In November 2016, at the 50th annual Country Music Association Awards, Beyoncé performed “Daddy Lessons,” marking her first explicit venture into country music. The performance, accompanied by The Chicks and a full band, celebrated Beyoncé's Southern roots from Alabama, Louisiana, and Texas. However, the performance faced swift and racist backlash, with some audience members showing disapproval and the Recording Academy later rejecting the song as a country entry for the Grammys.
Beyoncé's response to these snubs came in the form of her eighth studio album, Cowboy Carter, which challenges traditional genre boundaries. The album, recorded before her 2022 release Renaissance, delves into country music with collaborations from both established and emerging artists in the genre.
While Cowboy Carter showcases Beyoncé's defiance and versatility, it also reflects her frustration at institutional rejection. The album features tracks that blend country, hip-hop, and dance influences, with some songs standing out for their bold experimentation and vocal layering.
However, there are moments on the album where Beyoncé seems to conform to mainstream expectations, resulting in tracks that lack the same energy and creativity. Despite her stature in the music industry, Beyoncé's need for institutional recognition raises questions about the pressures artists face to conform.
Notably, Cowboy Carter includes moments of explicit Black country music representation, such as the cover of The Beatles' “Blackbird,” yet these instances feel overshadowed by other collaborations on the album. The cover art of the album, featuring Beyoncé as a rodeo queen, further emphasizes her assertion of cultural and national heritage.
Overall, Cowboy Carter reflects Beyoncé's ongoing battle against detractors and the ghosts of past controversies. The album's narrative and imagery invite listeners to consider the complexities of identity, recognition, and artistic expression in the face of societal expectations.
