With the arrival of “Cowboy Carter,” billed as a “multi-genre nod to Americana country culture,” came a chorus of praise from traditional country and country crossover artists — including several featured on the album. . . . she released her singles “Texas Hold ‘Em” and “16 Carriages,” confirming that “act ii” would be country-inspired. The former song made her the first Black woman to top Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart and the latter followed close behind at No. 9.
Kinitra Brooks, English Professor at Michigan State, points to her current foray into country music with Cowboy Carter, which Beyoncé described on Instagram as being born out of a “deeper dive into the history of Country music” and the Black musical archive, as proof of her dedication to her vision and a rejection of a system that could never imagine an artist like her.
NPR reports; “Across the tracklist, elements of hip-hop, bluegrass and Chicano rock, with pop, rock, Jersey club music and operatic runs. “YA YA” conjures the charisma of Tina Turner and Chuck Berry, while winking in the direction of Nancy Sinatra the Beach Boys. “BODYGUARD” is a breezy surf-rock romp with Latin percussion and a little whiskey on its breath. “AMEN” rings to the rafters in true gospel splendor. “SWEET HONEY BUCKIN” stacks genre upon genre and yet never overwhelms, instead connecting the dots between them with dusty horse gallops. The production credits stretch far beyond the scope of country stalwarts, making the album a treasure hunt for fans and issuing a challenge to the ways country music has come to be defined”.
Per CBS: ” Heavy buzz around the new album began last month with the debut of “Texas Hold ‘Em” during Super Bowl LVIII. Soon after, the country single hit No. 1 in both the U.S. and U.K., marking the first time since 2003 that Beyoncé had a chart-topper in both countries at the same time. “Beyoncé first announced the 27-track album in a Feb. 11 social media teaser, which was timed to a Super Bowl commercial featuring the singer. “
Not everyone was pleased…CBS remarked “A country radio station in Oklahoma that received criticism earlier this week for not playing Beyoncé’s new song “Texas Hold ‘Em” is now playing the tune. The fan posted SCORE’s reply to social media, which read that “We do not play Beyoncé on KYKC as we are a country music station.” The response generated outcry and accusations of racism online from the Beyhive — Beyoncé’s ardent fanbase”