The 8th solo studio album and Act II to 2022’s “Renaissance” sees the Houston, Texas legend embrace the world of all things country. But it’s also so much more.

When Beyoncé stole the spotlight for a few moments on Super Bowl Sunday and announced her next record, with country and cowboy motifs, it took the internet by storm. Subsequently releasing two singles off the upcoming record that same night, we got just a taste of what she was cooking up. No one could have guessed this is how she would follow up the critically acclaimed and commercial powerhouse that was Renaissance. But, that’s the beauty of her artistry. One of my favorite phenomena, in music or otherwise, is when an artist is so accomplished and revered, that they get to the point in their career where they can just do whatever the hell they want. In a bizarre way, though, this next step is a logical leap, despite what naysayers (racists) may try to portray that someone like Beyoncé has no business in country music. These lines from the opening track, AMERIICAN REQUIEM, both prophetic and biographic, perfectly encapsulates this:

The grandbaby of a moonshine man
Gadsden, Alabama
Got folk down in Galveston, rooted in Louisiana
Used to say I spoke too country
And the rejection came, said I wasn’t country ‘nough
Said I wouldn’t saddle up, but
If that ain’t country, tell me what is?
Plant my bare feet on solid ground for years
They don’t, don’t know how hard I had to fight for this
When I sang my song

How can someone like Beyoncé, being from Houston, Texas with family history all throughout the south, be gatekept out of country? Especially when you consider that America’s first cowboys were black and Black Americans have deep, deep seeded roots in country music? Cowboy Carter at it’s core, is a reclamation of stolen culture and a celebration of country’s history, while being a progressive contemporary work that yet again pushes the boundary of what is and what was.

With all of that said, all of this means very little if the music itself didn’t deliver. Centered around the titular character, Cowboy Carter is a “western” inspired odyssey that tackles themes of familial trauma, rodeo, dance, and love – be it romantic or motherly. It’s arguably her most ambitious record to date, as she steps out of her comfort zone and into a world that, as mentioned above, is reluctant to embrace her. If anything, though, that did nothing but fuel her further. With contributions from country legends Linda Martell and Dolly Parton, to collaborations with the likes of Miley Cyrus and Post Malone, the record is an expansive epic brimming with flowing imagination.

Beyoncé also does an excellent job of blending elements of the “Carter” with the “Cowboy”, making this much more than simply a country album. The song TYRANT being a notable example of this, as it has a foreword by Dolly Parton but then the bass and the instrumentals drop and it sounds like it could’ve fit somewhere on Self-Titled or even Renaissance. The way she can mix in beautiful ballads (PROTECTOR, II HANDS II HEAVEN) and weave them through operatic pieces (DAUGHTER), while still having radio hits sprinkled in (TEXAS HOLD ‘EM, LEVII’S JEANS) is nothing short of genius. Not to mention beautiful covers of The Beatle’s BLACKBIRD and Dolly Parton’s JOLENE.

Of all of Beyoncé’s albums, this one is certainly the most divisive. Above that, it takes the most work on the listener’s part out of any of her previous records. Speaking for myself, it took about three listens to start to get it fully. Even then, I don’t believe I’ve even really scratched the surface. It’s a long listen, coming in at 78 minutes and 27 tracks, and works best listened to in one sitting. Though it’s not as easily digestible as some of her other work, Cowboy Carter rewards the listener, and then some, if they’re willing to engage with it in good faith. It’s too early to really say, but this could age the best of all of her albums, as it already has a timeless feel to it. It’s a record that can only be made by Beyoncé, an artist that continues to defy her limits.

Rating: 9.2/10

By Devyn Tammons