Beyoncé surprises fans with iTunes album release

Beyoncé surprised fans Thursday night when she unexpectedly released her fifth album exclusively on iTunes.

The singer released the ‘visual’ album with 14 new songs and 17 music videos.

“I see music. It’s more than just what I hear. When I’m connected to something, I immediately see a visual or a series of images that are tied to a feeling or an emotion, a memory from my childhood, thoughts about life, my dreams or my fantasies. And they’re all connected to the music,” Beyoncé said.

The self-titled album includes other A-list songwriters and singers from Justin Timberlake, Pharrell Williams and husband Jay Z.

One song, entitled “Blue,” features the singer’s daughter Blue Ivy.

The 32-year-old singer said that releasing an album is “all about the single, and the hype. I felt like, I don’t want anybody to get the message when my record is coming out.”

“I am able to speak directly to my fans,” she continued.

An added benefit of the unorthodox release is the prevention of the record to be leaked before it is dropped, an increasingly common occurrence in recent years.

Physical copies of the CD will be in shops starting Dec 21.