Beyoncé has officially gone country, and she earned approval from a fellow music legend, Dolly Parton. Beyoncé released two country tunes, "Texas Hold 'Em" and "16 Carriages," on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 11. The former has since reached the No. 1 spot on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart and become a viral hit on social media.
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In a statement, Parton endorsed Beyoncé's country releases and shared her excitement for the superstar's upcoming album, which may include some more twang.
"I'm a big fan of Beyoncé and very excited that she's done a country album," Parton wrote on social media. "So congratulations on your Billboard Hot Country number one single. Can't wait to hear the full album!"
Parton isn't the only country artist ready to usher in Beyoncé's country era. One of the genre's current top artists, Lainey Wilson, shared her enthusiasm for Beyoncé's entrance into country while attending the "People's Choice Awards."
"I love it. The more the merrier," she told Extra. "I'm like, again, it's about that storytelling, it's about... It's just about making people feel at home... and everybody wants to feel at home."
Of people who have negative opinions about Beyoncé's place in country music, Wilson said, "Hey, you know what? Everybody is going to have something to say about everything. I bet you wouldn't say it to her face. I love Beyoncé."
Wilson added that she loves to see how much the genre is growing, and she attributes that growth to people wanting to "feel at home."
"When you get on the back of a horse or when you're out with your feet in the dirt or when you're listening to a country song, the truth is you feel at home," she says.
Beyoncé is set to release her new album, Act II, on March 29.
