Beyonce is in her Renaissance era with 1st studio album in 6 years

Six years later and Queen Bey is reborn.

Beyonce released her seventh studio album, Renaissance, on Friday after announcing the record in mid-June. A club-nostalgic blend of disco, dancehall and electronic music, the hour-long album runs for 16 tracks, giving fans of the pop superstar a bang for their buck.

Renaissance, which follows Beyonce's 2016 studio album Lemonade, is the first act of a three-part project, according to the singer's website. It's a departure from the visual-forward style of Beyonce's two previous albums, which were accompanied by short films and album-length music videos.

The album artwork, revealed last month, depicts Beyonce sitting atop a holographic horse wearing a sparkling body jewelry piece.

Having recorded it for the better part of three years, mostly during the pandemic, Beyonce told fans that the album was a creative escape for her during a challenging time — and that she hopes listening to it is a freeing experience.

"Creating this album allowed me a place to dream and to find escape during a scary time for the world," the 40-year-old popstar wrote on Instagram in June. "It allowed me to feel free and adventurous in a time when little else was moving. My intention was to create a safe place, a place without judgment."

CBC News breaks down the long-anticipated release — collaborators, criticisms and all.

Beyond contributions from Drake, NOVA, Skrillex, Pharrell and The-Dream, Renaissance is interpolated with hits from the likes of Diana Ross, Robin S. and Grace Jones.

In a statement on her website, Beyonce thanked her children and her husband Jay-Z, who she referred to as her "muse."

When the album's first single BREAK MY SOUL was released in late June, fans noted that — between a sample of Robin S.'s 1990 club classic Show Me Love — the empowering lyrics were equal parts liberating and exhilarating.

The rest of the album, sonically diverse as it, is confidently steeped in that sentiment.

CUFF IT is a funky disco track in which Beyonce proclaims she wants to go "where nobody's been," while VIRGO'S GROOVE, the album's six-minute centerpiece, is an ecstatic ode to the "love of my life."

MOVE is a delightfully bossy, no-nonsense number that unites Beyonce with Grace Jones and Afrobeats artist Tems, while SUMMER RENAISSANCE samples from Donna Summer's 1977 disco hit I Feel Love.

The album's Drake-produced song, HEATED, gives credit to three other top Canadian talent: Toronto's Boi-1da, one of the country's most prolific record producers; as well as Sevn Thomas, who has worked with Rihanna, Travis Scott and Nicki Minaj; and Mississauga's Neenyo, whose previous credits include songs with Drake, Future and PARTYNEXTDOOR.