Just a day before taking the stage for an overstuffed halftime show at Super Bowl 50—in which Coldplay and Bruno Mars will duke it out for the coveted “Most Charismatic Performer, Runner-Up” award—Beyoncé has dropped her first new single in more than a year. The Louisiana-focused “Formation” takes the “7/11” performer back to her family roots, with a video that jumps back and forth between Southern Gothic aesthetics and Hurricane Katrina-tinged devastation.
There’s a defiantly country vibe to the lyrics, too, which emphasize preparation—“I got hot sauce in my bag, swag”—and proper motivation for good conduct: “When he fuck me good I take his ass to Red Lobster.” (Superfans can also go to Beyoncé’s online store to pick up their own “hot sauce” carrying tote, plus other merch emblazoned with the swagger-heavy lyrics.)
According to Rolling Stone, the artist was apparently heard rehearsing “Formation” on the stage at Santa Clara’s Levi’s Stadium; it remains to be seen whether she’ll be debuting a suitably edited live performance (“When he friend me good, I take his hat to the washer’s”) as part of the big game. For now, you can stream or download “Formation” via Tidal.