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In hindsight, it was clear that Beyoncé’s Renaissance project would incorporate elements of country music – and she made sure to make it known in true Beyoncé fashion. She appeared on a suspended, mirrored glass-covered horse above a stadium audience; she donned a mirrored glass-covered cowboy hat and lingerie. At the recent Grammys, she sported a Stetson and a cowboy-inspired suit, specially designed by Pharrell Williams for Louis Vuitton.
Two delightful new songs indicate that Renaissance’s upcoming album, releasing on 29 March, will likely have a country influence. Beyoncé’s glamorous, poised, and unironic style add an extra touch to this theme.
Texas Hold ’Em is made for do-si-doing on a dusty dancefloor, with banjo, line-dancing commands, and exclamations of “woo hoo!” that might as well be “yee haw!” There’s a whisper of another recent pop-hoedown, Jonas Brothers’ What a Man Gotta Do, to the firmly resolved melody, but also something much more rootsy and authentically country to the arrangement, with its closely harmonised backing vocals and admirably restrained feel.
The song “16 Carriages” starts with a rustic sound, resembling a gloved hand striking a horse’s side, and is accompanied by the distinct and emotional sound of a pedal steel. However, the tone of the song quickly shifts to a grand scale, as Beyoncé reflects on the hard work she has put into her career since she was a teenager. The 16 carriages may represent the caravan of tour buses and trucks that set out for the Renaissance tour, with Beyoncé feeling exhausted and burdened, but still determined to create art and spread love on this special night.
Beyoncé’s foray into the country music genre with her album Renaissance: Act One may seem like a departure from her usual house and disco sound. However, the themes of heartache, life lessons, and drinking songs in country music actually suit her well. Like other country music legends, Beyoncé possesses the talent to deliver both nostalgic verses and relatable emotions. Even her carefree persona in songs like “Cuff It” is reminiscent of someone enjoying their tenth beer at a tailgate party.
Some may argue that this is just another way for Beyoncé to win more Grammys, as she was previously rejected by the Academy’s country music committee in 2016 for her song “Daddy Lessons.” Rumors suggest that she is also trying to assert her dominance over fellow artist Taylor Swift, who has a strong background in country music. However, what is more interesting is Beyoncé’s ability to incorporate country music into her repertoire and claim it as part of Black musical expression. With songs like “16 Carriages,” which blends blues and gospel influences, Beyoncé pays homage to the work songs performed by Black field laborers. The banjo, played by Rhiannon Giddens on “Texas Hold ‘Em,” is a reminder of how African Americans have contributed to American music, specifically with the invention of the banjo and its journey from Africa to the Caribbean and eventually to the US.
The Renaissance performance will continue with a third act. After showcasing house and disco in the first act and country in the second, it is likely that the artist will return to her roots in R&B, pop, and power ballads for a well-rounded finale. There is also a possibility of exploring another genre, such as rock, or delving into rap further after her impressive verses on “Savage (Remix)” and “Heated.”
This would align with the impressive yet laid-back persona displayed on stage. The visuals from the Renaissance tour – sophisticated robotics, futuristic exploration – portrayed Beyoncé as superhuman, and her dancers’ stunning choreography only added to this image, with their disciplined movements balanced by their individual displays of freedom. However, what made the tour so appealing was how relatable she was, engaging in playful banter and exuding a breezy demeanor rather than a rigid and polished one as she has sometimes done in the past. While she may still hold the title of Queen B, there is a refreshing lack of regality in her manner and her willingness to experiment with different genres.
Sure, there’s undoubtedly a sense that her country music is another demonstration of her artistic might: inverting society’s expected post-natal career arc into an exponential curve as she surges upward on another stylistic adventure. But the gentle, even homely feel of this new music feels in keeping with a woman who is palpably in touch with her personal history, her family, her African American artistic heritage – and her own even rather ordinary humanity.
Source: theguardian.com
