Beyoncé: Renaissance liner notes include dedication to artist’s late uncle Johnny

Artist has previously described family member as ‘the most fabulous gay man I ever knew, who helped raise me and my sister’

Beyoncé shares a dedication to her late uncle Jonny in the liner notes for her new album, Renaissance.

In an open letter from the 40-year-old singer, she thanked her family members, with a special mention for Jonny, who died from complications caused by HIV.

“A big thank you to my Uncle Jonny,” the singer wrote. “He was my godmother and the first person to expose me to a lot of the music and culture that serve as inspiration for this album.

“Thank you to all of the pioneers who originate culture, to all of the fallen angels whose contributions have gone unrecognised for far too long. This is a celebration for you.”

Jonny was actually the nephew of Beyoncé and Solange Knowle’s mother, Tina Knowles, who also referred to him as her “best friend” after Beyoncé dedicated her Vanguard Award to him in 2019.

“I want to dedicate this award to my uncle Johnny, the most fabulous gay man I ever knew, who helped raise me and my sister,” she said at the GLAAD Media Awards ceremony.

“My nephew Johnny was my best friend growing up,” Tina Knowles wrote on Instagram following her daughter’s speech. “We were inseparable, my mom always said when Johnny farts you got to be there to catch it.”

Renaissance was released at midnight on Friday (29 July).

The new LP is Beyoncé’s seventh studio album. It features 16 tracks, including the lead single “Break My Soul”.

This album is the first installment of a “three act project” and includes contributions from Jay-Z, 070 Shake, Drake, Tems, Jay-Z and more.

A press release for Renaissance shares Beyonce’s decision to stray from the visual album format.

Beyoncé “decided to lead without visuals giving fans the opportunity to be limitless in their expansive listening journey,” the statement says. “It is a chance again to be listeners and not viewers, while taking in every gem of the pristine production.”

The release also refers to Renaissance as “a celebration of a club era when anyone who felt like an outsider sought each other and formed a community of freedom-seekers to express themselves creatively through the rhythm, which we still celebrate today.”

Fans have already declared Renaissance “one of Beyoncé’s best albums” since it was released, as many others urged people not to leak the album after it was spotted in stores two days ahead of its official release.

Now, the singer has thanked all her fans who “waited until the proper release time”.