Queen Bey is back with a new album and stunning new look as she covers British Vogue’s July 2022 issue. The superstar singer made the world stop once again when she took to her Instagram last Thursday to announce her forthcoming seventh studio album, Renaissance, set to drop on July 29.
Beyonce in July 2022 “British Vogue”
Credit: Rafael Pavarotti
Hours after the announcement, Beyoncé also posted photos from the British Vogue shoot as well as the magazine’s cover that shows her sitting atop a horse while wearing a fitted black velvet gown and a dramatic feathered headpiece.
The image alludes to the singer’s next musical and visual transformation that fans have witnessed several times through her illustrious career.
Edward Enninful, editor-in-chief of British Vogue, described the inspiration for the photo shoot as “a fashion fantasia spun from the tropes of club life during the last century’s final quarter.” He also added that Beyoncé “wanted to play with fashion like never before.”
The inclusion of bright lights, mirror balls, and larger-than-life headpieces for the shoot gives off an air of futuristic disco which has fans wondering what Beyoncé has in store for Renaissance.
Beyoncé in July 2022 “British Vogue”
Nevertheless, Queen Bey is back to run the world and has again captured the attention of her fans with her running theme of non-traditional album rollouts that seem to get more captivating each time.
In an interview with Harper’s Bazaar last year, Beyoncé hinted at releasing her seventh album, stating, “With all the isolation and injustice over the past year, I think we are all ready to escape, travel, love, and laugh again.”
“I feel a renaissance emerging, and I want to be part of nurturing that escape in any way possible,” she added.
Beyoncé in July 2022 “British Vogue”
The July 2022 issue of British Vogue hit newsstands on June 21.
Beyoncé also dropped “Break My Soul,” the first single from the forthcoming seventh solo studio album Renaissance, June 21 at midnight ET / 9 p.m. PT. The native Houstonian announced the release of the new single on social media Monday morning. Unusually, the announcement was not made via a tweet or Instagram post but rather in the “bio” area of her profile on each platform; the song appears to be the sixth track on the album.
Beyoncé in July 2022 “British Vogue”
While some had expected the superstar to drop a new single over the weekend or even on Juneteenth —as she did two years ago with her last major single, “Black Parade,” the timing of this one reflected a song that has no relation to the holiday.
Sources say that the album will feature both dance and country-leaning tracks, with contributions from hit songwriter Ryan Tedder, who co-wrote her 2008 hit “Halo” as well as hits for Adele, Taylor Swift, the Jonas Bros. and his own group, OneRepublic. Also said to be involved is Raphael Saadiq, who has crafted hits for Mary J. Blige, D’Angelo, Stevie Wonder, John Legend and Andra Day as well as his own excellent solo albums, and executive-produced “A Seat at the Table,” Beyoncé’s sister Solange’s widely praised 2016 album.