The artist is dropping her long-awaited seventh studio album and first solo album in six years on July 29.
Beyoncé's new era has officially begun! The musician launched her Renaissance era with the album's first song, "Break My Soul," with a lyric video released Monday night.
"Break My Soul," Queen Bey's first new song since November 2021's "Be Alive," is a dance-house number reminiscent of the cult-favorite single "Blow" from her self-titled fifth studio album. The single heavily samples Robin S.’s 1990 dance hit, "Show Me Love" and features additional vocals and another sample from bounce legend Big Freedia.
The New Orleans-based bounce rapper, who also featured on Beyoncé's hit song "Formation," shared her excitement for the new single on Monday night.
"It feels surreal to be on the track with the Queen Beyonce once again," she wrote on Twitter. "I’m so honored to be apart [sic] of this special moment I’m forever grateful lord... someone please catch me."
"I'ma let down my hair 'cause I lost my mind / Bey is back and I'm sleeping real good at night," Beyoncé croons in the song. "The queen's in the front and the Dom's in the back / Ain't taking no flicks but the whole clique snapped."
The songstress even manages to include a cautionary message for her listeners looking to party, singing, "Good at night, and we back outside / You said you outside but you ain't that outside / Worldwide hoodie with the mask outside / In case you forgot how we act outside."
Released on the day of the summer solstice, the song marks the start of a new season and era with new anthems for music lovers -- whether they're BeyHive members or not!
Beyoncé announced the song's impending release by changing the bios on her social media pages to read: "6. BREAK MY SOUL midnight ET." The promotion is similar to her announcement for Renaissance, which featured the social media accounts of Columbia Records, Tidal and Spotify posting a black square with "act i" and "RENAISSANCE" written in white on each side.
Additionally, Beyoncé updated the bios on her Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages to reflect the release.
"Break My Soul" is not only the first single from Beyoncé's upcoming album but an indication of what fans can expect from this era of music from the 40-year-old GRAMMY winner. Although she has kept mum, others around her have teased details of the upcoming album that promises a new side of the artist.
In British Vogue's July issue, Editor in Chief Edward Enninful described the project as "music that makes you rise, that turns your mind to cultures and subcultures, to our people past and present, music that will unite so many on the dance floor, music that touches your soul."
Enninful shared that the "soaring vocals and fierce beats" of the music transported him "back to the clubs of my youth."
"I’m a fan too. I’m very, very excited," Tina Knowles-Lawson told ET about her daughter's upcoming project. "I just posted recently that I really miss her singing, and I do. I’m as excited as everybody else. I can’t wait for you guys to hear it."
"She put two years of love into this. Many, many nights [she spent] all night working," she added. "I can’t wait for the world to hear it."
On Beyoncé's website, fans can already pre-order the album, with four box sets available, some of which include a CD, T-shirt, mini-poster and a 28-page photo booklet. According to the website, the product "begins shipping July 29th upon album release." Fans can also save the album in advance to their Spotify and/or Apple Music playlists.
Although Renaissance will be the first full-length studio album she's dropped in years, Beyoncé has put out quite a bit of music. She appeared on the 2018 collaborative album Everything Is Love with her husband, JAY-Z, and on Disney's The Lion King: The Gift soundtrack in 2019. That same year, she released Homecoming: The Live Album, which accompanied her iconic Coachella performance from 2018.
Renaissance will be out on July 29.
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