Beyoncé releases new album Renaissance: tracklist, guests, cover, where to listen...

Six years after “Lemonade”, which was well received by critics and fans alike, Beyonce is back with Renaissance”, a new 16-track album clocking in at just more than an hour and very much aimed at a world that is just starting to return to party again after the global Covid-19 pandemic. The album is targeted very much at the dancefloor and inspired by the likes of Donna Summer, the father of electro Giorgio Moroder and the ‘Godfather of Soul’ James Brown.

“Making this album allowed me to dream and escape during a frightening time for the world. It allowed me to feel free and adventurous at a time when not much was moving,” Beyoncé, the 40-year-old posted to her 270 million followers on Instagram.

“I wanted to create a place where you feel safe, without judgment. A place where you feel free from perfectionism and overthinking. A place to scream, to break free, to feel freedom,” she added.

First single sets the tone

“Break my Soul” is the debut single from ‘Renaissance’ and sets the tone of the album with the track using a sample from a 1990s dance classic, “Show me Love” by Robin S. with the single released to coincide with the summer solstice on 21 June (2022).

“Renaissance” is full of uptempo, starting with “Cuff it” or “Virgo’s Groove”, an ode to sex and love. The album ends in a disco fuelled “Summer Renaissance”, which covers Donna Summer’s 1977 global hit “I Feel Love”.

Renaissance collabs.

Guest collaborations on the album include cameos from Chic front-man Nile Rodgers, Beam, Tems, Skrillex, Jamaican diva Grace Jones, and husband and rapper Jay-Z, with the couple still going strong after twenty years together

Despite early album leaks this week, the Beyoncé faithful have made repeated calls to be patient and wait for it’s official global release date of 29 July (via the Parkwood/Columbia label).

“I’ve never seen anything like this. I can’t thank you enough for so much love and protection,” the singer fans via her Twitter account on Thursday night. She also revealed that “Renaissance” was only the first chapter of a three-part project.

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Positive response

The initial response from the critics to Renaissance has been positive with the album scoring 88/100 via Metacritic.

Rolling Stone give the album a 90/100 review, stating: “Is this an evolution from Lemonade? Not quite. But with Renaissance, Beyoncé is more relatable than ever, giving listeners all the anthems and sultry slow burners we love and have come to expect from her, proving that inclusivity is the new black.”

Renaissance tracklist:

Where to listen to Renaissance

The album is available now on physical formats (cd/vinyl) and can be streamed via all major music services: Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal, Amazon Music, Deezer....