Act II, the continuation of Beyoncé’s “Renaissance” album, began with the release of two country tracks, Texas Hold ‘Em and 16 Carriages, following her 90-second Verizon commercial during this year’s Super Bowl LVIII.
Following the success of the songs’ release, KYKC, an Oklahoma-based country radio station, gained notoriety very quickly after declining a fan’s request to play Beyoncé’s latest songs, stating that their radio program should only feature country music.
The KYKC station was inundated with calls and messages from the BeyHive, who predictably demanded that they play the two tracks.
The station had to activate their X account again after four years of inactivity to verify that they would be playing Texas Hold ‘Em.
After the singer debuted two country singles, some country music enthusiasts hoped that Beyoncé’s star power would help bring more recognition to black artistes within the country music genre.
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Many people also pointed out that country music had its roots in the African diaspora. They believed Beyoncé’s venture into the country with ACT II would be an act of reclaiming the country music Black America, even though it has often been perceived as a genre for Whites.
Ever since Beyoncé released the song Daddy Lessons in 2016, her fan base has been waiting for the Texas-born singer to release a full country album.
Just days after the release of the songs, fans started searching for more black country music to listen to while they waited impatiently for the album set to come out on March 29.
Beyoncé’s Renaissance project saw her elevate black pioneers in house, ballroom, and disco, and some fans are optimistic that she will do the same with country music artistes.