Beyoncé recently celebrated 10 years of “Lemonade” on her Instagram, and in her hand were three lemons, a subtle hint fans are taking to mean her next album is on the way.
ACT III will be the third and final act in a trilogy by the superstar singer, following “Renaissance” in 2022 and “Cowboy Carter” in 2024.
Before Beyoncé shares more information about her upcoming project, the Destiny’s Child alum first celebrated a major milestone for one of her most decorated projects.
Beyoncé ran to Instagram to celebrate a decade of one of her most decorated albums, “Lemonade.”
On April 23, the singer shared a slideshow of images featuring her holding her whiskey, SirDavis, in one hand and three lemons in the other.
“Cheers to ten years!” she captioned the photo. “With love and deep gratitude.”
While the comments were filled with love and adoration for the 12-track project, some users were more focused on what she could’ve been trying to tell the BeyHive than what she actually said.
“3 LEMONS … ACT 3,” someone wrote, while another said, “10 years of Lemonade in the year of ACT III.”
On X, formerly known as Twitter, another user said, “The only reason why I actually believe Beyoncé holding three lemons is significant to act iii coming is because all three acts were birthed from Lemonade.”
‘Lemonade’ Was A Cultural Movement
“Lemonade” was released as an HBO film on April 23, 2016. It was another of Beyoncé’s surprise visual albums, featuring music videos for every track.
The project gained widespread attention for its themes of generational trauma, feminism, and reclamation.
Beyoncé ushered fans into the “Lemonade” era with the album’s lead single, “Formation,” one day before performing it at Super Bowl 50.
“Lemonade” became Beyoncé’s sixth consecutive No. 1 album, earning the singer two Grammys and global attention.
Rolling Stone ranked the project the No. 1 best album of the 21st Century, calling it “more than just an album.”
“It’s a music film as layered, gorgeous, and haunting as a canonical drama, a matrix of generational heartbreak, a celebration of legacy, and a hand-drawn map to the intersections of many Black women’s interpersonal and political lives,” the outlet said.
Beyoncé Released ‘Renaissance’ 6 Years After ‘Lemonade’
In 2022, Beyoncé re-entered the music space with “Renaissance,” the first act of a three-act project.
The dance album is an open love letter to the LGBTQ+ community, highlighting queer culture, slang, and the Black pioneers of house and disco.
The mother of three began the era with “Break My Soul”—the ’90s-inspired house single that became an instant dance-floor staple and a call to reclaim personal peace.
On Instagram, Beyoncé teased the project, revealing that she learned a great deal about herself during the creative process.
“It allowed me to feel free and adventurous in a time when little else was moving,” she wrote. “My intention was to create a safe place, a place without judgment. A place to be free of perfectionism and overthinking. A place to scream, release, feel freedom. It was a beautiful journey of exploration.”
‘Cowboy Carter’ Came After
Years later, Beyoncé made headlines again with the release of her country-inspired project, “Cowboy Carter,” which soared to the top of streaming platforms, earning her several awards on the Hot 100 and Hot Country Songs Billboard charts.
“This album took over five years,” Beyoncé said about the project, according to Billboard. “It’s been really great to have the time and the grace to be able to take my time with it. I was initially going to put Cowboy Carter out first, but with the pandemic, there was too much heaviness in the world. We wanted to dance. We deserved to dance. But I had to trust God’s timing.”
What’s Next For Beyoncé?
While fans wait for the next set of catchy singles from the 44-year-old, they can rest assured knowing that she’ll deliver something totally unexpected.
“The joy of creating music is that there are no rules,” Beyoncé said about her music-making journey. “The more I see the world evolving the more I felt a deeper connection to purity.”
