Act ii : COWBOY CARTER
Beyoncé just released the expected "COWBOY CARTER," marking the beginning of Act ii in her new musical odyssey, and her 8th studio album. Following the closure of Act 1 with "Renaissance," and what was most likely one of her best live performances to date, Beyoncé surprises fans once again with a dive into country music this time.
This unexpected shift from R&B/pop to country may raise eyebrows, but for Beyoncé, music has no boundaries. "COWBOY CARTER" is, after all, a fusion of her Texan roots and the rich tapestry of country music, showcasing once again her versatility to expose her talent to a wider range.
However, the announcement of this new album has already stirred controversy, with critics questioning Beyoncé's authenticity and raising concerns about cultural appropriation. On the Instagram post announcing the release of COWBOY CARTER, Beyoncé mentioned that the album “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.” This may refer to her 2016 CMAs (Country Music Awards) live performance of Daddy's Lessons with the country band The Chicks, which at the time received a lot of backlash, even though it was applauded by many and allegedly contributed to some of the most-watched minutes of a CMA awards in the show’s history.
Despite this negativity, supporters applaud her courage to challenge stereotypes and celebrate diversity. Beyoncé quotes, “The criticisms I faced when I first entered this genre forced me to propel past the limitations that were put on me. act ii is a result of challenging myself, and taking my time to bend and blend genres together to create this body of work”.
Let’s not forget that country music is a genre rooted from diverse background, from European folkloric music brought to the USA in the 18th century, as well as African-American gospel and church choirs, bit of a silly controversy, isn’t it ?
In essence, "COWBOY CARTER" promises to be a brand-new experience, inviting listeners on a journey where creativity knows no bounds. Beyoncé's foray into country music is not just about exploring a new sound but reclaiming a part of her cultural identity and pushing the limits of artistic expression.
“This ain’t a Country album. This is a “Beyoncé” album.”
Our review on the album:
27 songs where we can find a variety of heavy country influences as well as gospel (AMEN), or flamenco (DAUGHTER) but also some songs reminiscing of RENAISSANCE (like RIIVERDANCE or the medley SWEET/HONEY/BUCKIN) as well as some Lemonade touches in TYRANT, and some rap Bey on SPAGHETTII with Shaboozey.
The song YAYA being an ensemble of different genres (as introduced by Linda Martell) in a 60’s inspired mashup honoring the late queen Tina Turner and AMERICAN REQUIEM being a diss track to her haters (we love it).
There are also some interesting collaborations : Beyoncé chose to put black country artists in the spotlight (Willie Jones on JUST FOR FUN, and Tanner Adell, Brittney Spencer, Tierra Kennedy appearing on the Beatles cover of BLACKBIIRD), but also more mainstream artists like Miley Cyrus (II MOST WANTED) and Post Malone (LEVII’S JEANS).With the cameos from Dolly Parton (as well as an already iconic cover of JOLENE), the country legend Willie Nelson and even Beyoncé’s daughter Rumi Carter on PROJECTOR, COWBOY CARTER feels like a story being told to us, a revenge for the hatred that has been received along the years and shows that once again, Beyoncé is able to go beyond expectations.
It is definitely a Beyoncé album, and we love it.
Place your bets... We had Renaissance for act i, Cowboy Carter for act ii, what are your predictions for act iii? 👀
