Beyoncé announces new album ‘Act II’ and shares two new songs

Beyoncé has announced details of a new album, ‘Act II’, and released the first two songs from the upcoming record.

The star appeared in a Super Bowl commercial that premiered during the game tonight (February 11) for Verizon, in which she attempted a series of “firsts” in a bid to prove she could break the internet provider’s service. As the advert ended, she tried one last move: “Drop the new music.”

Moments later, a video was posted to Beyoncé’s Instagram, announcing the upcoming release of ‘Act II’. The clip showed her driving a taxi with the license plate “Texas HOLD’EM” as a yodelling song played on the radio. The video continued to show local people gathering in front of a billboard with an illustration of the star and the same words on her license plate.

The superstar also released two new singles – the banjo twang of ‘Texas Hold ‘Em’ and the slower, softer, but still country-tinged ’16 Carriages’. “I got art to make / I got love to create,” she sings on the latter. “On this holy night / They won’t dim my light.”

The new sound for the star follows fans speculating that she was making a country album. ‘Act II’ will arrive on March 29.

Elsewhere at the Super Bowl, Post Malone kicked off the game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs with a special acoustic performance. Usher delivered this year’s Super Bowl Halftime Show, bringing out Alicia Keys, H.E.R., will.i.am, Lil Jon and Ludacris.

Taylor Swift was in attendance with Ice Spice, Lana Del Rey and Blake Lively, as she cheered boyfriend and Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce on to victory. The Chiefs won 25-22 after the game went into overtime to win the Super Bowl for the second year in a row.

Off the field, three new trailers and teasers for upcoming movies were also premiered during the game. A teaser for Deadpool 3 saw Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool and Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine reunite while revealing the upcoming film’s title.

Wicked: Part One’s trailer gave a first look at Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo as the witches of Oz, while Twisters took viewers into the stormy sequel to 1996’s Twister.