For the last decade Beyoncé Knowles-Carter has become renowned for the control she has exerted over her public image down to the last detail. She rarely gives interviews and when she does, she has completely control. At her shows, professional cameras are no longer permitted, and she urges the press to use photos taken by an official photographer.
Even her release strategy is carefully tailored to send the media industry into hysteria. For her first four albums, Beyoncé tended to follow the typical release strategy most studios roll out: singles, music videos, awards show performances, and interviews. However, with her eponymous album Beyoncé released in 2013, she changed tactics dropping a 14-track album accompanied by 17 music videos with no warning. In 2016, her album Lemonade dropped after the hour-long film that accompanies it aired on HBO. This year, she and husband Jay-Z dropped a joint album Everything Is Love without warning after their second London show of their On the Run II Tour.
Beyoncé is certainly not the first person to use this strategy – Radiohead being one of the first – but she has made the strategy so effectively it is often referred in the industry and media as “pulling a Beyoncé”. Beyoncé sold over half a million copies in 48 hours and Lemonade sold 653,000 in its first week. With each new release she manages to carpet bomb the music media circles.
Given she’s just wrapped up the tour last week and has already released an album this year, it would seem unlikely we’re getting any new music anytime soon. Nevertheless, the Beyhive, her fan base’s nickname, would have a very different answer. In recent days, an Instagram account has appeared named ‘roseivyou’ – IV being the Roman numerals for four so Rose for You. It only follows five accounts: Kelly Rowland (a former member of Destiny’s Child with Beyoncé), Beyoncé herself, Frank Ocean, Nicki Minaj, Tidal and Netflix.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bo-K1FxHcyt/?taken-by=roseivyou
As of this article being written, four posts have featured clips of roses blooming and underground cellars while in the background of one, Beyoncé’s vocals can clearly be heard. On top of this, Rowland posted an Instagram video captioned with rose emojis and ‘rose petals’ in the lyrics.
Likewise, a photo of Rowland and Knowles-Carter appeared on the latter’s Instagram further fuelled speculation. Nearly every fan account on Twitter and Instagram is buzzing at the prospect.
Some one jus pointed out her shirt says "coming soon" and there are 7 Beyoncé's in this pic
In conclusion… B7 IS COMING SOON. HOLD ONTO YOUR WIGS pic.twitter.com/som5tce5Cg
— DreamYoncé 🌹🌺🍁🌺🌹 (@dreamyonce3478) September 6, 2018
While this might seem like a fandom reading things way too far, Beyoncé has left seemingly innocuous clues in the past that fans have latched onto. Fans in 2015 had a theory her next album would be called Lemonade after she posted three photos featuring lemons nine months before the album was released. While we can only know for sure when she finally drops her next album, Beyoncé’s team if it is them know exactly how to play up the fan base. Whether a release is only a matter of time, it’s all good for the Queen B as this frenzy among fans is keeping her firmly in the press.
Photos From Beyoncé’s Performance Vault