Last night, in a Santa Claus-like move, Beyoncé left us a new album to wake up to this morning. Without warning, the singer dropped 14 new songs and 17 videos on the self-titled Beyoncé, which she is calling her first "visual album."
The follow up to 2011's 4 features collaborations with Jay Z on "Drunk Love," Drake on "Mine" and
Frank Ocean on "Superpower." Her two-year-old daughter, Blu Ivy, even helped out with vocals on the track "Blue." The-Dream, Ryan Tedder, Pharrell Williams, Boots, Drake and Noah "40" Shebib have songwriting credits. The videos, which accompany the tracks, were filmed across the globe in New York, Rio de Janiero, Sydney and Houston.
"I see music," Beyoncé said in a press release, explaining why she made a visual album. "It's more than just what I hear. When I'm connected to something, I immediately see a visual or a series of images that are tied to a feeling or an emotion, a memory from my childhood, thoughts about life, my dreams or my fantasies. And they're all connected to the music."
Beyoncé isn't a concept album, but according to the press release is "designed to be consumed as a comprehensive audio/visual piece from top to bottom. The antithesis of making singles, the visual album is a non-linear journey through the thoughts and visions of Beyoncé."
As for why she made the release a surprise she said, "I didn't want to release my music the way I've done it. I am bored with that. I feel like I am able to speak directly to my fans. There's so much that gets between the music, the artist and the fans. I felt like I didn't want anybody to give the message when my record is coming out. I just want this to come out when it's ready and from me to my fans."
Those following Beyoncé have been expecting new material to be released, but most assumed it would come in 2014. We reported on Wednesday that the chairman of Columbia Records said Beyoncé would be putting out a record "at some point" adding, "When she does, it will be monumental."
Although the singer did not release any true "singles" in 2013, she did released about four teasers throughout the year. Back in March, she released "Bow Down/I Been On," followed by "Standing on the Sun," which appeared in her H&M ad campaign. The song "Grown Women" was featured in a Pepsi commercial, and a few weeks ago, she dropped "God Made You Beautiful" for her daughter Blu Ivy (it first appeared in her HBO documentary, Life Is But a Dream). But for most of 2013, she has been on a massive world tour.
None of the songs she released, however, appear on Beyoncé, which is available now on iTunes and will drop in physical formats by Christmas.
So, everyone, looks like you might have to adjust your "Best of 2013" lists after this little surprise. Watch previews for the videos "Blow" and "Drunk Love" and check out the tracklist here. Let us know what you think in the comments section below!
Beyoncé Tracklist:
01. Pretty Hurts
02. Haunted
03. Drunk in Love (feat. Jay Z)
04. Blow
05. No Angel
06. Partition
07. Jealous
08. Rocket
09. Mine (feat. Drake)
10. XO
11. Flawless (feat. Chimamanda)
12. Superpower (feat. Frank Ocean)
13. Heaven
14. Blue (feat. Blue Ivy)
15. Pretty Hurts (video)
16. Ghost (video)
17. Haunted (video)
18. Drunk in Love (feat. Jay Z) (video)
19. Blow (video)
20. No Angel (video)
21. Yoncé (video)
22. Partition (video)
23. Jealous (video)
24. Rocket (video)
25. Mine (feat. Drake) (video)
26. XO (video)
27. Flawless (feat. Chimamanda) (video)
28. Superpower (feat. Frank Ocean) (video)
29. Heaven (video)
30. Blue (feat. Blue Ivy) (video)
31. Grown Woman (bonus video)
32. Credits (video)
