short details of Beyoncé’s incoming album on Thursday afternoon. It’s called Renaissance and it’s landing with us on July 29. Bit of a jump from the July 11 date that conspiracy theory stans were obsessing over, but we’ll take it.
Beyoncé
RENAISSANCE
July 29 pic.twitter.com/ZenmtPQM9W— TIDAL (@TIDAL) June 16, 2022
The inclusion of “Act I” is a very interesting part here. What could that mean? Are we about to cop a concept release from Bey? Is this a multi-album that will be released across a spread of albums? How much has this woman written in the last six years since Lemonade?
Mark your calendars, set your alarms and clear your schedule. Beyoncé is back.
Update – June 16, 2022. The conspiracy about Beyoncé’s alleged new album has deepend, my friends. The Beyhive reckons it’s spotted a big clue about what the singer is up to. Fans believe an album is on the cards and the proof is in the posts.
While Beyoncé has wiped her face off her social media accounts (the first sign), keen-eyed stans have spotted something curious in a post made by another of her affiliated accounts — her charity, BeyGOOD.
The charity posted for Black Music Month on Wednesday (June 15) with a collage of album covers from influential Black artists like FKA Twigs, Marvin Gaye, Tina Turner, Barry White, Janelle Monae and more.
Celebrating the brilliance and creativity of Black Musicians who have influenced the world through their art.#blackmusicmonth#BeyGOOD pic.twitter.com/6v4groCQFS
— BeyGOOD (@BeyGood) June 15, 2022
There was one rather curious album cover that people didn’t recognise which featured a gloved arm on a red background. Someone ran a reverse image search on it and found nothing. What the hell is that?
Computer, enhance.
Some fans went even deeper on this new conspiracy by looking at what the hand was doing apart from pointing at the artwork next to it. They reckon the finger formation is showing a seven and an 11 and believe that’s a nod to a key date.
Is it also a coincidence that Beyoncé already has a track called “711”? Who’s to say.
Whatever this is, I’m quietly marking July 11 in my diary as a day where something might just happen, if the Beyhive is on the money.
ICYMI, this all kicked off on June 10 when Beyoncé suddenly wiped her social media — a telltale sign that something is afoot.
Beyhive, assemble. Beyoncé has removed her profile pictures across her social media accounts, including Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, so fans are wondering: is Queen Bey back?
Celebrities go gaga for deleting their social media content to signal that they have something cooking; Taylor Swift and The 1975 have both dramatically wiped their social media accounts before releasing new music. Sorry, Alfred Hitchcock stans: Matt Healy is the true master of suspense.
Eagle eyed fans were quick to note something was amiss and have gone bonkers on Twitter, with tweets hashtagged #beyonceisBACK coming in hot.
#beyonceisBACK. OH IM TERRIFIED pic.twitter.com/6gN6pa393r
— ❣︎ ᴅee (@DeeNxtdoorr) June 10, 2022
6 years since her last solo album. it’s been a long time coming but we finally made it. #beyonceisBACK pic.twitter.com/2CaPLM56AZ
— keep my wife’s name out your fucking mouth! 🗣 (@meganknowlesari) June 10, 2022
I used to pray for times like this #BeyonceIsBack pic.twitter.com/jQcYGClFQI
— J (@michaeljichael) June 10, 2022
The Beyhive’s suspicions aren’t unreasonable. Beyoncé confirmed she was recording new music in an interview with Harper’s BAZAAR, and according to Capital XTRA, Sony Music CEO Rob Stringer confirmed a new Beyoncé album — which fans have dubbed B7 — would be coming out in the first quarter of 2022.
Some fans, however, are exercising a healthy amount of caution. Could Beyoncé be releasing a new IVY PARK — her smexy line of activewear — collection? Or did little miss Blue accidentally remove the profile pictures while playing games on her mum’s phone, à la North West?
https://twitter.com/ifwdoni/status/1535105901627117580
https://twitter.com/austinstwt/status/1535114812144902146
Now what if she just dropping some clothes #beyonceisBACK pic.twitter.com/QNOdU4PMuV
— elriel month 🪩 (@ama_bl2) June 10, 2022
Genius also sent the Beyhive into a tizzy in 2019, when they accidentally listed B7 on their website, along with the album’s cover, track list and features.
We doubt it’s another Genius-style whoopsie, which can only mean one thing: something major is about to happen.
