Renaissance was released in July 2022 as the first act of a planned trilogy by Beyoncé.
The album was released on July 29, 2022, through Parkwood Entertainment and Columbia Records. It was Beyoncé’s seventh solo studio album and followed Lemonade, released in 2016. Renaissance draws heavily on house, disco, dance, funk, and electronic music, with many references to Black and queer club culture.
Its lead single, “Break My Soul,” became a major international hit and reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100. The album’s complete title is Renaissance, although it is also commonly called Act I: Renaissance because Beyoncé presented it as the opening part of a three-act project.
The second act was Cowboy Carter, released in 2024. Renaissance is therefore distinct from Cowboy Carter rather than an alternate title for it. The album won major awards, including the Grammy for Best Dance/Electronic Music Album.