Beyonce has dropped a surprise four-song EP.
The 40-year-old singer stunned fans on Thursday (04.08.22) by releasing four different versions of her ‘Renaissance’ cut ‘Break My Soul’.
The first song on the four-track EP is a three-minute 58 seconds will.i.am remix of ‘Break My Soul’, while US DJ Terry Hunter provides a five-minute 30-second version.
A six-minute 27 seconds Honey Dijon remix is the third song, and the final one is a mammoth nine-minute 54-second Nita Aviance Club Mix.
The release comes after fans spotted Beyonce – who released seventh studio album ‘Renaissance’ last week – has appeared to have removed two allegedly “unauthorised” samples of two Kelis tunes from her one of the new album’s tracks, ‘Energy’, on some streaming platforms, just days after Kelis accused the ‘Crazy in Love’ hitmaker of using them without her approval.
It comes after Beyonce also removed an offensive term for disabled people from the lyrics of the song ‘Heated’.
The multi-Grammy winner announced the move earlier this week, after it was called “ableist” and “offensive” by disability charities and activists.
In the tune – which was co-written with rapper Drake – Beyonce used a derogatory term for spastic diplegia, a form of cerebral palsy, in the lines: “Spazzing on that a**, spaz on that a**.”
A representative for the musician revealed the lyric will be changed, saying: “The word, not used intentionally in a harmful way, will be replaced.”
Australian writer and disability advocate Hannah Diviney said Beyonce’s commitment to musical and visual storytelling did not “excuse her use of ableist language – language that gets used and ignored all too often”.
The campaigner added: “Language you can be sure I will never ignore, no matter who it comes from or what the circumstances are.”
UK disability charity Sense initially tweeted that it was “disappointing that another artist is using an offensive term in their song so soon after it was pointed out how hurtful the word is”, and called for “more education to improve awareness of disability”.
But they have praised her for agreeing to change the lyric, saying: “Beyoncé has a history of championing inclusivity, and we’re happy that she’s listened to feedback and agreed to re-record the lyric that many disabled people find offensive.
“We recognise that the word was not used intentionally to cause harm but words have power and can reinforce negative attitudes marginalised groups face.
“We want to thank Beyoncé for listening and look forward to getting on with enjoying the record.”