Miranda Lambert welcomes Beyoncé into country music with open arms.
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For Lambert, this is all about getting positive attention towards the genre. "The more people that are interested in country music, the better for all of us," she tells US Weekly.
She is all too aware of any bad publicity and marketing in the genre. "We've always had a little bit of something for everyone, but it's just kind of not been advertised that way." She doubles down in the spirit of inclusivity, "All these other kinds of artists are making country records [now], and if that brings more eyeballs to our little circle we have, I'm thankful. I think that we have to just be open."
The key in being welcomed into country, to Lambert, is in being genuine. "Authenticity, that's what I approve. And if that means country music right now and that's authentic, then that's all you can say," she concludes.
Beyoncé Ropes in a Billion Streams
Despite any of the genre's puritans, Cowboy Carter has seen a lot of success. Upon release, Beyoncé broke the record on Spotify for most-streamed album in a day. This marked the first time this year a country album has pulled off such a feat.
Cowboy Carter also succeeds in giving Beyoncé credibility within the industry. Miranda Lambert is already on board with her and many other country legends have given their seals of approval. Dolly Parton is one of her most vocal supporters, gushing over her cover of "Jolene" and wanting to do a duet. Willie Nelson also features prominently on the album.
None of this works if Beyoncé did not do her due diligence in studying the genre and its rich history. In the buildup towards the album, she took to Instagram, detailing her experiences that brought her to the dance. "This album has been over five years in the making. It was born out of an experience that I had years ago where I did not feel welcomed...and it was very clear that I wasn't. But, because of that experience, I did a deeper dive into the history of Country music and studied our rich musical archive."
