UPDATE: BEY'S COWBOY SET BOASTS 27 TRACKS, FEATURES FROM MILEY AND MALONE
UPDATE: As Cowboy Carter impacts international markets, the official track list for Beyoncé's country LP reveals 27 songs, including covers of the Beatles' "Blackbird" and Dolly Parton's "Jolene," as well as features from Willie Nelson, Post Malone and Miley Cyrus.
Could any other surprises be in store for Bey's act ii? Hold onto your chaps.
Beyoncé unveiled the track names for her forthcoming set, Cowboy Carter (Parkwood/Columbia), via Instagram (see below). Simultaneously, she confirmed that the album includes a cover of Dolly Parton’s 1973 single “Jolene,” which Parton had suggested earlier this month may appear on the second installment of the RENAISSANCE trifecta.
Cowboy Carter will consist of 25 songs, but it’s unclear whether the appearance of “Smoke Hour Willie Nelson" and “Dolly P” means the country stars will appear on the project. Luckily for Beyoncé’s fans, they won’t have to wait long to find out; the album is expected to arrive on Friday (3/29), 9pm PT Thursday (3/28) for those on the West Coast.
Cowboy Carter isn’t just the follow-up to 2022’s RENAISSANCE—it’s Beyoncé’s country-music pivot. The rollout began right after the Super Bowl with the release of “TEXAS HOLD ’EM” and “16 CARRIAGES,” singles signaling that the times, they are a-changin’.
Beyoncé recently opened up about her decision to dive into the genre, explaining on social media how the project was “born out of an experience” in which she didn’t feel “welcomed.”
She continued, “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.”
The Houston native also noted that she “collaborated with some brilliant artists” whom she “deeply respects.” Is she talking about Willie and Dolly? We’ll just have to wait and see. In the meantime, we’ll be over here working on our Texas two-step.
