Amidst the anticipation for Beyoncé‘s forthcoming country album, Cowboy Carter, some details of the project have slowly emerged. The Grammy winner, 42, recently revealed on Instagram that she has collaborated with several “brilliant” artists on the record, whom she holds in high esteem, and she has dedicated “over five years” to the creation of this new music.
Meanwhile, fans on various social media platforms, particularly Reddit, have been speculating on potential guest appearances. Some speculate that Beyoncé’s friend Taylor Swift might make an appearance, given her experience (and musical beginnings) in the genre that the “Texas Hold ‘Em” hitmaker is currently experimenting with.
Beyoncé Fans Speculate That Taylor Swift Will Appear On Cowboy Carter As One Of The 'Brilliant' Collaborators
On March 19th, Beyoncé uploaded the cover image for her upcoming eighth studio album, and wrote: “This album has been over five years in the making. It was born out of an experience that I had years ago where I did not feel welcomed…and it was very clear that I wasn’t.”
The cover art showed her posing in a Western-inspired ensemble, complete with a white cowboy hat, matching boots and a red, white and blue get-up. She held onto an American flag while sitting atop a white horse (reminiscent of her 2022 Renaissance cover).
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The "16 Carriages" singer is now forging ahead with the next chapter of her era, with Act II serving as a continuation to her chart-topping danceable album Renaissance, which made its debut in July 2022.
Earlier last week, Queen Bey hinted at the presence of several "surprises" on her upcoming album. She expressed her eagerness to collaborate with "brilliant" artists whom she holds in high regard. "I hope that you can hear my heart and soul, and all the love and passion that I poured into every detail and every sound," she wrote to fans.
One of those artists is believed to be Swift, 34, as seen in a new Reddit thread titled, 'Cowboy Carter: collab predictions?' One fan wrote: "I think when people say Taylor collab they are only thinking of Taylor singing on a track lol it's very possible Taylor simply co-wrote one song on the album. Maybe backing vocals but I'm thinking a writing credit."
They continued: "I would be very interested in a song written by Bey and Taylor." The user also predicted artists like Kacey Musgraves and Miley Cyrus might appear on the record. Some suggested that The Chicks (who have performed with the "Formation" crooner before) or fellow Texas native Megan Thee Stallion might also be included.
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Another fan added in the thread: "I think Beyoncé, if Taylor is involved, would’ve absolutely wanted her to write something with her." One other noted: "I could see a Taylor swift collaboration" as someone else concurred: "I really have a feeling Taylor is gonna be on this."
Beyoncé and the "Anti-Hero" singer memorably attended the red carpet premieres of each other's 2023 concert films last year. On October 12, 2023, Swift uploaded a Boomerang video of her and the "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" artist sitting in a movie theater together, eating popcorn and preparing to watch Swift's Eras Tour film.
"I’m so glad I’ll never know what my life would’ve been like without @beyonce‘s influence," Swift wrote in the post for her 283 million followers. "The way she’s taught me and every artist out here to break rules and defy industry norms. Her generosity of spirit. Her resilience and versatility. She’s been a guiding light throughout my career and the fact that she showed up tonight was like an actual fairytale." One month later, Swift showed her support for Beyoncé's Renaissance Tour film premiere in London.
In her recent statement about Cowboy Carter, Beyoncé added: “It feels good to see how music can unite so many people around the world, while also amplifying the voices of some of the people who have dedicated so much of their lives educating on our musical history.”
The mom of three continued: “The criticisms I faced when I first entered this genre forced me to propel past the limitations that were put on me. act ii is a result of challenging myself, and taking my time to bend and blend genres together to create this body of work.”
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Beyoncé concluded her message: “I hope this music is an experience, creating another journey where you can close your eyes, start from the beginning and never stop.”
She signed off, penning: “This ain’t a Country album. This is a “Beyoncé” album. This is act ii COWBOY CARTER, and I am proud to share it with y’all!”
Mark your calendars for its release date — March 29th! Here's to hoping that the Beyhive and Swifties are onto something when it comes to a potential collab...
