The signs were all there: a disco-cowgirl aesthetic forRenaissance.A Western-inspired Louis VuittonGrammys look.
Then came the first two songs, Texas Hold Em and 16 Carriages, both with undeniable twang.
The rumors were true: Beyonce was entering her yeehaw era.
Getty Images; Art by Channing Smith
This content can also be viewed on the site itoriginatesfrom.
Its not just Bey.
There definitely seems to be something in the (ranch) water.
Beyoncé in Louis Vuitton and a Stetson hat at the 2024 Grammy Awards
The Grammys telecast certainly seemed to overindex on country categories compared with previous years.
And it isnt just music thats gone honky tonk.
In January the Kardashians were spotted there too.
Beyoncé and The Chicks at the 2016 CMA Awards
Victoria Beckhamshared a Valentines photoof husband David in Westernwear, calling him her favorite cowboy.
So whats with the sudden westward ho?
Perhaps its the pervasive popularity ofYellowstoneand its twosoon to be four!companion series.
Or maybe its the fashion.
Last yearscoastal-cowgirl aestheticseems to have just been a preview of what was to come.
Her influence on the rest of us was instantaneous.
Whatever the reasons, Del Rey herself reaffirmed that an industry shift is here.
If you cant already tell by our award winners and our performers, the music business is going country.
Its happening, the singer said at a pre-Grammys event honoring producer Jack Antonoff.
You may be wondering: Whats surprising about this?
Country music has always been popular.
And its true; country musicishuge.
But its also notoriously insular.
The fans fought back, and the song was added to their rotation.
ButAct IIisnt Beyonces first rodeo.
After she performed Daddy Lessons with The Chicks at the 2016 CMAs, a swiftand explicitly racistbacklash ensued.
To state the obvious, country music is simply behind the times.
Maren Morris andCassadee Popehave both publicly distanced themselves from the genre due to its general lack of social progress.
I thought Id like to burn it to the ground and start over, MorristoldThe Los Angeles Timeslast year.
But its burning itself down without my help.
But country music doesnt always take kindly to outspoken womenjust ask The Chicks.
Speaking outand therefore, putting airplay on country radio at riskis an act of rebellion.
What could be more cowgirl than that?
Queen Bey may not be seeking validation, but its there for her nonetheless.
With Texas Hold Em, Beyonce became the first Black woman to reach number one on Billboards country chart.
