Beyoncé Hasn’t Even Released ‘Act II’ Yet, But The Era’s Hairstyling Is Already Top Tier

You really have to hand it to Beyoncé. Even at the 2024 Super Bowl, which was full of A-list celebrity peers and instantly-viral commercials alike, she still managed to be one of the most talked-about names of the entire night. Right there in the middle of the nail-bitingly close game, she announced her new album, Act II, arriving March 29 — and even dropped two new songs to give fans a taste of the country-flavored music she’s trying out this time. But in true Bey fashion, the aesthetics are a massive piece of the puzzle. Beyoncé’s Act II wavy bob seems to be the main hairstyle of the era, even featured in her just-updated social media profile pictures. It’s the lead image for her song “16 Carriages” and will likely influence hair trends all year long — that’s just the power of Beyoncé.

The bob is thick, likely gently waved with a large-barreled curling iron. It spills down from her black suede cowboy hat in a center part, falling just short of her shoulders with loosely flipped ends. Part of the appeal is in all that lush volume, a signature of almost every Beyoncé hairstyle. It’s entirely classic and still very modern all at once — the Beyoncé way, really — and it’s a chic shakeup from the Houston-sized blonde curls she wore to the Super Bowl and in the visuals for her other new song, “Texas Hold ‘Em.”

So much of Beyoncé’s 2022 release Renaissance was about a creative blend of disco, Afrofuturism, and cowboy aesthetics that nod to the star’s proud Texas upbringing. Fans have speculated about the long-awaited “next phase” of the project, and Act II brilliantly continues those themes.

Of course, every new Bey release brings with it a wave of speculation and fan theories. Some think her bob is part of a character she’ll embody through the album, a storytelling device to further drive home her poignant lyrics. Some immediately drew comparisons between this cut and the one she had for much of her self-titled album cycle.

What’s absolutely certain, though? Expect to hear plenty of requests for “the Beyoncé bob” at hair salons across the country this spring. That’s what you call real influence.