Beyonc� unveils new album title

Beyonc� unveils new album title

Beyonc�'s next album has a pretty simple title: 4. Despite the minimalism, Beyonc� fans know that the number is pretty important to her.

"We all have special numbers in our lives, and 4 is that for me," the singer tells Billboard. "It's the day I was born (Sept. 4). My mother's birthday (Jan. 4), and a lot of my friends' birthdays are on the fourth; April 4 is my wedding date."

She also says much of the music on the upcoming album was inspired by Nigerian musician and Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti. Her husband Jay-Z is one of the producers of the hit Broadway show Fela!, which is about Kuti's life.

"I recorded more than 60 songs: everything I ever wanted to try, I just did it. I started off being inspired by Fela Kuti," she says. "I actually worked with the band from Fela! for a couple of days...what I learned most from Fela was artistic freedom: he just felt the spirit."

See photos of: Jay-Z, Beyonc�

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