Pop icon Beyoncé has collaborated with Miley Cyrus on the track II Most Wanted for her new country-themed album Cowboy Carter, which emerged as the most-streamed album in one day on Spotify in 2024 soon after its release on Friday.
II Most Wanted is a romantic ode that expresses youthful recklessness and the thrill of living in the moment, knowing that one day responsibilities will catch up. Beyoncé combines her effortless transition between deep, resonant lows and soaring, emotive highs with Miley’s raspiness in the track. “I’ll be your shotgun rider ’til the day I die / Smoke out the window, flyin’ down the 405 / I’ll be your backseat baby, drivin’ you crazy / Anytime you like (Woah),” they sing during the chorus.
Shortly after Beyonce’s 27-track album was released, Miley took to Instagram to thank the Single Ladies singer for teaming up with her. “I’ve loved Beyoncé since long before I had the opportunity to meet & work with her,” the Flowers singer wrote.
Expressing her admiration for Beyoncé, Miley further wrote, “My admiration runs so much deeper now that I’ve created alongside of her. Thank you Beyoncé. You’re everything & more. Love you.”
Apart from Miley, Cowboy Carter also features collaborations with country music icons Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson and Linda Martell.
For the track Jolene, Beyoncé has put a bold spin on Dolly Parton’s 1973 classic song of the same name. The Halo singer has altered some portions of the lyrics and the overall vibe of the song, especially the part where Parton begs a woman to not steal her man. “I can easily understand why you’re attracted to my man / But you don’t want this smoke, so shoot your shot for someone else,” Beyoncé’ sings, making her rendition more fiery and taking a stand for herself instead of revealing her vulnerable side.
Recognising Beyonace’s improvisations, Parton praised the American singer-songwriter for breathing new life into the song. “Wow, I just heard Jolene…Beyoncé is giving that girl some trouble and she deserves it,” she wrote on her Instagram stories.
Cowboy Carter garnered the highest first-day streams on Spotify in 2024, making it the most popular album of this year. It is also the first country album to achieve this feat. “On Friday, March 29, Beyoncé's COWBOY CARTER became Spotify’s most-streamed album in a single day in 2024 so far. This is also the first time a country album holds the title this year,” the music streaming platform announced on X.
Cowboy Carter is a sequel to the Beyonace’s 2022 album Renaissance. Beyoncé had dropped the first single from Renaissance Part I on June 20, 2022. Back then, she had announced on her official website that the album would have three parts.
