KEYLA HOLMES
campus editor
keyla.holmes@my.tccd.edu
Beyonce deserves to be embraced by the country music industry. The Houston native isn’t dipping her toes in a genre she doesn’t belong in. As Taylor Crumpton, music, pop culture, and politics writer from Dallas said, “Country music is Black. Country music is Mexican. Country music is Indigenous.”
Sitting in the passenger seat of my friend’s car, I swayed my head to the newly released songs, “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM” and “16 CARRIAGES,” both a part of Beyonce’s upcoming country album. I was eager to listen after hearing content creators set up their phones and make it very clear that Beyonce’s tracks are very much so, country.
I’ll be honest – I don’t think there’s anything Beyonce can’t do. So naturally, I didn’t see why anyone would be counting her out of the genre in the first place. Then I remembered. Putting the artist’s talent aside, for many Americans, the current image associated with the country music industry is white.
Black musicians have long created country music. They’re trailblazers of the genre. Artists such as Ray Charles and DeFord Bailey had significant impact in the country music sphere. According to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, Bailey was even one of the first performers to be introduced on Nashville radio station WSM’s Grand Ole Opry.
Furthermore, Black women have deep roots in country music and have fought to be accepted in the industry, according to PBS. Rissi Palmer, a Grammy-nominated country music artist, struggled to navigate the world of country in Nashville. PBS explains that sometimes the problem were her lyrics and other times it was her hair.
And Linda Martell, legendary country music artist, was the first Black woman to perform on the Grand Ole Opry’s stage. Tina Turner is also a prominent name to be mentioned.
In the Forbes article “Beyonce’s New Songs Aren’t Getting Played On Country Radio – Despite Streaming Success,” staff member Mary Whitfill Roeloffs wrote that a radio station in Oklakhoma wouldn’t play Beyonce’s new songs because they are a country music station.
The station, 100.1 KYKC, later explained that they simply didn’t know Beyonce had released new music. As a country music station, I’m not sure that’s plausible. Ultimately, regardless of the station being aware of her newly released music, was it unfathmoable that the record breaking, Grammy-award winning star could create country music?
If Taylor Swift can switch to pop-music after getting her start in the country genre, why can’t Beyonce release a country album without people?
Considering the industry’s history, why do some have this idea that country music is “white?” If people are just mad that Beyonce is able to showcase her talent regardless of the genre of music, they should just say that.
She’s beautiful, talented and has every right to release a country album if she wants to.
Plus, go listen to both songs, and then come look me in the eyes and tell me that they’re not country songs. If that’s the conclusion you come to, I’m sorry to break it to you, but you’re just a hater.
If she wants to switch out all of her silver for a cowboy hat, just be happy that she’s releasing a new album soon and move on.
