Rapper Azealia Banks has been a vocal critic of Beyoncé’s country outing, Cowboy Carter from the word go. When the pop megastar released “16 Carriages” and “Texas Hold ‘Em,” Banks said that she was setting herself up for ridicule and went as far as to call the album a grift. She also warned her that it would take more than an “ugly blond wig and bullying from Jay-Z” for genre critics to accept her as a legitimate country act. Banks even name-dropped Scottish singer-songwriter KT Tunstall in her criticism.
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When Beyoncé released Cowboy Carter yesterday (March 29), Banks had more criticisms. In an Instagram story, she called the themes “redundant” and the lyrics “forced.” She went on to discuss the features on the album. “The Miley collab was on brand but random seeing as we know those two are not kickin’ it on the regular,” she wrote saying that it the song should have featured Kelly Rowland “For culture’s sake.” She made other suggestions for collaborations that would have been better. “[Definitely] should have had Taylor Swift & Kacey Musgraves on there. It’s what the [people] wanted,” she opined. Then, she added, “I personally would have jumped out of my seat for a KT Tunstall appearance.”
To be fair, Banks did have some praise for the album. “Great work from the band/producers/engineers. Cool and interesting choices on the songs. Might be her most sonically cool attempt at being arty,” she wrote.
KT Tunstall Responds to Azealia Banks’ Criticisms of Beyoncé’s Country Album
NME tweeted about Banks’ desire to hear Tunstall on Beyoncé’s new album. The Scottish singer/songwriter quote tweeted the post with her response. “To be fair, I’d have 100% got off the couch,” she wrote.
Tunstall has never been considered a country artist. However, her folk-rock sound would sit well alongside many modern examples of the genre. Take, for instance, her global hit “Black Horse and the Cherry Tree.” The acoustic guitar-driven boot stomper would feel right at home on a Lainey Wilson release. Likewise, a minor shift in the arrangement of “Other Side of the World” would likely make it a country hit. It’s a pedal steel guitar or fiddle away from fitting in with the radio-ready country music of the day.
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