Sometimes, I think Beyoncé’s music can’t even fit into a genre, because it’s just that good, and she’s making sure that point is clear before the release of ACT II: COWBOY CARTER on March 29.
Ahead of the album release, on March 19, Beyoncé shared a post to Instagram celebrating the 10-day countdown to the release of ACT II: COWBOY CARTER. In the post, she thanked supporters of her two singles “Texas Hold ‘Em” and “16 Carriages,” from “the bottom of [her] heart.” She also expressed her gratitude for being the first Black woman with the No. 1 single on the Hot Country Songs chart, which she couldn’t have done “without the outpouring of support from each and every one of you.” She continued by sharing that she hopes, “years from now, the mention of an artist’s race, as it relates to releasing genres of music, will be irrelevant.”
Beyoncé has faced a lot of criticism and backlash for her entrance into the country music sphere, and this is something she highlighted in the post. She revealed that this album has been in the works for over five years, “born out of an experience that I had years ago where I did not feel welcomed… and it was very clear that I wasn’t.” Instead of backtracking and not making a place for herself in country music, she chose to do the opposite by researching and doing a deep dive into the history of country music, and its “rich musical archive.”
If you don’t know what experience Beyoncé’s referencing, allow me to fill you in. In 2016, Beyoncé performed her song “Daddy Lessons” at the Country Music Awards (CMAs) alongside female country band, The Chicks. This performance reportedly delivered the show’s highest-rated 15 minutes ever. Despite this, the performance was deleted from CMA’s social media following comments from racist country fans. The racism Beyoncé faced for this performance was horrific, and the CMA’s did not provide her with any support or encouragement. Instead, they wiped videos of the performance, clearly taking a side with the outcry of racist fans.
It was made known to Beyonce that, disgustingly, this was not a safe or welcoming environment for her, and now, it truly shows her grit in working on this album for so long.
Instead of letting this experience end her entrance into the world of country music, Beyoncé turned it into an opportunity to find a way to create a space for herself in the genre.
“The criticisms I faced when I first entered this genre forced me to propel past the limitations that were put on me,” she wrote in the statement. “act ii is a result of challenging myself, and taking my time to bend and blend genres together to create this body of work.” Seeing just how motivated and resilient this woman is will always be beyond me, and I love how transparent she is with her fanbase about it.
In more exciting news, the singer revealed that there will be “a few surprises on the album,” as well as collaborations with “brilliant artists who [she] deeply respect[s].” The possibility of a Beyoncé x Dolly Parton collaboration is looking a lot more real! She also reminded followers that this album is a continuation of RENAISSANCE and that she hopes in listening to it, fans will get an experience that will never stop.
Despite explaining how this album is her entrance into the genre of country music, Beyoncé wanted to remind her followers why she has a song called “I’M THAT GIRL,” by sharing, “This ain’t a Country album. This is a ‘Beyoncé’ album. This is act ii COWBOY CARTER, and I am proud to share it with y’all!” To say this had fans gagged is an understatement.
The post quickly sent fans into a frenzy, and it’s safe to say X/Twitter is unwell.
I can’t wait to hear this ACT II: COWBOY CARTER, and am so excited for this new chapter. While I love listening to an album in order, if there’s a cover of “Jolene,” or even better, a collaboration of the song with Dolly Parton, I’ll be listening to that immediately.