The Queen of Surprises strikes again. Beyoncé just dropped two new singles “Texas Hold ‘Em” and “16 Carriages.”
Both country tracks will appear on her forthcoming album, Renaissance: Act II, out March 29 via Parkwood Entertainment/Columbia Records.
“Texas Hold ‘Em” was co-produced by Beyoncé, Killah B and Nathan Ferraro. Raphael Saadiq, who helped peen the track, also played the organ and piano.
Bey sings in the chorus: “This ain’t Texas / Ain’t no hold ’em / So lay your cards down, down, down, down / So park your Lexus / And throw your keys up / Stick around,’ round, ’round, ’round, ’round / And I’ll be damned if I can’t slow-dance with you.”
As for “16 Carriages,” Queen Bey co-produced the diaristic tune with Dave Hamelin and Ink, while Atia Boggs and Raphael Saadiq assisted with writing.
“At fifteen, the innocence was gone astray / Had to leave my home at an early age / I saw Mama prayin’, I saw Daddy grind / All my tender problems, had to leave behind,” she sings.
“Texas Hold ‘Em” and “16 Carriages” arrive with accompanying visualizer, which can be watched below.
Act II, the second installment of Bey’s trilogy, is the follow-up to Renaissance: Act I.
Beyoncé released Renaissance on July 28, 2022. The album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, selling 332,000 equivalent units.
Renaissance won Best Dance/Electronic Music Album at the 65th Grammy Awards in 2023. Beyoncé made history as the first Black woman to win a Grammy in that category, which first launched in 2005.
At the same Grammy ceremony, she took home trophies for the following Renaissance tracks: “Cuff It” (Best R&B Song), “Plastic Off The Sofa” (Best Traditional R&B Performance) and “Break My Soul” (Best Dance/Electronic Recording).
The latter song, which is certified platinum by the RIAA, was released as the album’s lead single. It peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in August 2022. It marked Queen Bey’s first solo No. 1 hit on the Hot 100 in over 14 years. She previously topped the chart in 2008 with “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It).”
Regarding Renaissance, Beyoncé stated: “Creating this album allowed me a place to dream and to find escape during a scary time for the world. It allowed me to feel free and adventurous in a time when little else was moving. My intention was to create a safe place, a place without judgment. A place to be free of perfectionism and overthinking. A place to scream, release, feel freedom. It was a beautiful journey of exploration.”
Circling back to Act II, the project was officially announced following Beyoncé’s Verizon commercial that aired during Super Bowl LVIII on Sunday.
While there aren’t many details about Act II, it’s likely that the project will see Beyoncé taking a deeper dive into country music. It certainly wouldn’t be her first venture into this genre either.
Her genre-blending sixth album, Lemonade (2016), included her fan favorite “Daddy Lessons.” She performed the song at the 50th CMA Awards with legendary country band The Chicks (formerly known as Dixie Chicks), who appeared on the remix.
Stream “Texas Hold ‘Em” and “16 Carriages” by Beyoncé below.