Beyoncé’s foray into country music with Cowboy Carter was met with mixed reactions. Despite the album’s critical acclaim and its innovative blend of genres, it failed to resonate with a significant portion of traditional country music listeners. The album, which Beyoncé describes as a tribute to the underrecognized contributions of Black artists to country music, was both a commercial success and a source of controversy. Critics praised her for her boldness and the album’s artistic depth, but some purists questioned its authenticity as a country record.
Whoopi Goldberg, never one to shy away from voicing her opinions on social and political matters, stepped into the fray with a powerful endorsement of Beyoncé. Speaking on her talk show, Goldberg expressed her dismay over the narrow definitions and boundaries that often confine artists within the music industry. “Beyoncé is country, I can assure,” Goldberg stated emphatically, challenging the gatekeepers of the genre who dismiss Cowboy Carter as inauthentic.
