Denitia Odigie was deeply moved when she heard the first notes of Beyonce’s hit country song, “Texas Hold Em.” Her music is an eclectic blend of hybrid pop, electronic, and R&B that places her under the alternative umbrella, so much so that it may surprise her that a booming, banjo-driven country single has been her latest creation. But it wasn’t just the song’s soundscape that drew her in; it was also the overdue acknowledgment of the genre’s Black roots.
The “Dad Lessons” singer is making a name for herself with her new songs. According to Billboard, she became the first Black woman to top both the Hot Country Songs and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop charts since the lists were established in 1958. She topped the country charts with her debut single, “Texas Hold Em,” and the follow-up, “16 Carriages.” Beyonce debuted both tracks after teasing her upcoming project in a Verizon Super Bowl commercial.
Many critics have called attention to the fact that Beyonce’s country songs, which feature a banjo-driven sound and historical allusions to slavery and the Great Migration, mark a bold move into a genre that historically excluded Black artists. She has made a profound impact by thrusting elements of this hidden history into the mainstream, and the upcoming release of her album “Act II” is expected to incorporate even more country textures and allusions to the genre’s long-forgotten Black ancestry.
Jack Hamilton, associate professor of American studies and media studies at Slate Magazine, tells The Washington Post that he needs help to think of a significant musical artist who has significantly impacted popular culture and isn’t comfortable moving between genres. Beyonce has made a similar mashup of genres before. Still, her bold foray into country is especially striking given that she’s an African-American musician with roots in the South who has been making country-inspired music since her teens.
She has partnered with musicians like Greensboro singer-songwriter Rhiannon Giddens, a brilliant contemporary artist focused on unearthing country and folk’s Black lineages, to help her navigate the new territory. The result is a genre that’s now more racially inclusive, including Black voices and instruments illuminating the country’s past while challenging our cultural tendency to categorize art along racial lines. And that’s something all artists can benefit from.
