Fans and critics are praising "Cowboy Carter," Beyoncé's storied album, which is soaring up the charts after its hotly anticipated premiere today, AFP reports.
A raucous, wide-ranging tribute to her Southern heritage, the second installment of her 27-track "Renaissance" trilogy is a genre-defining triumph that celebrates black culture in this country.
"It's as if Beyoncé has observed some of the evolutionary leaps and holds that country has experienced while redefining its boundaries - as music has always done - and said, 'Watch and learn. It's my turn," wrote a critic in the entertainment publication Variety.
"But the question isn't just what Beyoncé can do for country music; the question is what her conception of country can do for her, expanding her musical empire and even her already well-established self-confidence. That's a lot," he adds.
It's too early to tell where "Cowboy Carter" and its voluminous tracklist will settle on the charts, but it's certain that the album has huge commercial potential.
The Houston-born 42-year-old singer is a pioneer and master of the surprise online album release, but for the first two "Renaissance" albums she turned to a more traditional marketing strategy, with calculated promotions and deluxe physical editions available for purchase.
Her ode to dance, "Renaissance," climbed to No. 1 on Billboard when it was released in 2022, and "Cowboy Carter" seems primed for a repeat.
Add in another hit tour like she did for "Act I" - "Beyoncé Boom" was literally blamed for driving up inflation in Sweden, and boosted local economies everywhere she ventured in town - and Queen Bey would be doing-si-do right to the bank. / BGNES
