UPDATE:
A representative for Beyonce categorically denied a new report in The Hollywood Reporter about supposed delays to the singer's fifth studio album on Wednesday, telling The Huffington Post that an official release date had never been set.
Beyonce is recording music in the studio while completing her Mrs. Carter World Tour, the representative said in a phone call to HuffPost. A press rollout will accompany any official release date (and, if need be, any official delays).
The singer's label, Sony-owned Columbia, had hoped to have new Beyonce music out by spring, which turned out to be a pipe dream. Now, it looks like a fall release may not be feasible. Columbia had its sights set on a big fourth-quarter bow by Beyonce, both to compete with high-profile releases by Universal Music's Lady Gaga and Katy Perry and to capitalize on her massive Mrs. Carter tour. "Beyonce has had some of the biggest hits of our format, and we're ready for the next," says Tom Poleman, president of national programming platforms at Clear Channel.
But while the stage show goes on without new material -- save for a snippet of “Grown Woman,” the song most commonly heard as the soundtrack to a Pepsi commercial -- it wasn’t initially the plan to take a singer around the world for an ambitious eight-month trek (so far, 36 shows have grossed $55.6 million) while trying to juggle time in the studio.
Where were the people saying the label was the one asking her to keep working.
I thought we would get a 4th quarter release before she added the Australian leg, now I feel like she just wants to spend time with her family and perform so maybe 2014.
