BREAKING RELEASE: BEYONCE SPECIAL TONIGHT ON MTV CANADA. ON BET AT 7PM

MTV and BET are set to celebrate the release of Beyoncé’s highly-anticipated new album “4” by taking viewers on a journey through the artistic process of the multi-Grammy® Award-winning artist in a half-hour television special entitled “Beyoncé: Year of 4,” premiering on Thursday, June 30th at 7 PM ET/PT. Viewers will also be able to watch encore presentations of the “Beyoncé: Year of 4” special on VH1 and Palladia at 7:30 PM ET/PT as well as on MTV.com, VH1.com, BET.com, MTV HITS and MTV JAMS on Thursday, June 30th immediately following the premiere.

"Beyoncé: Year of 4" "Beyoncé: Year of 4" is the story of Beyoncé's return as an independent woman navigating her company through the rough waters of the music industry, making a personal album that's unlike anything she's ever done. After the much anticipated "I AM..." tour ends, Beyoncé finds herself in dire need of a break. Being a workaholic, and wholly dedicated to her career, she never considered taking a year off, but finally listens to her mother's advice and disappears from the public's eye. On her year off, Beyoncé travels the world, spends time with her family and husband, Jay-Z (documented by her with her own camera). She gives herself time to reflect on what she's accomplished and decide what the next chapter of her life will look like. She refuses to let her meteor-like career pass her by and decides to take control of her business, while making an album that is heartfelt and personal. She returns to the studio where she opens up the range of musical choices and invites artists of all genres and styles to collaborate with her. Drawing from the music she grew up listening to in the 90's, like Michael Jackson, Prince and Boyz ll Men, she creates a sound that is warm and familiar, yet futuristic and experimental. On "4," Beyoncé makes a conscious effort to do something completely different without playing to the mainstream expectations of her... and she succeeds.

Even though she feels completely at home at the studio, the process of taking over her company proves to be harder than expected. Having her father by her side all those years, Beyoncé is - for the first time in her life - in charge of all aspects of her business.

Beyoncé discovers that her new found independence might be a difficult challenge, but she won't give up because she wants to set an example for women all over the world. Women can be the masters of their own universe.

"4"
Inspired by a variety of music genres she loves, Beyoncé refers to the songs on "4" as her "musical gumbo." The new collection of ballads, mid and up-tempos incorporates live instrumentation, classic songwriting and Beyoncé's undeniable vocal ability. Beyoncé's highly-anticipated and extraordinary new album "4" is set for release today, Tuesday, June 28th.

About Beyoncé

Beyoncé has sold more than 75 million records and is one of the most notable artists in the world, having earned a total of 16 Grammy Awards - 13 as a solo artist and three as a member of Destiny's Child. Beyoncé's fame blossomed in the '90s as lead singer of the group, which became one of the best-selling music ensembles of all time. Later Beyoncé released her debut solo album " Dan gerously in Love," which produced the No. 1 hits: "Crazy in Love" and "Baby Boy," making it one of the most successful albums of 2003. Beyoncé's sophomore album and subsequent third studio release produced the household hits "Irreplaceable," " Beau tiful Liar" and "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)." It also earned her a top spot on the Billboard 200 chart. In 2008, "I AM... SASHA FIERCE" earned six Grammy Awards - the most Grammys ever won by a female artist in one night. Beyoncé was honored this May at the 2011 Billboard Music Awards with the Millennium Award.

PINK'S SCARY BIRTH EXPERIENCE EXPOSED.

Singer Pink had a scary delivery experience when she gave birth to her daughter earlier this month (Jun11) - the singer had to have a C-section because the baby's head was in the wrong direction. The So What hitmaker welcomed beautiful baby Willow Sage on 2 June (11), but Pink admits everything didn't go as smoothly as she and husband Carey Hart had hoped.

She tells People magazine, "I was really looking forward to the whole rite of passage - giving birth perfectly present, unmedicated, in the way nature intended... Turns out this little girl had other plans. She is my daughter after all."Pink ultimately had to shelve her plans for an all-natural home birth with midwives and instead head to the hospital for an emergency operation. She adds, "Even though (it) wasn't what we intended, it all turned out perfectly in the end because she is healthy and happy and so am I."

ALICIA KEYS GETS A WAX STATUE AT MADAM TUSSAUDS.

Alicia Keys celebrated the 10th anniversary of her debut album Songs In A Minor by unveiling her wax likeness in her native New York on Tuesday (28Jun11). The Fallin' singer posed for photographers next to her double at Madame Tussauds, and confessed she was amazed by the likeness. Keys said, "I actually think it's really, really good. I was looking close up - my eyebrows are for real and my eyes are for real, and the bone structure of my chin... that's my jaw."