It wasn’t a barnyard, but a “Bey-yard” when Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick performed Beyonce’s No. 1 song on the farm.
In an Instagram video posted on Monday, February 26, the couple decided to hold a “morning serenade” for their livestock. Bacon, 65, took his mandolin outside and began to play an acoustic version of “Texas Hold ‘Em,” one of the two country songs Beyoncé, 42, released earlier in the month when announcing Renaissance Act II. Sedgwick, 58, provided backup vocals as Bacon sang to a pair of pigs, a curious pony and a few other animals that remained off-screen.
“Can you get the animals to kick up their hooves?” joked one fan in the Instagram post’s comment section. “I LOVE this song and I love your rendition! So fun!!” said another, while a third fan wrote, “Best ever entertained farm animals anywhere in the world! I’m sure they say bravo!”
Bacon and Sedgwick’s performance comes days after “Texas Hold ‘Em” hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, a week after the song debuted at the second position. This becomes Beyoncé’s ninth Hot 100 topper, her first since “Break My Soul” reached the peak position in 2022.
“Texas Hold ‘Em” also made history by making Beyoncé the first Black woman to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, according to Billboard.
Beyoncé released “Texas Hold ‘Em” and “16 Carriages” on February 11 during Super Bowl LVIII. With all eyes watching the massive sporting event, Beyoncé stole the spotlight by appearing in Verizon’s Big Game commercial. After failing to “break the internet” (or break the wireless carrier’s 5G coverage) through various online stunts, Beyonce had one more trick up her sleeve. “They ready,” she said. “Drop the new music.”
Set for a March 29 release date, Renaissance Act II will likely see Beyoncé expanding on the country stylings she first explored on “Daddy Lessons” in 2016’s Lemonade. The album presumably celebrates Black people’s hand in creating country music, similar to how the Renaissance’s release highlights the Black progenitors of house/dance music. There is an unconfirmed fan theory that the third Renaissance album will see Beyoncé celebrate the Black musicians who created rock ‘n roll.
Though Bacon has endorsed “Texas Hold ‘Em,” Beyoncé faced some initial pushback from the country music radio world when she first dropped her new songs. Amidst the confusion of whether Beyoncé is country or not, some major stars stepped up to give their seal of approval – including Dolly Parton.
“I’m a big fan of Beyoncé, and very excited that she’s done a country album,” she wrote on February 22. “So, congratulations on your Billboard Hot Country number one single. Can’t wait to hear the full album.”
