RENAISSANCE Tracklist
RENAISSANCE is Beyoncé’s seventh studio album. On June 16, 2022 — the four-year anniversary of EVERYTHING IS LOVE, her collaborative album with her husband JAY-Z, Beyoncé announced the project through her social media bios:
act i ⠀RENAISSANCE ⠀7.29
The title of the project was being hinted at since 2021, on an August interview with Harper’s Bazaar Beyoncé said the following after being asked about new music:
With all the isolation and injustice over the past year, I think we are all ready to escape, travel, love, and laugh again. I feel a renaissance emerging, and I want to be part of nurturing that escape in any way possible
Speculations of an album release started around June 10, when Beyoncé’s social media profile pictures were removed, the day later an empty article titled “WHAT IS A B7?” appeared.
On June 14, the British magazine The Sun reported Beyoncé was working on UK pop-up shows to promote the album and revealed a source told them the project was mostly worked through the pandemic. Beyoncé herself later confirmed this for
The next day, Beyoncé’s nonprofit, the BeyGOOD Foundation, shared a picture on Twitter with various album covers to celebrate Black Music Month, including a never seen before image of an arm with a red glove, driving fans to believe this to be a hint to the new album.
The pre-save page from Apple Music revealed the project contained sixteen tracks.
Variety also reported RENAISSANCE would feature dance and country-leaning tracks, including contributions from songwriter Ryan Tedder.
On June 21, Beyoncé released “BREAK MY SOUL,” the house-inspired lead single of the project.
A leaked description for the CD’s page on Amazon’s Italian local website revealed that RENAISSANCE would be the first installment of a trilogy that would aim to celebrate black music and culture through many flips on past hits. The description also read that the album’s general soundscape would be up-tempo, with a strong dance, house, and even techno-influenced orientation.
“RENAISSANCE” Q&A
-
Translations
-
What has Beyoncé said about this album?
Beyoncé: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. I hope you find joy in this music. I hope it inspires you to release the wiggle. Ha! And to feel as unique, strong, and sexy as you are.
-
How did the album perform on the Billboard charts?
RENAISSANCE debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 during the chart week ending of August 13, 2022.
At the time, the album earned the biggest week sales by a woman and the second-largest week sales overall of the year with 332,000 units.
-
What certifications has this album received?
On November 30, 2022, RENAISSANCE was certified platinum by the RIAA.
-
Did the album receive any accolades?
Yes, the album was awarded with “Best Dance/Electronic Music Album” for the 65th Annual Grammy Awards on February 5, 2023. It marked Beyoncé’s first win in the category.
-
Is there official animated artwork?
Yes, TIDAL features an animated artwork for this release.
-
Album's "Thank You" note
This three act project was recorded over three years during the pandemic. A time to be still, but also a time I found to be the most creative.
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 adventuous 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.
I want to give a special thank you to Rumi, Sir, and Blue for allowing me the space, creativity, and inspiration and a special thanks to my beautiful husband and muse, who held me down during those late nights in the studio. A big thank you to my Uncle Jonny. He was my godmother and thefirst person to expose me to a lot of the music and culture that serve as inspiration for this album. Thank you to all the pioneers who originate culture, to all of the fallen angels whose contributions have gone unrecognized for far too long. This is a celebration for you. Thank you to my Parkwood crew, my slab, Dream, and all of the talented producers involved. Mama, I luhhhh you. To my father, my O.G., my first teacher, you inspire me in every move that I make. I love you.
To all my fans, I hope you find joy in this music. I hop it inspires you to release the wiggle, ha! And to feel as unique, strong, and sexy as you are.
Love y'all deep,
B.
Album Credits
