After months of anticipation, Beyoncé’s first full studio album since 2016’s critically acclaimed Lemonade is finally here. Renaissance came out at midnight July 29, but in true world-burning 2022 fashion, the album was leaked anonymously online days prior to its scheduled release. Beyoncé is a meticulous artist, and also famously private, so it was clear the leak was in no way part of any plans she had. While some definitely circulated the links and discussed the album a couple of days early, some of the Bey Hive proudly waited for the real thing. Like any benevolent monarch, Bey thanked those fans, with a rare candid post as the album was officially released.
