Beyoncé aired an ad announcing her new album, "Act II," at this year's Super Bowl. The record is the second part of a theoretical three-act series beginning with Renaissance, an R&B and house record, and now switching to country with "Act II." She has released two singles from the album, "TEXAS HOLD 'EM and “16 CARRIAGES."
Beyoncé showed signs of this switch at the Grammy Awards when she wore a cowboy hat. However, her rise into country music did not begin in 2024, nor did her Western look. Beyoncé wore silver, metallic and Western themes on her "Renaissance" tour in 2023. She was photographed with horses, rhinestones, and silver chaps and fringe. In 2021, she was featured on the cover of Harper's Bazaar wearing an all-black ensemble paired with a cowboy hat. Beyoncé has also collaborated with country artists. At the 2017 CMA Awards, she performed "Daddy Lessons'' with the Dixie Chicks. The track from her 2016 album "Lemonade" honors her father and her hometown – Houston. The artist has been in the R&B and pop genres for most of her career, so many of her fans were likely not expecting this switch.
While people can speculate that this change stemmed from her Southern roots, that is not the whole story. Beyoncé has released R&B and pop music since the '90s when she was the lead singer in Destiny's Child. R&B and jazz were derived from the Harlem Renaissance in the 1920s, inspired by Black musicians. Even though the country music industry is dominated by white singers today, the genre is rooted in Black folk songs and musical traditions spanning centuries. The country sound we recognize today was also popularized in the early 1900s and mass-marketed in Hollywood. Today, Black artists are reclaiming the genre, and Beyoncé is no exception. Other artists shaping country music's future include Kane Brown, Jimmie Allen and Allison Russell.
Recently, Beyoncé became the first Black woman to reach No.1 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs list. In addition to her career being mostly in R&B, the country music scene has long been dominated by male artists like John Denver, Keith Urban and Brad Paisley. This accomplishment again reinforces the idea that Beyoncé is one of the greatest musical artists of our time. Last month, many social media users debated whether Beyoncé should be "allowed" to make country music and some radio stations even refused to play her songs. Her success opens doors for artists of color in alternative genres who have long been told that some musical spaces are exclusively white.
While Beyoncé's switch to country may not be a complete surprise, she has not told her fans any specific reasons for her change. The artist has already made a very successful career in R&B and pop and some listeners find it interesting that she has decided to explore new genres now. Beyoncé could continue doing what she has been and her fans would still love her, but the decision to try something new is what makes her truly great.
Other artists who have explored different musical avenues and reinvented their sound include Miley Cyrus, Taylor Swift, and Lady Gaga. This year, Lana Del Rey is also releasing a country album called "Lasso in September, and Kasey Musgraves announced her long-awaited album, “Deeper Well," will be out later this month. It seems like reinventions and creative exploration are themes for many artists this year.
While Beyonce has not yet stated why she took on this project, fans are speculating that the singer is not only embracing her Southern roots but will soon reclaim other genres with Black roots, like rock 'n' roll.
"TEXAS HOLD 'EM” in particular has blown up on social media since its release. To date, the song has been used in more than 200,000 TikTok videos. Country may not have been the outlet that brought Beyoncé her fame, but she is already very successful in it. Many of her fans and general social media users agree that her new songs are catchy and still honor her signature style, just in a more "yee-haw" kind of way.
So, while Beyoncé's switch to country music may not be a complete curveball, it is still a little interesting to wonder if she has been giving us signs for years or just decided to try something new.
Whatever the reason for her switch, her fans are excited to hear how she redefines the style and adds another genre to her musical belt.
