Beyoncé Reveals New Album ‘Cowboy Carter’ Was Inspired By Feeling Unwelcome In Country Music

Beyoncé / Instagram

Last Tuesday (March 13), Beyoncé revealed the release date of her latest album, Cowboy Carter, as March 29th.

Shortly after the release date announcement, the singer wrote a detailed social media post, delving into the creative journey behind this anticipated project.

She began by expressing gratitude for the overwhelming support received for her two new singles, “Texas Hold ‘Em” and “16 Carriages,” and shared her excitement to unveil this new era of her career.

“Thank you from the bottom of my heart to all of the supporters.”

“Texas Hold ‘Em,” a track inspired by her hometown of Houston, Texas, quickly gained popularity, receiving millions of streams.

On February 21, 2024, Beyoncé made history as the first Black woman to top Billboard’s Country chart with “Texas Hold ‘Em,” skyrocketing to number one within seven days.

RELATED: Beyoncé Becomes The First Black Woman to Top Billboard’s Country Chart

Listen to the song below.

Inspiration Behind The Album

During an early venture into the genre years ago, Beyoncé drew inspiration for her upcoming album, Cowboy Carter, from the icy response she received from the country music industry.

“This album has been over five years in the making. It 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. But, because of that experience, I did a deeper dive into the history of Country music and studied our rich musical archive.”

Although Beyoncé didn’t specify what the experience was, her reference likely relates to her performance at the 2016 Country Music Awards alongside The Chicks. This collaboration garnered backlash from some country music fans, reflecting a challenging experience she encountered within the genre.

While some fans thought Beyoncé’s performance was a highlight of the awards show, Natalie Maines, the frontwoman of The Chicks, revealed she received unwelcoming comments from “racist a–holes.”

Additionally, an unnamed manager claimed to Billboard that he witnessed Alan Jackson leaving his front-row seat in protest of Beyoncé’s performance.

“I was sitting behind Alan Jackson, and he actually stood up from the front row and walked out in the middle of the performance, so I think that spoke volumes for the traditional, real country acts.”

It turns out, on the morning of the show, Jackson said he understood it, and on that night in 2016, he left the show early for a completely different reason.

RELATED: Remember When The Dixie Chicks Brought Beyonce To The CMAs?

Beyoncé’s Vision For Cowboy Carter

Beyoncé describes Cowboy Carter not just as her take on country music, but as a narrative of surpassing the perceived “limitations” it imposed on her.

“I hope this music is an experience, creating another journey where you can close your eyes, start from the beginning and never stop,” Beyoncé continues, explaining that she envisions it as a continuation of her Renaissance project.

“This ain’t a country album. This is a Beyoncé album.”

See Beyoncé’s full post below.