Sarah Paulson

Stars, they’re just like us! As the world continues its love affair with Beyoncé‘s record-breaking Cowboy Carter album, Emmy winner Sarah Paulson is still stuck on the “II Most Wanted,” the LP’s rousing Miley Cyrus-assisted ballad.
“Can’t stop listening to this,” Paulson wrote in an Instagram Story Tuesday (April 9) featuring a screenshot of her playing “II Most Wanted” on Apple Music and tagging both Beyoncé’s and Cyrus’ Instagram accounts. “But does anyone know why it makes me cry?”

The new track is clearly in Paulson’s rotation as she makes her way through a characteristically busy year on screen and on the stage. As she completes her starring turn in the 2023-24 run of Appropriate on Broadway, Paulson also guest starred on Donald Glover‘s Mr. & Mrs. Smith re-imagining for Prime Video.

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A heartfelt ode to ride-or-die friendships, “II Most Wanted” is the 16th track on Cowboy Carter, marking the first collaboration between the two powerhouse vocalists. On the Billboard Hot 100 (chart dated April 13), “II Most Wanted” launched at No. 6, becoming the second of three top 10 hits from Cowboy Carter and the first all-female collaboration to reach the the Hot 100’s top 10 in 2024. In the same week, Cowboy Carter became Beyoncé’s record-extending eight consecutive studio album to debut atop the Billboard 200, with the biggest first-week units total of the year. All 23 of its chart-eligible tracks also made the Hot 100.

On Cowboy Carter release day, Cyrus celebrated the collaboration with a sweet Instagram message, writing, “I’ve loved Beyonce since long before I had the opportunity to meet & work with her. My admiration runs so much deeper now that I’ve created along side of her. Thank you Beyoncé. You’re everything & more. Love you. To everyone who spent time making this song so special thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

At the 2024 CMT Awards, Brandi Cyrus, Miley’s older sister, revealed that she found out about “II Most Wanted” right before the rest of the world. “Usually, I know about [Miley’s] projects a year or so in advance,” she said. “I found out like two months before, I was like, ‘Wait, say what? Why didn’t you tell me this at the Grammys, when we sat right next to [Beyoncé]?’ She kept it under wraps!”

Cyrus is one of a plethora of guest stars on Cowboy Carter — many of whom are now Hot 100 first-timers — including Tanner Adell, Willie Jones, Tiera Kennedy, Post Malone, Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, Reyna Roberts, Brittney Spencer and Shaboozey.

Click here to see Sarah Paulson’s Instagram story.