Shaboozey and Tanner Adell celebrate country music
Tanner Adell’s music is inspired by his childhood in Wyoming and California
Tanner Adell says her family in Wyoming taught her how to work, while California inspired her striking style.
While the BET Awards have not focused on country artists in the past and have not had a separate category for the genre, this year’s ceremony put country music front and center with the help of some up-and-coming black artists.
The awards ceremony, held Sunday at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, California, featured rising country stars and “Cowboy Carter” collaborators, including Tanner Adell and Shaboozey.
And it was clear that the two artists fit into the bigger picture, which included the recognition and appreciation of black country artists.
“She put us all on one platform”: Black country artists comment on Beyoncé’s new album
Tanner Adell says it’s “magical” to be at the 2024 BET Awards
To kick off the show, singer-songwriter Adell, who appears on Beyoncé’s eighth studio album, performed her hit single “Buckle Bunny” at the fan festival known as the BET Experience on Saturday.
The “Buckle Bunny” singer took the stage during the red carpet pre-show and told host Terrence J that it felt “magical” to be part of the BET Awards festivities, given her recent success, which skyrocketed following her collaboration with Queen Bey.
In March, Adell told The Nashville Tennessean, part of the USA TODAY Network, that her appearance on “Blackbird” had, within months, fulfilled her lifelong dream of working with Beyoncé.
Her performance was a “special moment,” she said, and she “stayed as close to herself as possible” so as not to destroy the “good energy” of the moment.
More: Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter” is here. Let’s talk about the collaborators, track list and more
Shaboozey, another Beyoncé collaborator, says attending the BET Awards was a “dream”
Shaboozey, who appears on “Spaghettii” and “Sweet Honey Buckin’” from Beyoncé’s acclaimed album, echoed similar sentiments, saying it was “a dream come true.”
During the awards ceremony, Shaboozey rocked the stage with his hit song “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” which is an interpolation of J-Kwon’s No. 1 rap song “Tipsy.” He was accompanied by the rapper during the set.
More: Shaboozey fans talk about new single, Beyoncé and black country artists at sold-out show in Nashville
While chatting with Shaboozey on the red carpet, Terrence J acknowledged that black country artists are having a major moment. The “Tipsy” singer stressed the importance of highlighting black country artists in all areas.
“Country music is American music,” he said. It is important “to hear these stories too.”
“Now the world is paying attention to black country musicians”
During the awards ceremony, “Insecure” actor Jay Ellis introduced Adell before she took the stage and performed her latest song, “Cowboy Break My Heart.”
Ellis stressed that black people have been making country music “from the beginning,” adding, “Now the world is paying attention.”
“Country music is black music,” says Taraji P. Henson at the BET Awards
When BET Awards show host Taraji P. Henson introduced Shaboozey onstage on Sunday night, she paid tribute to country’s Black artists, saying that during Black Music Month, it was imperative to honor Black country artists of the past, present and future.
“Country music is black music,” Henson said on stage.
And Henson was clear about Beyoncé’s influence on the moment: “A lot of us (black people) are wearing country boots and hats this year because of Beyoncé.”
Henson emphasized the black roots of country music while holding a banjo and talking about its African origins.
Before leaving the stage, she warned anyone who would dislike Queen Bey. “Of course she’s going to do country music, she’s from Houston,” she added.
More: Beyoncé criticizes the country music industry and remembers a time “when I didn’t feel welcome”
As fans know, the “Ya Ya” singer released her critically acclaimed album “Cowboy Carter” on March 29, already making history and breaking multiple records. The bottom line is that Beyoncé has been a huge catalyst for the recent spotlight on black country artists and the roots of the genre.
Before sharing the album with the rest of the world, Beyoncé spoke openly about the creation of the five-year project, alluding to her performance at the Country Music Awards (CMAs) in 2016.
In an Instagram post, she wrote: “This album has been over five years in the making. It grew out of an experience I had years ago when I didn’t feel welcome… and it was very clear that I wasn’t. But because of that experience, I dug deeper into the history of country music and studied our rich music archive.
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“It’s a beautiful feeling to see how music can unite so many people around the world while giving voice to some people who have dedicated so much of their lives to educating people about our musical history,” she wrote.
“The criticism I faced when I first entered this genre forced me to overcome the limitations imposed on me. Act II is the result of challenging myself and taking the time to mix and blend genres to create this work.”
Follow Caché McClay, the USA TODAY Network’s Beyoncé Knowles-Carter reporter, on Instagram, Tick Tock And X as @cachemcclay.
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