Listen to Beyoncé’s new surprise single ‘Formation’

The video was shot in LA and New Orleans

Beyonce has shared a surprise solo single, her first since 2014’s ‘Ring Off’.

‘Formation’ comes one day before her performance with Coldplay at the fiftieth Super Bowl.

It’s produced by Mike Will Made It and is available to download on Tidal now. The video was reportedly shot in Los Angeles and New Orleans and features clips of her singing from on top of a half-submerged police car, and includes an appearance from her daughter, Blue Ivy Carter.

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The single is accompanied by a range of Formation-related merch on Beyoncé’s website.

Beyoncé was recently pushed to deny reports that she is set to star in a new film depicting a woman who appeared in freak shows in the 1800s.

At the beginning of January rumours circulated that she would be involved in a biopic of Saartjie (Sarah) Baartman, who was paraded in exhibits under the name Hottentot Venus and was made a spectacle across Europe, particularly England and Paris for her voluptuous shape. She died in 1815 at the age of 26 but did not receive a proper burial in her native South Africa until 2002.

“Beyoncé is in no way tied to this project,” a spokesperson told Billboard in a statement. “This is an important story that should be told, however.”

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Jack Devnarain, chairman of the South African Guild of Actors, echoed Beyoncé’s sentiment, adding: “The story of Saartjie Baartman is a tale of torture and humiliation of a woman, womanhood in general and an entire culture indigenous to Southern Africa. As an episode in South African history, it describes the crippling damage of racism, sexism and exploitation. Baartman was paraded as a freak and brutally robbed of her humanity. Her story needs to be told.”

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