Beyoncé releases surprise single as she urges fans to support black-owned businesses

Beyoncé has surprised fans with the unexpected release of a new song on Friday (19 June).

The megastar unleashed Black Parade with a message urging fans to support her campaign to help boost black-owned businesses.

The release coincides with Juneteenth, a celebration of the date enslaved black Americans were given freedom in 1865.

The former Destiny’s Child star broke the news on social media, sharing a 30 second clip of the song just moments before the full track was released on her official YouTube page.

She wrote on Instagram: “Happy Juneteenth Weekend! I hope we continue to share joy and celebrate each other, even in the midst of struggle.

Read more: Beyonce criticised for not taking part in Joaquin Phoenix's Golden Globes win standing ovation

“Please continue to remember our beauty, strength and power.”

She added: “Being Black is your activism. Black excellence is a form of protest. Black joy is your right.

“Black Parade celebrates you, your voice and your joy and will benefit Black-owned small businesses. Click the link in my bio to learn more.”

As well as promoting black-owned businesses, the 38-year-old has been using her voice to call for equality after the death of black people at the hands of US police.

Speaking on Instagram about the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, the star said: “We need justice for George Floyd. We all witnessed his murder in broad daylight.

“We’re broken and we’re disgusted. We cannot normalise this pain. I’m not only speaking to people of colour. If you’re white, black, brown or anything in between, I’m sure you feel hopeless by the racism going on in America right now.

Read more: Beyonce's entire family tested for coronavirus so they can spend Mother's Day together

“No more senseless killings of human beings. No more seeing people of colour as less than human. We can no longer look away.

“George is all of our family and humanity. He is our family because he is a fellow American. There have been too many times that we’ve seen these violent killings and no consequences. Yes, someone’s been charged, but justice is far from being achieved.”

The singer has also demanding justice for Breonna Taylor, an emergency medical technician who was shot dead in her own home by police in March.