Beyoncé’s upcoming country album is the only thing on the Beyhive’s mind right now — and producer Killah B just made it worse by teasing a possible collaboration with Taylor Swift.
Killah B, who produced and cowrote Beyoncé’s new song “Texas Hold ‘Em,” spoke to TMZ about what fans can expect from Renaissance Act II, which is due out next month. When asked about the possibility of a duet with former country artist Swift, 34, Killah B played it extremely coy.
“Let’s just say that she is on the approach of shocking the world,” the producer teased on Tuesday, February 13. “I’ll let your imagination decide what that means.”
In Killah B’s defense, he didn’t name any names, but fans dreaming of a Swift-Knowles linkup immediately went into overdrive. Swift used to be country, Beyoncé is going country and they were so supportive of each other’s concert movies last year — it makes perfect sense!
Alas, a source “with knowledge of the situation” told Entertainment Weekly on Tuesday that the rumors are not true and Swift “is not featured on Bey’s new record in any way.”
While that may be disappointing news for Swifties, Renaissance Act II is sure to be packed with other incredible collaborations. “Texas Hold ’Em” features Pulitzer Prize–winning musician Rhiannon Giddens on banjo and viola, while the other new single, “16 Carriages,” features gospel artist Robert Randolph on piano.
Country fans have a long list of artists they’re hoping to hear on Renaissance Act II, which seems to be shaping up as the country version of Renaissance. The 2022 album highlighted Black artists’ contributions to house music, so many fans think Act II will find Beyoncé reclaiming country for her community. Some theorists have already seized on the possibility that Beyoncé could feature Linda Martell, who in 1970 became the first Black woman to perform at the Grand Ole Opry.
Giddens, who has long been vocal about the banjo’s roots in Black culture, said that she hopes “Texas Hold ’Em” will “lead a few more intrepid folks into the exciting history” of the instrument.
“I used to say many times as soon as Beyoncé puts the banjo on a track my job is done,” Giddens wrote via Facebook on Tuesday. “Well, I didn’t expect the banjo to be mine, and I know darn well my job isn’t done, but today is a pretty good day.”
Last year, Giddens spoke about how she’s “still surprised” by how many people don’t know that Black people invented the banjo. “As soon as somebody like Beyoncé picks up the banjo and starts talking about the history, we’re good,” she told Variety in April 2023. “But until then, I’m trying to take every opportunity that I’m given to tell the story.”
