Beyoncé’s dad, Mathew Knowles, tackled the racial aspect. In a TMZ chat, he said, “There are more white voters, and sadly, they don’t always pick based on talent. It can still be a white-Black thing.” He wasn’t accusing of blatant racism but spotlighted industry biases.
This isn’t Beyoncé’s first dust-up with country music powers. In 2016, her CMA performance with The Chicks and Grammy bid for Daddy Lessons in the country category were nixed. These show the hurdles Black artists face in country music.
Some in the biz bashed Beyoncé’s country move, while others praised her boldness. Shaboozey, who worked on Cowboy Carter, called it “one of the most innovative country albums ever” and said Beyoncé opened doors for new voices.