With a career spanning two decades and an amassed 32 Grammy wins, it would seem that Beyonce could do anything, however making a country album was probably not something you would have expected.
The singer released two country singles, 16 CARRIAGES and TEXAS HOLD ‘EM in February, with the latter receiving widespread radio acclaim and causing a flurry of conversation on TikTok about the history of black women in country.
With fans still hooked to their seats on what more the singer would bring, Queen Bey has delivered, announcing the tracklist for the upcoming album Cowboy Carter, set to be released tomorrow on March 29th.
While the red white and blue tracklist contains appropriately Southern-named songs such as Sweet Honey Buckin’ and II Most Wanted, we can also see a few references to other country stars on there, such as a song (or collab) titled Dolly P as well as a track named Jolene, sparking interest if this will be a cover to Dolly Parton’s iconic song. There is also a track named Smoke Hour with the name of Hall of Fame member Willie Nelson. Both Parton and Nelson are yet to comment if collaborations will be taking place. If the amount of callbacks to country’s history wasn’t enough, Bey has also included a song named The Linda Martell Show - a reference to the first Black woman to play the esteemed Grand Ole Opry in Nashville.
The full tracklist can be found in Beyonce’s Instagram post below:
Country is truly ruling the world of music right now, with singer Taylor Swift who came from a country music background also topping social media with her Eras tour.
Beyonce’s new Rodeo Chillin’ Circuit is bound to push the boundaries of women in country even further and redefine what it means to be a country artist in 2024. Get your cowboy boots on and stick around.