Usher had competition at the Super Bowl: in addition to the inevitable Taylor Swift, he had to deal with the surprise appearance of Beyoncé. Queen Bey took the opportunity to release two new songs and announce a new album.
This Act II would be the second part of his vast project Renaissance, planned in three parts. The table was set in a Verizon ad that aired during Sunday’s game won by the Kansas City Chiefs.
Of the two pieces revealed, Texas Hold’Em is the most clearly country with its banjo notes. The second, 16 carriagesalso draws from this universe (pedal steelorgan, etc.), but mainly focuses on the singer’s voice.
The disc Act II is due out March 29.