Is there anything that Beyoncé can’t do? If you thought it was country music, you’d be wrong. On February 11, 2024, the most Grammy-winning artist released her two country singles, Texas Hold ‘Em and 16 Carriages. The multi-platinum artist dropped a one-minute teaser Instagram video during the 2024 Super Bowl. The full videos of these two singles are available on Spotify and YouTube. Her new album is set to be released on March 29, and Beyoncé fans are finally getting Act II from her Renaissance project.
On social media, fans have not stopped showing their excitement and support. One of the most popular skits shows creators saying that they do not like country music. Moments later, they are dressed in cowboy hats and boots, dancing to Beyoncé’s country song.
While this genre shift may surprise some, country music isn’t new for Beyoncé. One of her first country songs was Daddy Lessons, which she sang with the Chicks, (formerly known as the Dixie Chicks) during the Country Music Awards.
However, amongst the support, some people aren’t as accepting of this new shift. Let’s dive into the news around Beyoncé’s new music, what critics are saying, and a deeper look into Black people and country music.
Is country music ready for Beyoncé?
The internet was in an uproar when X user Justin (@jussatto) posted a screenshot of an email he received from KYKC, a country radio station in Oklahoma when he asked the station to play Beyoncé’s new song Texas Hold ‘Em. Manager Roger Harris replied that they don’t play Beyoncé because they are a country music station.
While the Beyhive members weren’t happy about that, Harris explained that it was simply a misunderstanding and has since played Beyoncé’s song. The manager publicly announced that they were unaware that Beyoncé had switched to country music and had to request the song from the label.
Apart from the misunderstanding from KYKC, the country’s music scene hasn’t always accepted Beyoncé’s music. Despite its obvious country swang, many country radio stations refused to play Daddy Lessons.
Although it is surprising to see a Black female pop sensation such as Beyoncé shift to country music, Black people have been rooted in the genre for years. Since a Black woman started rock and roll, it’s no surprise that country music originates in Black culture and music as well. However, the mainstream look of country music typically features a middle-aged white man or blonde white woman.
One of the biggest examples is the banjo, a widely used instrument in many country music songs. This stringed instrument is of African origin and derived from the West African instrument, the Akonting. The banjo was an instrument that white people didn’t dare to touch for years. However, during the horrendous minstrel shows, where white people would paint their faces black to mock Black people, white people started using the banjo, and it soon gained popularity amongst white audiences. Thus, these shows led to the appropriation of the banjo and the introduction of hillbilly music in the 1920s.
Ironically, hillbilly music started collaborations between Black and white artists.
According to history professor Patrick Huber at Missouri University of Science and Technology, “Nearly 50 African-American singers and musicians appeared on commercial hillbilly records because the music was not a white agrarian tradition, but a fluid phenomenon passed back and forth between the races.”
What was once a peaceful collaboration turned into a denial of Black artists when hillbilly music was rebranded into country music. Many Black artists were removed from the labels and covers to sell more records, and country music became known as white music.
Influential Black country music artists
Behind Beyoncé’s impressive vocals in her song Texas Hold ‘Em is artist Rhiannon Giddens, who plays the banjo and the viola. Giddens is a Grammy Award-winning musician who focuses on educating the masses on the Black cultural roots of the banjo.
The song 16 Carriages includes Robert Randolph, who plays the steel guitar and has become an influential artist in the country music scene.
Outside of Beyoncé’s collaborators, other important Black country artists include:
- Allison Russell who is a Grammy-nominated artist whose music is a mixture of jazz, country, folk, Celtic, klezmer, and blues.
- Breland, who doesn’t simply mix country and hip-hop but aims to create music that anyone can listen to, whether you’re a country fan or a hip-hop fan.
- Brittney Spencer was recently named one of “12 Black Artists Shaping Country Music’s Future” by USA Today.
- Reyna Roberts grew up with an eclectic taste in music, listening to pop, rock, soul, and much more. Her vast musical interests have translated into the music she makes today. She is a country-pop artist who draws her inspiration from real-life experiences.
No matter which direction artists decide to take their music, it’s important to remember that Black culture is rooted in various styles of music. Although Black artists have been shuffled into genres such as hip-hop and rap, the talent and history of Black people goes far beyond the stories the mainstream media tries to sell.
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