How to Reclaim a Country: An Education by Beyonce
Once upon a time in 2016, Beyonce Giselle Knowles-Carter performed at the 50th annual Country Music Association Awards. A performance that enraged ‘country purists’ over Beyonce’s beliefs and credibility to be on the show. Seven years later, Beyonce is here to reclaim her place in the country music scene. Fresh off the success of Renaissance, Cowboy Carter is not just a country album; it is her direct response to people asking if she’s country enough.
Unfortunately, after securing the No. 1 spot in Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart, people are still debating and actively denying Cowboy Carter’s place in the country music scene. People online still find Beyonce’s switch to country music as a risqué move. But to the legendary artist, this is more than just a switch, it is a reclamation and an education.
Beyonce is Country
Now why would Beyonce want to dip her toes into the treacherous waters of country music again? It’s simply because Beyonce has been country for as long as she can remember. She was born in Houston, Texas after all.
From the beginning, Beyonce was able to immerse herself in the cultural exchange between the Black, Tejano, and Indigenous communities that were in her hometown. The same communities that were the foundation of country music.
In addition to this, are we forgetting that Tina Knowles gave birth to Beyonce? A woman who’s directly connected to the first generation of Black people in Texas. So when Beyonce puts on her Western gear and raises the American flag, it’s more than just adornment. It’s her announcing that she’s here and she’s not going anywhere.
Cowboy Carter’s album art depicts a renaissance (no pun intended) for the rightful creators of country music.
Reclaiming Country
“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. But, because of that experience, I did a deeper dive into the history of Country music and studied our rich musical archive.”
– Beyonce on Instagram
The truth is, even though the true creators of the genre were stripped of power—they never left. Cowboy Carter’s presence in this space allows the rightful heirs of country music to enter the gates. That is the beauty of Beyonce—she has the power to reclaim the past of the genre and open the doors for the people who have continued to carry on its essence.
Backed by three country legends, Cowboy Carter hammers every tinge of doubt about Beyonce’s credibility to dabble in country. There’s the well-beloved country icon Willie Nelson who welcomes the listeners in a radio-show-inspired interlude fading beautifully to the chart-topping “Texas Hold ‘Em.” She also got Dolly Parton greeting everyone before her rendition of the classic country hit “Jolene” plays.
And of course, there’s the legendary Linda Martell, the first black woman to play the Grand Ole Opry. She might not be as recognizable as some of the other features on the album, but her contributions were just as important. It’s features like this that make Cowboy Carter not just your average country album. It is an experience of the present, an education of the past, and a reinvention of the future.
What even is Country?
“Genres are a funny little concept, aren’t they?… In theory, they have a simple definition that’s easy to understand. But in practice, well, some may feel confined.”
– Linda Martell from SPAGHETTII
Beyonce said it best, nothing really ends. For things to stay the same, they have to change again. It is Beyonce telling off everyone who doubted her and put her inside a box. Cowboy Carter is a product of Beyonce challenging herself by bending and blending genres into one cohesive body of work. It’s her reinventing the wheel in the hopes that one day, all stigmas surrounding artists and genres will become meaningless.
So there might be hints of R&B, hip-hop, jazz, and even flamenco in there, but it is country—Beyonce’s take on country.
From the track list resembling Chitlin Circuit posters to visuals reminiscent of country music tours, it is Beyonce reclaiming her power and showing who’s in charge. Cowboy Carter is not for the faint of heart, it’s for those who are ready to learn the past, consume the present, and change the course of the future for artists and genres alike.
