“Genres are a funny concept, aren’t They?” said Linda Martell in the intro of “SPAGHETTII”, one of the tracks of Beyoncé’s newest addition to her trilogy, COWBOY CARTER, her first country album.
The Project began in 2022, with the release of RENAISSANCE, a house influenced record, inspired by several Afro-American “subcultures”, such as Ballroom, voguing and bounce. Those genres were all victims of the same process: white appropriation.
In a trilogy project, Beyoncé uses her voice and influence to condemn cultural exploitation, in the form of art. The two first acts were praised by critics and fans, and the third, and final addition, is highly expected.
ACT I – RENAISSANCE
In June 2022, Beyoncé announced the drop of her first solo album in six years and she graced the cover of Vogue magazine riding a horse, which references the cover of the album that would be released in July of the same year. In her website, the artist stated that this was the first part of a trilogy but kept details from fans until the album was out.
RENAISSANCE was produced during the pandemic, at a moment of vulnerability, aspiring freedom and happiness: “This three-act project was recorded over three years during the pandemic. A time to be still, but also a time I found to be the most creative” – declared Beyoncé.
In this hour-long journey through upbeat tracks inspired by ballroom culture, Beyoncé pays tribute to artists that introduced black-American rhythms into mainstream culture, such as Grace Jones, Donna Summer, Tina Turner and Janet Jackson.
Her uncle Johnny is her main inspiration for this album, as mentioned in the song HEATED: “Uncle Johny made my dress, that cheap Spandex, she looks a mess”.
He was an openly queer family member, who introduced her to the world of house music and marginalized culture during her childhood. When she was seventeen, Johnny passed away after battling against HIV; therefore, the artist dedicated RENAISSANCE to her late uncle and the LGBTQN+ community.
ACT II – COWBOY CARTER
At the Superbowl LVIII commercial break, Beyoncé made a surprise appearance in a Verizon ad, announcing the drop of two country singles that would later be part of ACT II. As expected, the songs were inspired by Afro-American music, but this time, country themed.
Country was the main genre that suffered white exploitation, from white supremacy that marginalized black Americans, mainly in the south of the United States as a result of the civil war. Originally from Houston, Texas, Beyoncé grew up in a context where country was exclusively white, boycotting any black artists that tried to reconnect to the rhythm.
In 2016, Beyoncé released a country inspired track titled Daddy Lessons and performed with The Dixie Chicks at Country Music Awards. The Performance was harshly criticized and boycotted by country media, the genre industry resistance towards black women inspired Beyoncé to create a body of work with the purpose of breaking boundaries in country music. Five years later, she released COWBOY CARTER.
Released in April 2024, the album was praised with unanimity from fans and critics, mainly because of her ability to embrace traditional country and, at the same time, include contemporary beats. For reference, in the song “TYRANT”, Dolly Parton, a traditional country icon, harmonizes while Beyoncé raps through a banjo beat; and in “SPAGHETTII”, she samples a Brazilian funk from DJ Dede Mandrake.
ACT III – To be announced
While we don’t have a lot of information, fans expect the third addition to the trilogy to follow the same pattern: reclaiming black American’s rhythms that were victims of cultural appropriation, such as rock, jazz, hip-hop and more. Even if Beyoncé keeps all her projects secret, protected by several NDAs until the last moment, we should expect it to be marvelous.
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The article above was edited by Camila Lutfi.
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