Having spent nearly 30 years in the music industry, Beyoncé understands the criticism that often comes with a new album. But that still didn’t stop her from releasing eight studio albums as a solo artist. And while she received some criticism, nothing compared to when she announced her entrance into country music with the album Cowboy Carter. Having such a rich history in music, Beyoncé loved the idea of a country album. But while celebrating the album’s release on Friday, Beyoncé decided to honor Black female artists who paved the way for her in country music with a special gift.
Videos by American Songwriter
While Cowboy Carter dominates the airwaves and Spotify, Beyoncé took the attention away from her as she praised both K. Michelle and Mickey Guyton for their contributions to country music over the years. Sending them both a massive assortment of flowers, the singer wrote a special message to the artists. For Guyton, the bouquet of flowers included a message reading, ‘Thank you for opening doors for me, queen. Keep shining. Love and respect, Beyoncé.”
[RELATED: Dolly Parton Responds to Beyoncé’s “Jolene” Refresh on ‘Cowboy Carter’]
For K. Michelle, her gift also featured some kind words from Beyoncé, reading, “You’re killing it! I love what you’ve been doing and I know it’s not easy to enter a new space. Sending you positivity and respect. I hope to meet you one day. Love, Beyoncé.”
Beyoncé Admits ‘Cowboy Carter’ Helped Her “Propel Past The Limitations”
Sharing a picture of the flowers and note on her Instagram, fans loved seeing Beyoncé honor those who came before her. For K. Michelle, she shared her own words of encouragement as she captioned the post, “Beyonceeeeeeeeeeeee! WOW! This is soooo nice. One of the nicest things EVER, I’m in tears. Thank you for giving me my flowers, they are so beautiful. I’m so nervous about FINALLY getting to put out my first country album, and this just fueled the fire I’m so motivated. Congratulations on another ICONIC ALBUM AND ERA. Look forward to seeing you soon.”
Besides her debut in country music, Cowboy Carter marked an obstacle for Beyoncé who called the genre a challenge. “This genre forced me to propel past the limitations that were put on me. Act ii is a result of challenging myself, and taking my time to bend and blend genres together to create this body of work.”
(Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
