Beyoncé has revealed the name of her upcoming album: “4.”
In an exclusive interview with Billboard, the music star says that the album’s title was inspired by her fans.
“Everywhere I look, I see them calling it ’4,’” she explains. “I had a whole other name and concept, but I keep seeing that the fans love the name ’4,’ and I think it would be a really nice thing to let them name the record.”
The number four also holds personal significance for Beyoncé, and not just because her latest studio album will be her fourth as a solo artist. “We all have special numbers in our lives, and 4 is that for me,” she says. “It’s the day I was born. My mother’s birthday, and a lot of my friends’ birthdays, are on the fourth; April 4 is my wedding date.”
Beyoncé, who will also be honored with the Billboard Millennium Award at the Billboard Music Awards on May 22, says that her early inspiration for the album came from Afrobeat music pioneer Fela Kuti.
“I recorded more than 60 songs: everything I ever wanted to try, I just did it. I started off being inspired by Fela Kuti. I actually worked with the band from “Fela!” [the hit Broadway musical based on his life] for a couple of days…what I learned most from Fela was artistic freedom: he just felt the spirit.”
Beyonce’s albums always bring-it to the table, so I’m excited for it. Her songs just have a universal appeal that gets everyone moving, so I have a feeling it will also be a huge success. The album is slated for a June release.
