Beyoncé doesn't talk much, but when she does, she speaks volumes! Offering new insight on her upcoming album, Cowboy Carter, Beyoncé revealed what pushed her to create a country album.
Apparently, it was rooted in discrimination and racism, the feeling of being unwelcome in a specific music genre.
Beyoncé 'Cowboy Carter' Explained: 2016 CMA Awards Discriminated Her?
The country music genre has since been defined as a genre dominated by conservatives and predominantly white people. Although it was rooted in black people's ingenuity, it has been widely reported and contested that black people have started it.
Beyoncé hopes to reclaim that narrative on her upcoming album, Cowboy Carter, the second installment of Renaissance.
In a lengthy Instagram post, Beyoncé talked about what pushed her to create such an album.
"This album has been over five years in the making. It was born out of an experience that I had years ago where I did not feel welcomed...and it was very clear that I wasn't," Beyoncé explained of the situation. "But, because of that experience, I did a deeper dive into the history of Country music and studied our rich musical archive."
Many have speculated on social media that Beyoncé's performance at the 2016 CMA Awards with The Chicks propelled Beyoncé to dive deep into country music.
"The criticisms I faced when I first entered this genre forced me to propel past the limitations that were put on me. act ii is a result of challenging myself, and taking my time to bend and blend genres together to create this body of work."
READ ALSO: Beyoncé Reveals 'Cowboy Carter' Cover, Says Album Was 5 Years in the Making
What Happened To Beyoncé On The 2016 CMAs?
Beyoncé and The Chicks performed their collaboration "Daddy Lessons" from "Lemonade." At the same time, the performance was celebrated by many. Veteran country music execs and fans raised an eyebrow at the said performance. (via Taste of Country)
Apparently, "neotraditional country" music artist Alan Jackson walked out during Beyoncé's performance at the 2016 CMAs in protest of her inclusion.
"I was sitting behind Alan Jackson, and he actually stood up from the front row and walked out in middle of the performance, so I think that spoke volumes for the traditional, real country acts," a Billboard source said about the said encounter.
While there was no actual evidence pointing to such, it seemed like a very plausible explanation for how Beyoncé felt unwelcome to the genre, along with criticisms she received from Country fans when she performed that performance and released the lead singles of Cowboy Carter, "Texas Hold' Em," and "16 Carriages."
READ MORE: Beyoncé Country Album Title Revealed: 'Cowboy Carter' Amasses Mixed Reactions
