What Will Beyoncé's New Album Be Called?

Beyoncé has released a fantastic new video/song called "Formation" and announced a world tour, but she's also left us with a lot of questions about the presumably upcoming new Beyoncé album — including what its title will be. There have already been lots of rumors and hints about the possible album, and it seems likely that it will be released soon — I mean, Bey's recent actions suggest a calculated, gradual build of anticipation.

While there hasn't been any concrete info on what the album will be called or when it will be released, the release of "Formation" definitely gave a few hints, at least, about Bey's new artistic direction. As Jenna Wortham noted in her brilliant and Beyoncé-approved segment of the New York Times' discussion of "Formation," the song and video are more politically substantial than any of the contents of her most recently released Beyoncé. Bey's performance at the Super Bowl, complete with back-up dancers dressed like Black Panthers, further confirmed that she is stepping into more political territory, and is not afraid of stepping on anyone's toes.

It thus seems likely that the album title will be suggestive of that newly political direction. Based on "Formation" and this new fearlessness, here are some somewhat wild speculations about what Bey's highly anticipated upcoming album will be called.

Blue Ivy

Beyoncé has often included and referenced her and Jay Z's daughter Blue Ivy in her music, and Blue has a prominent, perfect role in the "Formation" video. While naming her album after her daughter might seem to not fit in with the feel of "Formation," I could see it happening.

[New Alter Ego]

Beyoncé has previously played with alter egos, including Sasha Fierce and Yoncé, with those names featuring prominently in her song and album titles. I wonder if Bey's increasingly badass persona will have a name, and if that name could be her album title.

Power

Beyoncé's "Formation" and its Super Bowl performance made reference to the Black Lives Matter movement; imagine the impact if her album referenced the movement, even in a subtle way?

Formation

While it would be a little boring to title the album after the first single, the fact that the upcoming tour is called the "Formation World Tour" does lean toward that direction.

Slay

While I think it might be a little glib for Bey to name her album something so trendy, the context in which she uses the word in "Formation" suggests that she associates the word with power and influence. It's definitely a possibility.

Houston

Beyoncé often references her Texas roots, and her Southern black heritage is a central part of "Formation." Many artists have named their albums after their hometowns, so I wonder if the new album title will make reference to her hometown in some way.

We may not know its name, its release date, or really anything about it, but somehow, it's already clear that Beyoncé's untitled album will be great.

Images: Giphy (5)