Lily Allen Described Beyoncé's Decision To Cover 'Jolene' As 'Very Weird' And Called Her Venture Into Country Music 'Calculated,' And People Have Strong Thoughts. "Now she's the most played woman on country radio. ... I guess she's coming for that market."

As far as the Cowboy Carter rollout goes, Allen thinks Bey's pivot to country has been “quite calculated.” “The front cover is her in a cowboy hat, riding on a horse,” she said, noting that she thinks Jay-Z's remarks at the 2024 Grammys about the Recording Academy continuously snubbing the Destiny's Child alum for ...

The title Cowboy Carter, too, nods to the whitewashed work of Black artists in the history of country music. The Carter Family was one of country's weightiest acts, and they developed their distinctive sound under the influence of Black musician Lesley Riddle.