The singer revealed that the project was released three years after she began working on it, while also calling out those who leaked the album two days earlier. She thanked her fans for being patient.
“So, the album leaked, and you all actually waited until the proper release time so you all can enjoy it together,” she wrote. “I’ve never seen anything like it. I can’t thank y’all enough for your love and protection.
“I appreciate you for calling out anyone that was trying to sneak into the club early,” she continued. “It means the world to me,” she said.
Unusually, apart from a couple of brief teasers, Beyoncé had not released any videos from the new album at the time of this article’s publication, even through the first single, “Break My Soul,” dropped more than a month ago.
It seems possible that a video collection is a third chapter of the project, which was originally said to comprise two albums. Beyoncé released a 65-minute film containing multiple music videos simultaneously with her previous solo album, 2016’s “Lemonade.”
Earlier this month Beyoncé shared the album’s cover artwork, which sees her posing regally atop the silhouette of a luminous horse.
In a note accompanying the artwork, Beyoncé wrote: “Creating this album allowed me a place to dream and to find escape during a scary time for the world. It allowed me to feel free and adventurous in a time when little else was moving.
“My intention was to create a safe place, a place without judgment. A place to be free of perfectionism and overthinking. A place to scream, release, feel freedom,” she wrote. “It was a beautiful journey of exploration. I hope you find joy in this music. I hope it inspires you to release the wiggle. Ha! And to feel as unique, strong, and sexy as you are.”
Beyoncé in June surprise dropped “Break My Soul,” the first single from the album for her fans.