Beyonce Album Info

The singer’s new album was due at her label Wednesday morning in order to make an announced Nov. 18 release date, but insiders tell us there have been problems. “It’s not going to be completed,” said a source close to folks who’ve been working on the CD. “She’s got to get it out early in the fourth quarter, when there’s so much competition among artists.” Part of the delay may be due to Beyoncé’s busy-than-ever acting schedule. The beauty spent months filming “Cadillac Records,” in which she plays Etta James, and she’s also working on the psychological thriller “Obsessed.” Another time-consumer was a duet with Justin Timberlake - the source says the two didn’t like the way it was turning out and kept doing it over until they got it right. Plus, “She clashes with Max Gousse, her father’s guy who’s involved.”

Beyoncé’s dad, Matthew Knowles, asked us, rhetorically, “How would he not be involved? He’s the vice president of my company, and she’s recording with my company.” And Gousse is the man who convinced her to record Ne-Yo’s “Irreplaceable” - which became her biggest hit to date. Still, the source counters, “Jay-Z encouraged Beyoncé to bring in Jay Brown and Ty Ty [Tyran Smith]” - both of whom have worked with red-hot singer Rihanna. Beyoncé will release two singles, “If I Were a Boy” and “Single Ladies,” this Tuesday. The chief of Sony BMG Music, Rob Stringer, got on the phone last week to tell us, “She has an enormous number of very talented people doing whatever they can to make it the best record possible. “Normally I would lie low, but we think the first two singles will be utterly huge. They’re two of the best songs of her career. Beyoncé is incredibly hardworking, and [the album] is 97%-98% done. It’ll be out before Nov. 20. Frankly, we think the whole record is going to be huge.”