Solange Knowles has been taking a different approach to her music lately, as she recently revealed that she’s been writing music for tuba. While she hasn’t released a studio album since When I Get Home from 2019, she told Harper’s Bazaar that she’s been working on something new featuring the tuba.
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“I love it,” she admitted. “I’ve started writing music for the tuba, and I am trying to talk myself into releasing it, but I can only imagine the eye rolls from people being like, this b—h hasn’t made an album.”
Solange has an almost spiritual connection to the tuba, she explained, saying, “It sounds like what the gut feels like to me. There’s a way that it takes up space that you can’t deny, and it also just feels very Black to me.”
She revealed that the idea of releasing her tuba music is daunting, as she’s not sure how fans will react. However, the way she describes the instrument lends itself to the way it connects to her soul, which is what seems important for Solange. If she’s passionate about the project, there’s no denying that her fans will be along with her for the ride.
[RELATED: The Meaning Behind “Texas Hold ‘Em” by Beyoncé and Why She’s Taken a Country Turn]
Both Beyoncé and Solange Knowles Are Allegedly Planning Genre Shifts
While Solange’s shift into tuba music isn’t officially confirmed—after all, she could decide not to release the music—her older sister Beyoncé has fully embraced the beginning stages of a full genre shift. She recently released the first two singles of Renaissance Act II, which takes a more country approach to her style.
“Texas Hold ‘Em” has brought Beyoncé to No. 1 on the Hot Country Songs chart, making her the first Black woman in history to receive that accolade. She is also the second solo female artist to debut at No. 1 on the Hot Country Songs chart. Further adding to the achievements, she’s also the first woman to nit No. 1 on both the Hot Country Songs and Hot R&B/Hip-Hip Songs charts since the charts’ inception in 1958, per a report from NME.
There have been many critics of Beyoncé’s take on country music, but many others, including her mom, Tina Knowles, have spoken out against the naysayers.
“We have always celebrated Cowboy Culture growing up in Texas,” Tina Knowles wrote on Instagram. “We also always understood that it was not just about it belonging to white culture only.”
She continued, “In Texas there is a huge black cowboy culture. Why do you think that my kids have integrated it into their fashion and art since the beginning[?] When people ask why is Beyonce wearing cowboy hats? It’s really funny, I actually laugh because it’s been there since she was a kid, we went to rodeos every year and my whole family dressed in western fashion.”
Tina also mentioned Solange’s work in her post, concluding with, “Solange did a whole brilliant Album and Project based on Black Cowboy Culture. . It definitely was a part of our culture growing up.”
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