Last Tuesday, March 13th, Beyoncé made a big reveal, announcing that her latest album, ‘Cowboy Carter,’ is set to drop on March 29th.
Shortly after dropping the release date bombshell, Beyoncé took to social media with a heartfelt post, giving fans a glimpse into the journey that birthed this much-anticipated project.
She kicked off by pouring out gratitude for the overwhelming love showered on her recent singles, “Texas Hold ‘Em” and “16 Carriages,” expressing genuine excitement to unveil this new chapter of her musical odyssey.
“From the depths of my heart, thank you to everyone who’s been riding with me.”
“Texas Hold ‘Em,” a homage to her roots in Houston, Texas, quickly gained traction, racking up millions of streams.
And on February 21, 2024, Beyoncé etched her name in history, becoming the first Black woman to conquer Billboard’s Country chart with “Texas Hold ‘Em,” a milestone achieved in just seven days.
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The Motivation Driving the Album
In her early foray into the genre, Beyoncé found inspiration for her forthcoming album, Cowboy Carter, amidst the chilly reception she encountered from the country music industry.
“This album has been a labor of love spanning over five years. It was born out of an experience I had years ago where I didn’t feel embraced… it was evident that I wasn’t. However, that experience led me to delve deeper into the history of Country music, immersing myself in our rich musical heritage.”
Though Beyoncé didn’t explicitly detail the experience, it’s likely linked to her performance at the 2016 Country Music Awards alongside The Chicks. This collaboration stirred controversy among some country music enthusiasts, reflecting a hurdle she faced within the genre.
While many fans hailed Beyoncé’s performance as a standout moment of the awards, Natalie Maines, The Chicks’ lead vocalist, disclosed receiving unwelcoming remarks from “racist a–holes.”
Furthermore, an unnamed manager recounted to Billboard witnessing Alan Jackson’s departure from his front-row seat in apparent protest of Beyoncé’s performance.
“I was seated behind Alan Jackson, and he actually rose from the front row and exited during the performance, which I think spoke volumes for the traditional, authentic country acts.”
However, it emerged that on the morning of the show, Jackson had expressed his understanding, and on that evening in 2016, he left the event early for an entirely different reason.
Beyoncé’s Concept for Cowboy Carter
Beyoncé describes Cowboy Carter not just as her take on country music, but as a narrative of surpassing the perceived “limitations” it imposed on her.
“I hope this music is an experience, creating another journey where you can close your eyes, start from the beginning and never stop,” Beyoncé continues, explaining that she envisions it as a continuation of her Renaissance project.
“This ain’t a country album. This is a Beyoncé album.” See Beyoncé’s full post below.
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