The vocalist of “The Middle” commented on Beyoncé’s most recent journey into country music, saying, “I feel like she’s always been genre-less, but I think the leaning into country elements and sort of reclaiming country music back to Black people because they created the genre is such a statement.”
The return of Beyoncé to the country music scene is being celebrated by Maren Morris.
During an interview with E! News that took place the previous week, Morris provided her thoughts on Beyoncé’s next album, Act II. This comes after the release of her two new country songs, “Texas Hold ‘Em” and “16 Carriages.”
The statement was made by Morris, who has not been shy about criticizing the problematic atmosphere that surrounds country music. “I feel like she’s always been genre-less,” Morris said. “I think the leaning into country elements and sort of reclaiming country music back to Black people because they created the genre is such a statement.”
“Rhiannon Giddens playing banjo on ‘Texas Hold ‘Em,’ which is such an amazing statement in itself,” she said further.
In addition, the singer of “Bones” expressed her excitement about the next project as a whole, which is scheduled to be released on March 29.
“Obviously, like most people, I’m so utterly excited to hear the whole album,” Morris said enthusiastically. “I was listening to ’16 Carriages’ this morning, and just marveling at the production and the lyrics and the vulnerability.”
In her discussion with E!, Morris also lauded another country artist, Lainey Wilson, saying, “It’s just nice to meet women that are in that genre and killing it.” Wilson is a fellow country star. When they are also, like, such a decent person, it is really pleasant to see them.
The singer, who is 33 years old, made these remarks on Beyoncé’s return to the genre after she seemed to take a step away from it, noting the fact that it is associated with racism, sexism, and homophobia of many kinds.
“The stories going on within country music right now, I’ve tried to avoid a lot of it at all costs,” she said in an interview with the Los Angeles Times in September. This statement came after she had a public back-and-forth with country musician Jason Aldean and his wife Brittany on their views about gender identity. It seems to me like I am very, very far away from it. I had to walk away from the situation.”
On the other hand, the Grammy winner subsequently stressed that she would not be completely abandoning her country music origins.
As she said on The Tonight Show in November, “I don’t think it’s something you can leave,” she was referring to the situation. I was raised performing music, so it’s something that’s always been a part of me. This is the music that I compose. There is no way to get rid of the country music, even if I have been a genre-fluid artist throughout my whole career.