After days of speculation and online sleuthing by fans, Beyoncé used her appearance in a Super Bowl commercial on Sunday to announce the imminent release of new music.

In a Verizon ad aired shortly after halftime, Beyoncé engaged in banter with comedian Tony Hale about doing something to "break the internet" (referring to Verizon's 5G network). After a few playful suggestions like "Beyonc-A.I." and a presidential "BOTUS," she exclaimed, "Drop the new music," before the commercial concluded. Soon after, Beyoncé's website was updated with the announcement of a new album, identified as "Act II," set to be released on March 29.

This album seemed to be the second part of Beyoncé's "Renaissance" project, possibly featuring a country-rock theme, indicated by the sound and look of two new songs, "Texas Hold 'Em" and "16 Carriages," which quickly appeared online.

"Texas Hold 'Em" starts with rapid-plucked guitar and transitions into a stomping beat, with Beyoncé rhyming "Texas" and "Lexus" and singing lines like, "It’s a real live boogie and a real live hoedown." On "16 Carriages," an epic ballad, guitars swell with organ-loud percussion as Beyoncé reflects on a life after losing innocence "at an early age."

Both songs' visuals feature Beyoncé in cowboy hats — a callback to last year's Renaissance World Tour and a continued style signature, as seen at the recent Grammy Awards.

The "Renaissance" era marks a shift in communication for Beyoncé, with the new album announcement following a more conventional advertising approach compared to her surprise "drops" in the past. When she unveiled "Renaissance" in July 2022, Beyoncé described it as part one of a "three-act project" recorded during the pandemic, offering a place to dream and escape during uncertain times.

This album, with its 1990s retro dance theme, topped charts and was the centerpiece of her record-breaking tour last year. Beyoncé previously explored country music on "Daddy Lessons" from her 2016 album "Lemonade," and collaborated with the Chicks for a performance at the Country Music Association Awards, which drew mixed reactions but was staunchly supported by her fans.