February 21st 2024.
Beyoncé continues to push boundaries and make history with her music. Her newest single, "Texas Hold Em," has reached the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 Country Chart, making her the first Black woman to do so. This achievement has dethroned the previous chart topper, Kacey Musgraves and Morgan Wallen's collaboration, "I Remember Everything," with over 19 million streams and 39,000 traditional sales, as confirmed by Billboard. This shift to the country genre has come as a pleasant surprise to listeners, as it marks the first time the R&B singer has delved into this style of music.
The song was released on February 11th, shortly after her Super Bowl commercial with Verizon. Along with "Texas Hold Em," she also dropped a slower ballad, "16 Carriages," to much praise from both critics and her devoted fanbase, the BeyHive. The success of "Texas Hold Em" doesn't stop at the country chart, as it also debuted at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100, with "16 Carriages" following at #38 and #9 on the Hot Country Songs chart.
This achievement goes beyond a change in genre for the Grammy award-winning artist. It also serves as a reclamation of country music for Black artists. Before Beyoncé's groundbreaking feat, Tracy Chapman held the title of the first Black woman songwriter to have a #1 country song, thanks to Luke Combs' cover of her 1988 single, "Fast Car." While Beyoncé is not the only or the first Black woman to make an impact in the country music scene, her immense platform in the industry is shining a light on the past and present Black artists who have been marginalized in a predominantly white community of musicians. This marks a new movement to diversify modern country music, with its origins rooted in the string bands formed by African Americans during the time of slavery, as reported by PBS.
Fans are eagerly anticipating the release of Act II of Beyoncé's three-part project on March 29th, hoping to hear more of her country charm. In the meantime, those who admire the multi-talented entertainer can check out her new hair care line, Cécred, which was officially launched on February 20th. With Beyoncé's continued success and groundbreaking achievements, it's clear that she is an artist who will continue to break barriers and inspire generations to come.
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