Dear Gossips, 

We’re almost there, just three more sleeps – tonight, Tuesday night, Wednesday night, and on Thursday … how can we sleep on Thursday? As soon as Thursday is over, it’ll be Friday, March 29. And, hopefully, right at Midnight, the Queen takes over. Beyoncé’s act ii, COWBOY CARTER – we are so close!

 

Close to a piece of work that she’s been planning for a long time. At least as long back in 2016 when she performed at the CMA Awards and they tried to tell her she didn’t belong. At which point Her Majesty said… well… just you wait. Beyoncé will never be hurried. She will take as long as it takes to get it just right. Everything will come in time, her time. 

Which is what Atia “Ink” Boggs confirmed recently. Boggs has worked on several songs with Beyoncé, including a few that ended up on RENAISSANCE. But “16 Carriages” was the first track they collaborated on together in 2020. As Boggs said on YouTube show, Acknowledged, in an episode posted this weekend (via NME):

“So a lot of people don’t know, we actually had [“16 Carriages”]. So imagine having this timeless, classic music first and having to wait, and then she came up with ‘Act I’.”

 

Boggs further explained what she meant by “timeless, classic music”:

“Representation matters, that sound matters. This sound is Black music, this is what we started. “16 Carriages”, that was one of my favorite songs I’ve ever made and produced in all of my life. Because it’s so personal. I love to see her in that personal light.”

 

As for Beyoncé’s act ii being a return to country, Boggs says: 

“And it’s like, baby, we don’t do just one thing we do everything and we do it well. That’s what she’s letting you know. This is her southern roots, this is her Texas roots.”

Beyoncé told us herself: “This ain’t a COUNTRY ALBUM. This is a Beyoncé album.” And one of the ways to interpret that is country is part her – so a Beyoncé album is, naturally, a country album. 

With special guests…? 

 

The speculation has been rampant: 

 

Gaga posted the “Telephone” cover art on IG stories the other day and… 

It’s fun, but I think we’ve all learned by now that it’s pointless to predict the mind of this genius. She’s told us that we will know on Thursday night. Another reason we need this week to fly by. 

Yours in gossip, 

Lainey