Beyoncé’s unreleased music stolen from car in Atlanta days before Cowboy Carter shows

Highlights:

• Choreographer Christopher Grant and dancer Diandre Blue’s rental car was broken into on 8 July in Atlanta.
• Five hard drives with Beyoncé’s unreleased music, show visuals, and setlists were among the stolen items.
• Police tracked the location of missing devices and issued an arrest warrant, but no suspect has been publicly named.
• The incident occurred two days before Beyoncé’s four-night tour stop at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Just two days before Beyoncé was set to take the stage in Atlanta for her Cowboy Carter tour, a major security breach rocked her team. Unreleased music, private show material, and luxury items were stolen from a rental vehicle used by her choreographer and dancer, police confirmed.

Atlanta authorities say the break-in happened on 8 July around 8 pm in a parking garage near Krog Street Market. The SUV, a black Jeep Wagoneer, was briefly left unattended by choreographer Christopher Grant and dancer Diandre Blue while they grabbed food. When they returned, the rear window had been smashed, and two suitcases containing sensitive material were missing.

Beyonce attend the Louis Vuitton's Menswear Ready-to-wear Spring-Summer 2026 collectionGetty Images

Jump drives contained unreleased Beyoncé music and show visuals

The stolen items included five hard drives loaded with unreleased, watermarked tracks by Beyoncé, as well as detailed visual plans and setlists for her ongoing Cowboy Carter tour. According to the official police report, the drives held both past and upcoming show footage, material Beyoncé typically keeps under tight wraps to avoid leaks.

Also taken were personal laptops, designer clothing, and Apple AirPods. A tracking ping from the AirPods helped police briefly locate a suspect vehicle, which moved across several zones in Atlanta. While fingerprints and CCTV footage were collected from the scene, it’s not yet clear if any of the stolen contents have been recovered.

Beyoncé continued her Cowboy Carter tour in Atlanta despite the setbackGetty Images

An arrest warrant has been issued, but no suspect named

Police have issued an arrest warrant, but the name of the individual involved has not been publicly disclosed. Officers reportedly stopped a "suspicious" individual near the pinged AirPods location, but no official confirmation of an arrest has followed.

The investigation is ongoing, with authorities relying on fingerprints, surveillance footage, and digital tracking from the stolen devices. Beyoncé’s team has not released any public statement so far.

Beyoncé’s choreographer and dancer reported sensitive materials missing from their rental carGetty Images

Beyoncé has a history of tight security around her unreleased music

Known for her secrecy around new projects, Beyoncé’s entire approach to album releases has revolved around maintaining complete control over when and how her music is heard. Her 2013 self-titled album dropped without warning, revolutionising the “surprise release” strategy.

In more recent years, fans even refused to leak her 2022 album Renaissance when it briefly appeared online early, a gesture Beyoncé acknowledged with gratitude. In that context, this Atlanta theft is particularly damaging, threatening to derail the rollout of potential future material.

Beyoncé’s team hit by major theft in Atlanta as unreleased music goes missingGetty Images

Cowboy Carter tour continues as planned despite setback

Despite the incident, Beyoncé carried on with her Atlanta residency at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, performing across four nights from 10 to 15 July. Her husband Jay-Z made a surprise appearance during one of the shows, and the tour remains on track to conclude in Las Vegas on 26 July.

The Cowboy Carter album, released earlier this year, marked Beyoncé’s bold entry into country music while celebrating its Black roots and went on to win the Grammy for Album of the Year.

Christopher Grant and Diandre Blue, both longstanding collaborators, remain active members of the Cowboy Carter tour team. Grant has worked with artists like Shakira, while Blue featured prominently alongside Beyoncé in a Super Bowl ad earlier this year tied to the album’s release.

As the tour progresses, fans and industry insiders alike will be watching closely to see whether Beyoncé addresses the theft or modifies any show elements as a result of the stolen material.