VP Kamala Harris praises Beyoncé for reclaiming country music’s Black roots
After receiving a considerable about of backlash for performing alongside the Chicks at the 2016 Country Music Awards, where they collaborated on a rendition of “Daddy Lessons” off her album “Lemonade,” Beyoncé went ahead and gathered up some of the genre’s legends — Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton and Linda Martell — for the release of her latest full-length, “Cowboy Carter,” which VP Kamala Harris recently referred to as an inspiration. So take THAT, CMA.
In a post to X (formerly Twitter) on the day the album was released, Harris expresses her appreciation to the artist directly, writing, “Beyoncé: Thank you for reminding us to never feel confined to other people’s perspective of what our lane is. You have redefined a genre and reclaimed country music’s Black roots.Your music continues to inspire us all.”
And Harris isn’t the only official toe-tapping to the album. In a post of her own, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) shares a cute clip of herself kicking up her feet on her desk, having swapped out heels with cowboy boots, along with the caption, “Michigan, are you tuned into KNTRY radio? #CowboyCarter.”
Despite the trolling from country fans doubting that Beyoncé could pull it off, she is the first Black woman to top Billboard’s country chart.