Beyoncé shared an Instagram post Tuesday explaining the inspiration behind her coming album, "Cowboy Carter."
She wrote that she has been working for five years on “Cowboy Carter,” a project "born out of an experience that I had years ago where I did not feel welcomed."
Fans speculated that Beyoncé was referring to the 2016 Country Music Awards, during which she performed her song "Daddy Lessons" with the country group The Chicks. While Beyoncé fans celebrated the performance, it also drew backlash at the time.
“Cowboy Carter” is the second installment of a three-part project that started with the release of Beyonce’s 2022 dance music album, “Renaissance.” Many believe the project is her attempt to reclaim genres of music pioneered by Black artists.
When Beyoncé released the singles "Texas Hold 'Em" and "16 Carriages," Black country artists said they hoped her coming album would bring more exposure to Black country music.
Beyoncé wrote that her experience motivated her to do a "deeper dive" into the history of country music.
"The criticisms I faced when I first entered this genre forced me to propel past the limitations that were put on me," she wrote. "act ii is a result of challenging myself, and taking my time to bend and blend genres together to create this body of work."
While the singles off of "Cowboy Carter" have been country songs, Beyoncé wrote: "This ain’t a Country album. This is a 'Beyoncé' album." She also said the album is a "continuation of Renaissance."
Beyoncé recently made history as the first Black woman to top the Billboard country chart with her single "Texas Hold 'Em." In her Instagram post, she said she was "honored" to do so.
"That would not have happened without the outpouring of support from each and every one of you,” she wrote on Instagram. "My hope is that years from now, the mention of an artist’s race, as it relates to releasing genres of music, will be irrelevant."
Beyoncé announced her coming album during the Super Bowl and recently revealed the title as "Cowboy Carter." It will be released March 29.
