The subtitle of Beyoncé’s 2022 album Renaissance was Act I.
Renaissance, formally styled Renaissance: Act I, was released on July 29, 2022, through Parkwood Entertainment and Columbia Records. It is the first installment of a planned trilogy and followed Beyoncé’s 2016 album Lemonade.
The album draws heavily on dance, house, disco, funk, and electronic music. Its lead single, “Break My Soul,” became Beyoncé’s first solo Billboard Hot 100 number-one single since “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)” in 2008.
Renaissance was followed by Act II: Cowboy Carter in 2024. The act numbering is important because Renaissance is not simply an album with an informal subtitle: Act I identifies its place within a larger three-part project. The album earned Beyoncé the Grammy for Best Dance/Electronic Music Album at the 65th ceremony.