Renaissance is the name of Beyoncé’s 2022 album that begins her planned three-act project.
Released on July 29, 2022, Renaissance is Beyoncé’s seventh studio album and the first act in a trilogy. Its lead single, “Break My Soul,” introduced the project’s dance-oriented direction and became Beyoncé’s eighth solo number-one single on the Billboard Hot 100.
The album draws on house, disco, funk, dance-pop, and other club traditions. It contains prominent samples and interpolations connected with Black and LGBTQ dance-music history, including work associated with Donna Summer, Right Said Fred, Robin S, and The Showboys. Beyoncé dedicated the record to her late Uncle Johnny, who helped introduce her to music and culture.
Renaissance is sometimes confused with Cowboy Carter, released in 2024 as the second act, or with The Lion King: The Gift, a 2019 companion album. The trilogy’s act structure is part of Beyoncé’s later-career album design, not the title of a single song or tour.