Working with Beyoncé is a dream opportunity for almost any artist. But according to Shaboozey, it also comes with a level of secrecy that can leave collaborators completely in the dark.
The breakout star recently revealed that he had no idea whether he would actually appear on Beyoncé’s blockbuster album Cowboy Carter until the moment she publicly released the official tracklist.
For months, Shaboozey knew he had spent time working on music connected to the project. However, like many artists who collaborate with Beyoncé, he wasn’t given any guarantees that his contributions would survive the final editing process.
As a result, he spent weeks wondering whether fans would ever hear the songs he helped create.
Then everything changed.
When Beyoncé finally unveiled the Cowboy Carter tracklist, Shaboozey saw his name included among the featured artists for the first time.
The announcement immediately confirmed what had previously been a mystery.
He had officially made the album.
For many musicians, appearing on a Beyoncé project represents one of the biggest career opportunities imaginable. The global superstar is known for carefully crafting every aspect of her releases, often revising songs repeatedly before making final decisions.
That reputation has helped create an atmosphere of secrecy around her projects.
Artists, producers, songwriters, and collaborators frequently describe working with Beyoncé as an experience where details remain tightly controlled until the very last minute.
Shaboozey says he understood the process but still found himself feeling nervous.
After all, no matter how much work goes into a song, there is never a guarantee it will appear on the finished album.
What surprised him even more was discovering that Beyoncé kept all of his vocals and ad-libs exactly as they were recorded.
According to Shaboozey, none of his contributions were altered.
For an artist still building his career at the time, that level of trust felt incredibly meaningful.
The experience became even more significant after Cowboy Carter evolved into one of the most talked-about albums of Beyoncé’s career.
The project sparked conversations throughout both the country and pop music worlds, introduced new audiences to several featured artists, and helped elevate the profiles of many collaborators involved in the record.
For Shaboozey, the exposure proved to be a major turning point.
Since appearing on the album, his own career has skyrocketed, with growing mainstream recognition and increasing attention from country music fans.
Looking back, he now views the moment as validation that he was on the right path.
Still, fans remain fascinated by one detail above all else:
The fact that an artist can contribute to one of the biggest albums in the world and still not know whether they’ll make the final version until everyone else finds out.
It’s a reminder of just how carefully Beyoncé protects her creative process.
And for Shaboozey, it became the surprise of a lifetime.
