“Genres are a funny little concept, aren’t they?” says Linda Martell, a country music pioneer, in the intro to Beyoncé’s “Spaghettii.” “In theory, they have a simple definition that’s easy to understand, but in practice, well, some may feel confined.” Those two sentences perfectly sum up how Beyoncé has subverted …
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When Beyoncé unveiled the American flag-bearing cover of her latest album, Act ii: Cowboy Carter, some heralded the imagery as a “reclamation” of the flag’s symbolism, while others pointed to its connection to Texas’ Black Cowboys and Rodeo culture. Others, however, saw the flag as a symbol of America’s history …
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Jack White was greeted with a bouquet of flowers recently. They were from Beyoncé. On Tuesday, the musician shared a photo of the (literal) flowers Beyoncé sent him after she released her album Cowboy Carter, and they included a sweet note acknowledging how he inspired her new record. “I just …
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Amid all the acclaim for Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter, there is a growing controversy among fans as the album is missing some key tracks in its compact disc and vinyl form. Fans who preordered physical copies Cowboy Carter are turning to social media and message boards like Reddit to complain that …
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From country icons Dolly Parton and Willie Nelson to featured guests Miley Cyrus and Post Malone, every star who worked on Beyoncé‘s Cowboy Carter shared their excitement for joining Queen Bey on her country album released Friday. Rising stars such as Raye and Tiera Kennedy expressed their gratitude to Beyoncé, …
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While stopping by The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Friday, Sarah Paulson dished on the time she and longtime friend, Pedro Pascal, couldn’t agree on who Beyoncé blew a kiss to during her Renaissance World Tour. The actress gushed over the recent release of Beyoncé’s monumental album, Cowboy Carter, …
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From the start of Cowboy Carter, Beyoncé makes it clear this ain’t your typical country album. Opening epic “Ameriican Requiem” is part gospel, part-Queen, part-Buffalo Springfield as the artist lays out both her intentions and lineage. “Used to say I spoke ‘Too country’/And the rejection came, said I wasn’t ‘country …
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When Beyoncé unveiled a poster homage to country jamborees to announce the track list to Cowboy Carter, the project’s country tie-ins became even more clear. The artwork included references to Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton — and Linda Martell, a name that may have only resonated with country scholars. Although she …
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On Cowboy Carter, Beyoncé shines a spotlight on country pioneer Linda Martell, whose 1970 LP, Color Me Country, was the first major country album released by a Black woman. Martell speaks the intro to “Spaghettii,” talking about the confining nature of the word “genre,” and she gets her own track, …
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If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Rolling Stone may receive an affiliate commission. Beyoncé‘s rollout for her new album, Cowboy Carter, included all sorts of Easter eggs when it came to the track list and album art, but one L.A. restaurant …
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