The pop superstar recently shifted genres, and here’s a glimpse into her first country album.
Beyoncé (Source: Supplied)
With a career spanning two decades and an amassed 32 Grammy wins, it would seem that Beyoncé could do anything; however, making a country album was probably not something you would have expected.
In February, the singer released two country singles, 16 CARRIAGES and TEXAS HOLD ‘EM. The latter received widespread radio acclaim and caused a flurry of conversation on TikTok about the history of black women in country music.
With fans still waiting to see what else the singer will bring, Queen Bey has delivered, announcing the tracklist for the upcoming album Cowboy Carter, which will be released tomorrow, March 29th.
While the red, white, and blue tracklist contains appropriately Southern-named songs such as Sweet Honey Buckin’ and II Most Wanted, we can also see a few references to other country stars on there, such as a song (or collab) titled Dolly P and a track named Jolene, sparking interest in whether this will be a cover of Dolly Parton’s iconic song.
There is also a track named Smoke Hour, with the name of Hall of Fame member Willie Nelson. Both Parton and Nelson have yet to comment on collaborations that will be taking place. If the number of callbacks to country music’s history wasn’t enough, Bey has also included a song named The Linda Martell Show - a reference to the first Black woman to play the esteemed Grand Ole Opry in Nashville.
The full tracklist can be found in Beyoncé’s Instagram post below:
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Country is truly ruling the world of music right now, with Taylor Swift, who comes from a country music background, also topping social media with her Eras tour.
Beyoncé’s new Rodeo Chillin’ Circuit is bound to push the boundaries of women in country even further and redefine what it means to be a country artist in 2024. Get your cowboy boots on and stick around.