Beyoncé releases surprise new track for Fourth of July weekend

She popularised the shock drop in 2013 with the surprise release of her self-titled album. And on Saturday, Beyoncé did it again, dropping a new song out of the blue.

The singer released the new track, titled Morning Dew (Donk), on the Fourth of July holiday weekend. Reports say the track was initially intended for her second album, B’Day, released in 2006.

In a press release from Beyoncé’s representatives, the song was called a “direct nod to her loyal BeyHive to commemorate the upcoming epic celebration of B’Day”, according to Rolling Stone.

It was co-written by Beyoncé, Pharrell Williams, The-Dream and Darius Dixon, and produced by Beyoncé and Williams. The song was released alongside a lyric video that reuses two-decade-old footage shot by Cliff Watts, who also photographed Beyoncé for the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue cover in 2007.

The cover artwork for Morning Dew (Donk). Photograph: Hand-out/Parkwood Entertainment

B’Day will be celebrating its 20th anniversary in September. The new release will appear on an reissue of the album. No other details about the reissue have been revealed.

While the new song was reportedly supposed to feature on the 2006 album, there was speculation in 2014 that the singer, who has won 35 Grammy Awards, would surprise-release a follow-up album to her acclaimed eponymous 2013 effort that would feature a track titled Donk. A song of the same name was registered by Beyoncé with Ascap (the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers) in October 2014.

B’Day featured songs including Deja Vu, Irreplaceable and Ring the Alarm. It was her second No 1 album and won best contemporary R&B album at the 2007 Grammys.

Morning Dew (Donk) marks Beyoncé’s first new music since she released her album Cowboy Carter in March 2024.

That album saw her collaborate with country stars Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson and Shaboozey. It debuted at No 1 in several countries and became her first album to top the top country albums chart.

To support the album, Beyoncé embarked on the Cowboy Carter tour, which saw her also complete a six-night residency at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in June 2025.