BEYONCÉ’S COWBOY CARTER TOUR BEEN COUNTRY

A genre-defying, record-breaking triumph — Beyoncé reclaims legacy, honours Black heritage, and ushers in a new generation on a tour that reshapes culture itself

There was a lot of talk — and plenty of skepticism — surrounding Texan nativeturned-global-pop-and-R&B superstar Beyoncé, specifically in anticipation of her latest stadium tour for the Grammy Awardwinning Album of the Year: Cowboy Carter

The tour’s announcement left much of the internet asking the question, “Could a countryled tour by an artist of her genre command the mainstage?”

While Beyoncé may not be primarily categorized as a country artist, she is no stranger to embracing her Texan roots and playing in the key of the Wild West — cleverly coining the phrase “Been Country” found across tour memorabilia, marketing and stage props. In her own right — as she so often does — Miss Carter has proven to the world that this is not a country tour, this is a Beyoncé tour — and an incomparable one at that!

She kicked off her Cowboy Carter Tour in Inglewood, California, its five sold-out nights at the SoFi Stadium, hauled in a whopping USD 55.7 million. Her visit to East Rutherford’s MetLife Stadium would solidify the “Texas Hold’Em” vocalist’s place in history as the only tour by a Black musician to gross $100 million in just nine shows, a record that topped Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s Grand National Tour, whose 10th show achieved this accolade.

Beyoncé is no stranger to scrutiny, but with Cowboy Carter, she delivers more than a genredefying album — she reclaims a space in American music long denied to Black voices. The Cowboy Carter Tour, and more importantly, the body of work which she has delivered, stand as a bold reclamation of country music’s Black heritage and a redefinition of American cultural identity.

Forged out of rejection, Cowboy Carter is her response to the controversy sparked by her performance alongside The Dixie Chicks (now The

Chicks) at the 2016 Country Music Awards. Her presence alone challenged artists and amplified the pushback felt in the white-dominated genre. Years in the making and originally slotted to debut in 2023 ahead of Renaissance, the album now stands as Act II in a three-part musical saga, cementing Beyoncé’s vision not just as an artist, but also as a cultural architect.

Each album seeks to reclaim a lost genre historically rooted in Black artistry, yet long stripped of its origins. From the vibrant tempo of ballroom and house in Renaissance to the Southern swagger of country and Americana in Cowboy Carter, Beyoncé is not merely experimenting with sound — she’s restoring credit where it’s due. With two acts unveiled, many now speculate that rock & roll — another genre born of Black expression — may be the final sound for Queen Bey to liberate.

Beyoncé opened the Cowboy Carter Tour with “Ameriican Requiem,” the album’s lead track — a sweeping anthem rich in metaphor and layered with poignant commentary on the shifting landscape of American patriotism. Her harmonies paused only to welcome Angelenos to the show before gently segueing into a soulful performance of “Blackbiird,” laying the groundwork for an electrifying rendition of Jimi Hendrix’s “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

It all unfolded atop a larger-than-life star-shaped guitar stage gilded in gold, where the phrase

“Never ask permission for something that already belongs to you” flashed across the screen — a powerful precursor to the echoing chant of “Freedom” off her Lemonade album, a song licensed to the Harris-Walz presidential campaign. It was a moment that blurred the lines between art and activism — bold, unapologetic, and unmistakably Beyoncé.

From the very first note, Beyoncé reaffirms what many already know to be true — she is not only one of the greatest performers of our time, but a definitive icon in the history of music. With a mastery of the craft so refined it would take a trained eye to spot a flaw, Miss Carter handles even the rarest of mishaps with poise and professionalism — her on-stage interactions with fans are candid and undeniably real, all while she maintains the effortless ebb and flow of her set.

As cult favourite “Ya Ya” rang out across SoFi, the energy among the 38,000-plus crowd in attendance was electric. Cowboy hats and heeled boots reigned supreme as fans arriving dressed to the nines in their Western best embraced the tour’s country aesthetic. Then, in a moment that sparked a collective gasp followed by thunderous applause, one very special dance member took centre stage, emerging from the seamless formation of other dancers — it was like seeing double, the resemblance was uncanny — Beyoncé’s firstborn, Blue Ivy Carter.

At just 13 years old, Blue has officially joined her mother’s entourage on stage — no longer as a surprise cameo but a fully integrated member of the show. With iconic solo performances and memorable dance breaks, Blue Ivy commands the stage with incomparable poise and grounded confidence, leaving fans in awe and beaming with pride.

Accompanying this family affair, youngest daughter Rumi Carter joins her mother and sister onstage for “Protector,” a ballad bursting with vulnerability that visually translates to audiences.

With the Cowboy Carter Tour, Beyoncé offers more than just a show — she delivers a masterwork of identity, reclamation and generational continuity. From honouring her roots to sharing the stage with her daughters, every moment is a carefully composed declaration of presence, power and permanence. And if Cowboy Carter is any indication of what’s still to come, Act III won’t just close a trilogy — it will complete a cultural renovation.

Beyonce.com @beyonce