Photo by Mason Poole

As Queen Bey puts it, COWBOY CARTER — the imminent second act of the pop superstar’s trilogy and follow-up to 2022’s RENAISSANCE — ain’t a country album. This is a Beyoncé album. If we’re going to engage with poptimism this day and age, then a provocative approach to that which causes the hivemind to splinter and consider where genre lines dissipate and grow is more than welcome. While one early offering from the album may lean a little too heavily of the banjo-handclap formula of folk-pop, “16 CARRIAGES” is a more intriguing thought on Beyoncé dipping her spurs into country waters. It’s a soulful coming of age ballad that hears her mourning the loss of innocence for the price of her present day success by finessing the slightest hints of country’s rugged roots of gritty acoustic base, trotted percussive steps, and the faint wane of pedal steel through her supernova energy. Though the definition of “overcoming hardship” may vary between Beyoncé and the common folk, only God really knows what she’s been through to get here.

Beyoncé’s COWBOY CARTER will be released March 29th on Parkwood Entertainment / Columbia Records.