Beyoncé is headed to the country, and some of the genre’s biggest stars couldn’t be happier.
Along with announcing Renaissance Act II during Super Bowl LVIII on February 11, Beyoncé christened her new era by releasing “Texas Hold ‘Em” and “16 Carriages.” The two country songs embodied her Houston roots (while celebrating Black artists’ involvement in the genre’s creation). The Beyhive buzzed over the new music, which has even inspired TikTok dance challenges, but not everyone was as excited.
Despite initial pushback from country radio stations who weren’t sure that Beyoncé fit the bill, she quickly dominated the charts. “Texas Hold ‘Em” debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 on February 20, coming in at No. 1 on the multimetric Hot Country Songs — making her the first Black woman to do so. “16 Carriages” debuted at No. 9, giving her two Top 10 entries.
Beyoncé is no stranger to country music. Her 2016 album, Lemonade, featured “Daddy Lessons,” which earned praise from many of the genre’s stars. Dierks Bentley thought that “Daddy Lessons” had an “intangible” feel of a country song, per The Columbus Dispatch, while Karen Fairchild of Little Big Town said that Beyoncé “has some stories to tell. … And that’s what makes country music great.” Beyoncé and The Chicks even performed “Daddy Lessons” at the 50th annual Country Music Association Awards in 2016.
Scroll down to find out who’s excited to see Beyoncé don a cowboy hat, fringe and rhinestones before Renaissance Act II drops on March 29:
Dolly Parton
Parton congratulated Beyoncé on her country music success while rolling out the welcome mat for her fellow queen. After Beyoncé’s “Texas Hold ‘Em” debuted at the top of Billboard’s Hot Country Chart, Parton penned a lovely message on social media. “I’m a big fan of Beyoncé and very excited that she’s done a country album. So congratulations on your Billboard Hot Country number one single,” wrote Parton. “Can’t wait to hear the full album!”
Maren Morris
While speaking exclusively with Us Weekly, Morris reflected on Beyoncé’s country ambitions. “I would never disrespect Beyoncé’ by having advice for her,” said Morris, “but I think she’s going to be alright.” After considering what insight she could offer, Morris noted that Beyoncé should not listen to trends or charts.
Lainey Wilson
“The truth is, country music is about storytelling, and Beyonce knows how to tell a story. So I think it’s awesome,” Wilson told Billboard when walking the red carpet before the 2024 People’s Choice Awards in February. “I think it’s awesome for the country music genre. Everybody wants to feel at home, and country music makes you feel at home. So Beyonce, come on home, girl!”
At the same event, she told Extra, “The more the merrier. [Country music] is about that storytelling. It’s about making people feel at home. And everybody wants to feel at home.”
Bobby Bones
Following the initial backlash against “Texas Hold ‘Em” and “16 Carriages” being played on country radio, Bones, a prominent voice on the platform, clapped back at the critics. “You have, like, Post Malone, where everybody’s going ‘We can’t wait!’” he said during a February 14 broadcast. “You’re hypocritical if you’re like, ‘I like Post Malone coming but not Beyoncé.’ Beyoncé’s been on the CMAs, Beyoncé did Sugarland … it’s crazy to me how people get upset about it.”
For those asking, I never got a DM from Beyoncé. But here’s a shortened version of me talking about it this morning. pic.twitter.com/WjOdSILsEs
— Bobby Bones (@mrBobbyBones) February 14, 2024
The radio personality continued, “What ‘country music’ doesn’t like is artists who settle to do country. Meaning they’ve been successful in another place, and they can’t find that success anymore, so they’re like, ‘I’m just gonna go try some country stuff.’ That’s not what Beyoncé’s doing!”
Bones reminded listeners that some of their favorite country artists — including Morgan Wallen, who “went on The Voice as a soul singer, [a] pop singer” — weren’t always dominating the country airwaves, noting that singers can “be multiple things at once.”
Bones further pointed out via X that historically, country music “is based on the music from Africa brought over on the slave ships. And from Europe. With the fiddle and banjo.” He added that he plans on plugging Beyoncé’s new music on “a couple hundred [radio] stations.”
Tina Knowles
Beyoncé’s mother reflected on her daughter’s relationship with country music on February 17. While sharing a video showing howBeyoncé has channeled the country aesthetic — as well as a screenshot of Taylor Crumpton’s essay titled “Beyoncé Has Always Been Country” — Knowles said that her family had “always celebrated Cowboy Culture growing up in Texas.”
“We also always understood that it was not just about it belonging to White culture only,” she wrote via social media. ”In Texas, there is a huge black cowboy culture. Why do you think that my kids have integrated it into their fashion and art since the beginning? When people ask why is Beyonce wearing cowboy hats? It’s really funny. I actually laugh because it’s been there since she was a kid. We went to rodeos every year and my whole family dressed in western fashion. [My daughter] Solange did a whole brilliant album and project based on Black Cowboy Culture. It definitely was a part of our culture growing up.”
