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Beyonce‘s new album, Renaissance, officially dropped on Friday, July 29, though the highly-anticipated project was unfortunately leaked two days early. However, Queen Bey’s loyal fans (known as the “Bey Hive”) waited until the proper release time to listen to the 16-song album. For that, Beyonce, 40, expressed her gratitude to her fans in a message posted to her Twitter.
“So, the album leaked, and you all actually waited until the proper release time so you all can enjoy it together,” Beyonce wrote. “I’ve never seen anything like it. I can’t thank ya’ll enough for your love and protection. I appreciate you for calling out anyone that was trying to sneak into the club early. It means the world to me.”
The Grammy Award winner continued in her message to her fans, “Thank you for your unwavering support. Thank you for being patient. We are going to take our time and enjoy the music. I will continue to give my all and do my best to bring you joy. I love you deep.”
Renaissance is Beyonce’s first studio album since 2016’s Lemonade. It features 16 songs including “Break My Heart,” which Bey released as the lead single on June 20. Other songs include “Plastic On The Sofa,” where Bey seemingly references her husband JAY-Z‘s past cheating.
Beyonce’s new album was inspired by her gay uncle, Jonny, who died of complications from HIV. “A big thank you to my uncle Jonny,” Beyonce wrote via her official website the day before her album dropped. “He was my godmother and the first person to expose me to a lot of the music and the culture that serve as an inspiration for this album. Thank you to all of the pioneers who originate culture, to all of the fallen angels whose contributions have gone unrecognized for far too long. This is a celebration for you.”