Beyonce's new album was so secretive that one of its key producers only knew of its release less than two hours before it dropped. Bey released her self-titled album last week, though Ryan Tedder - who produced single XO - didn't even know it was intended for release yet.

BeyonceBeyonce Leaving a Restaurant in Los Angeles

"I knew 90 minutes before it dropped. Ninety minutes. And I said nothing because I love Beyonce and I don't want her to hate me," Tedder told Billboard, "I heard a rumor and then I didn't say anything. I told my wife, `I think Beyonce's album is dropping in 90 minutes' and then I knew that `XO' was on the album.I knew it was a single. I didn't know if it was first or second. I didn't know anything, and then today I found out that it was the lead."

Tedder - the frontman of OneRepublic - made the comments at the season finale of the NBC singing competition The Voice, where his band performed.

In just three days, Beyonce's record sold more than 617,000 units on the iTunes store, where it was released exclusively. It features collaborations with Jay Z, Justin Timberlake, Miguel, Timbaland, Pharrell and Frank Ocean.

Tedder has previously produced Beyonce's Grammy-winning hit Halo. He said he was unsurprised at Beyonce's global success, particularly after seeing her live show.

Watch the video for Beyonce's XO, produced by Tedder.

"Me and my whole band, who are just complete skeptics and like, you know, a bit snobby, we just sat there going ..." he said, dropping his jaw. "Like somehow we have to step our game up and be more like Beyonce."

The secretive release echoes the surprise David Bowie album, The Next Day, which unexpectedly hit on the singer's sixty-sixth birthday. The legendary singer-songwriter apparently required people involved in its recording to sign NDAs. He also changed studio when someone leaked the rumour that he was recording there.