Beyoncé fans are rejoicing after the singer dropped her new album “Renaissance” at midnight on Friday (29 July).
The new LP is the 40-year-old singer’s seventh studio album. It features 16 tracks, including the lead single “Break My Soul”.
This album is the first installment of a “three act project” and includes contributions from Jay-Z, 070 Shake, Drake, Tems, Jay-Z and more.
“Renaissance” is Beyoncé’s first solo studio album since 2016’s “Lemonade,” in which she tackled topics such as infidelity, Black womanhood, and forgiveness.
A press release for Renaissance shares Beyonce’s decision to stray from the visual album format.
Beyoncé “decided to lead without visuals giving fans the opportunity to be limitless in their expansive listening journey,” the statement says. “It is a chance again to be listeners and not viewers, while taking in every gem of the pristine production.”
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The release also refers to Renaissance as “a celebration of a club era when anyone who felt like an outsider sought each other and formed a community of freedom-seekers to express themselves creatively through the rhythm, which we still celebrate today.”
As soon as the album was released, fans couldn’t help but share the positive reviews on social media.
“Renaissance is one of Beyoncé’s best albums in my opinion,” one fan wrote.
Another person added: Renaissance is hands-down Beyoncé‘s best album.”
One fan wrote: “Very danceable and nice vibe. Harmonies and chords are super pleasing and easy going. Vocal runs for the gods all over the place. A descending run on ‘yeah yeah’ similar to one she does on ‘water.’ Her best ascending run ever!!!!”
“Renaissance” is one of Beyoncé’s best albums to date like it doesn’t walk in the footsteps of its predecessors but instead makes its own path, going to places we didn’t think Beyoncé would go,” one fan wrote.
Another added: “Following through post Lemonade, her magnum opus was an almost impossible task. Yet she did! What an album. One of the best releases this year.”
Beyoncé’s new album was reportedly spotted in stores two days before its intended release.
On Wednesday (27 July), a couple of fans on Twitter shared that they spotted it on sale in their local stores prematurely.
When that happened, many fans urged one another not to leak "Renaissance" before its release date.
Now, the singer has thanked all her fans who “waited until the proper release time”.