Conversation Starters, Features, Music
Beyonce Teases a Disruption to Country Music in New Post
Recently, Beyonce posted the official cover to her new album on Instagram. Within the caption to her post, the artist says, “This album has been over five years in the making. It was 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.” Fans speculate that the experience she is referring to is the backlash she received after performing at the 2016 Country Music Awards (CMA). For Beyonce and the Beyhive, this is bigger than another Beyonce project. This is a project about allowing Black women into white spaces.
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The album titled “Cowboy Carter” will be act II of her Renaissance series. The cover mimics Beyonce’s Renaissance act I. Identically, “Cowboy Carter” features the artist sitting on a horse. In addition to the releases of her two new country singles “Texas Hold’em” and “16 Carriages”, the new cover teases that the new album will continue to explore country music.
Beyonce’s Reclamation of Black Culture
During the 2016 CMA, Beyonce performed her country song “Daddy Lessons”, which is on her album Lemonade. Beyonce performed at the award ceremony alongside the Dixie Chicks. Following the performance, the artist experienced hate, including an influx of racist remarks. Those who didn’t approve of her performance simply did not believe in a Black woman singing country music.
Despite country music’s rich history within the African American community, it has been appropriated and taken over by white people. And Beyonce is here to take it back.
Additionally, on the album cover, the artist is wearing an American printed cowboy outfit with the American flag in her hand. By choosing this album cover, Beyonce displays that she too can be the epitome of country music. With country music and its aesthetic being stereotypes of the what means to be American, the artist shows that she too can embody America.
Most importantly, in Beyonce’s post, she emphasizes that “This ain’t a country album. This is a Beyonce album.” Fans are expecting Beyonce to disrupt what it means to be a country artist with the release of her album.
The album is releasing on March 29.
