Kenyan-American singer/songwriter Victoria Kimani grew up in a very few different places, moving with her parents from Los Angeles to Tulsa, Okla., to Benin City, Nigeria and finally to Nairobi, Kenya when she was 16. She spent her first sessions in the recording studio not long after moving to Kenya, and as she found her calling in music she also began to find her voice as a young woman.

In 2012, the R&B/Afropop singer began releasing her first singles and, in 2016, dropped her first album, Safari. After parting ways with initial label, she released the Afropolotian EP last year. Now, with the forthcoming release of her sophomore album, dance floor-ready music, killer style and an inspirational sense of self, she is ready for global takeover.

The "Swalalala" singer recently stopped by the Recording Academy headquarters for our latest episode of Up Close & Personal, and shared what fans can expect on her next album—more of her—and explained the empowering backstory behind "Swalalala." She also talked dream collabs, biggest musical influences and becoming an independent artist. You can watch a portion of the conversation above and read the full interview below. You can also visit on our YouTube page for a longer version of the video, as well as for other recent episodes.

So, you're working on your next album. What can fans expect?

On my next album, fans can expect a lot more of me actually being myself in the music. I think the first project I was still trying to figure out how I fit into African music because I'd come from an R&B/pop background, so I didn't really understand how I can ride the rhythms and really still fit in that same space, even if I don't speak Swahili or sing in a different dialect.

And you can kind of hear that, "This artist is good, but they're still trying to figure out their sound." But I think with this project, well I know for a fact, I've definitely figured it out. I feel a lot more comfortable in my space. So just good music. It's still very much African music, but it's also very much Victoria. It's in my lane and I think it tells my story a lot more, especially with the instrumentation that we used this time around.

My story is a bit different than like a typical person from where I come from in Kenya. I was born in Los Angeles, so L.A. still very much defined my sound and who I am right now. So I don't know, I'm looking forward to it. I think it's totally different. It's still very Afro-fusion, but it's very L.A. at the same time.

And then what are you most excited about when you finally get to share the album?

I think the most exciting part is hearing the reaction from the fans. When you release something new, as an artist, it's still a surprise. Whatever you end up coming up with can be a surprise to your fans.

And I think that's what I'm looking forward to most from releasing the project is hearing my fans reaction and what they think of me as, not a new artist, but as someone who has figured out their lane. So I think I'm just looking forward to seeing how my fans think about it.

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Let's talk about one of your recent releases, "Swalalala." The music video was filmed in Kenya, right?

Yeah.

And the video and the song feel so uplifting and positive; can you tell us a bit about it?

"Swalalala," shout out to Masterkraft, he produced it for me. It was very much like a spur-of-the-moment type of record. It is uplifting. It was something I put out to kind of uplift myself. I received a bit of a backlash at a particular time, because a lot of times back home as a woman, you don't really have a voice. It's like "You're female, keep quiet, sit in this corner, don't say anything." And I had said something about a particular subject and it was taken—it went crazy on the internet back home.

And so when I released this song, it was very much like, hey, I do have this voice. I can say whatever it is that I feel like I need to say, especially through my music. And even though we're in this space where we're not supposed to have a voice, I'm still going to use it.

And so for me it was like the ultimate—I don't think I can say it on camera, but it was the ultimate like "F you" moment. For me that's kind of what that record meant to me, just I'm in my lane, I'm elevating. You shine, I'm going to be able to shine just in my own right as well. So it was very empowering for me and I hope for other people it was too.

So when I was watching some of your videos and looking through your Instagram, one of the first things I noticed was just how dope and fun your fashion sense is. I think you're starting a fashion line too, right?

Thank you. Yes. I just started a little one, a little baby project.

Do you style yourself in your music videos?

Yes, I do. Sometimes I work with other stylists, but for the most part, I style myself. If I can't go out and buy an item, I literally have things made. There's a lot of that culture back home in Africa. Inevitably, I think, a lot of people end up being designers just because it's in the culture to make your own traditional wear, to go out and get the fabric, get your measurements, take it to a tailor and make it based on the event. So when I was going to the stores and I didn't find what I wanted, I would have it made. I've done a lot of that over the years for my music videos.

And then I started making other things like boots and jackets. I wanted to see thigh-high African print boots, but there's nowhere I can buy that. So I was like, you know what? We're going to make it. We're going to take the print and we're going to put it all over the boots and we're going to try and create this urban look that still very much ties into African culture.

And that's what I did with my first line, Kimani Couture. I came up with African-inspired bubble jackets. I love bubble jackets, but I haven't seen any, that really represent my culture fully. So that's really what fashion meant to me; it started off with my music videos and then performances and now, it's like this is a great way to really show and define who I am. Yes, I'm African, but I'm still very much in an urban setting and this is the next generation.

How would you describe your style, in a few words?

Well, that's a good question. I'd describe my style as edgy. I think it really just depends on my mood. I'm a little bit moody, especially when it comes to my makeup and how I decide to express myself that way.

The other day I went to Beautycon. It was two days, and the first day I was dumbed down. I had sneakers on, I had kind of natural makeup, and then I saw all the drag queens come out and upstage all the girls that were there. So the next day I was like, I need to go several notches up. So I had the leopard gloves and the matching hat with a black lipstick and that was just my mood. I was like, I need to show them that we're peers in this game. So I need to step it up a bit more. I need to have a more bossy, commanding look.

So I guess it just depends on my mood. But overall I definitely would say it's edgy. I think it's fun and there's a tad bit of culture in there. So I'd say it's a little cultural as well.

And then you've also released a few collab tracks this year as well. I think the most recent was "Miracle," with Hakeem Roze.

Yes.

What's your favorite part about collaborating with different artists?

My favorite part about collaborating is, not only do you get to explore different people's sounds, like it's not just you on the song, you get to join forces with someone else in sharing creative ideas, but also you share your fan base.

I think that's really cool, because for instance, with Hakeem Roze, he's based in Toronto and I actually just came back from Toronto now and I was able to shoot the music video there and meet a whole bunch of people that are part of his team and a few of his fans.

And for me, I've never been to Toronto before. So what the collaboration meant is I'm also broadening my space, and now they've figured out who I am, and now they're listening to my music. And vice versa, and people are like, hey, who's Hakeem? So I just think collaboration really is like, it's the present, it's the future. It's where I see African music growing, is in collaboration.

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And do you have your eyes on any future collaborations that you're about to make happen?

Yes, I do. I do have my eyes on some dream collaborations that I would love to—do I need to say them?

Yeah, do you want to share any of them?

Speaking into existence?

Yeah, you got to manifest them.

There are so many great artists that I'd love to work with. Oh my goodness. Just off the top of my head, I've always wanted to work with Kanye [West]. I just feel like he'll understand where we're going with this African music and how we're getting into this global space and people are starting to hear us, and how can we fuse that in with like hip-hop? I'd like to hear that. And not only that; him as a rapper, his perception, I just feel like that would be really dope.

Lauryn Hill, I don't even know how that would sound, but I would love to hear her on one of these very rhythmic type of, it's like instruments and then with her vocal range, I just feel like it would be a really dope fusion. I have a whole long list. I don't know if we have time, but like we can be here all day, literally. But yeah, I love, god I love Lauryn. I grew up listening to her album, Miseducation, but it got stolen like at least 10 times and I just kept buying the CD over and over again and it would keep getting stolen.

Wyclef [Jean]. Wyclef would be amazing. I feel like he's already been dabbling in so many different genres, just on his own, and then the fact that he's from Haiti, he would definitely understand the rhythm. Oh my God, top of my head, it's just hard to come up with. I mean Rihanna, hello! These are people that I can see in the creative space. I could see them fusing really great together with African music. So goals, you never know. Maybe I've spoken it into existence.

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Who are some of your biggest musical influences to this day?

I've had several music influences. One of them for me was Brenda Fassie, may she rest in peace. She's from South Africa, but she was one of our first African female pop stars. You know how here you've got your legendary singers, but she, for us, was very legendary, because she spoke out, she would dress wild. She would perform wildly, especially at a time where, again, African women, you're supposed to keep quiet, you're not supposed to have an opinion, you're not supposed to dance too wild, like that type of thing. She came out and just broke that whole thing down.

And when she did her interviews, she was very unapologetic. So she empowered me a lot as an artist, as an African female to see her and the way she came up and she stuck to everything that made her original. I think for me, she's one of them.

Another one is, obviously, Beyoncé. She's just done so much for just female pop. The respect I have for her, just for her craft, the time that she takes into doing things. Even when she's at a point where she could put anything out and people would probably still appreciate it, she doesn't. She's still goes an extra mile. So that's very inspiring.

You know the term, "We all have the same amount of time in a day as Beyoncé"? I've heard this type of thing over and over again. But it's really true. This is someone who pushes themselves beyond, and she shows me, especially as a black woman, that you can. You can, you just have to work really, really hard and sometimes harder than others. And that's two, jeez, I have a whole other list, we can have a whole other interview just for that. There are so many people.

Fela Kuti. I mean, he was revolutionary. He was really, really calling out a lot of people on their stuff through his music, and empowering the people and letting them know that they had a voice. I think that is very important for African music as well. Of course, Lauryn, I said her name earlier, but I just love her so much as a storyteller. She's very powerful with her words and she can really shift a lot of people's minds for the greater good.

I love Lady Gaga. I know that's random, but I love how far she went and continues to go, not only in the aspect of her pop career, but I loved how she transitioned into jazz. I love how she's just stuck true to herself, and what I really love is how she pushes so hard for the fashion. I have so much respect for her because for so many years, every time you saw her, you saw something different.

But yeah, there's a lot more, especially the legends that came before Gaga, like you can go into Madonna and Janet [Jackson]. But just off the top of my head, these are the few that really stuck out to me.

Did you watch Lady Gaga's Met Gala carpet walk, when she has a 16-minute costume change?

I saw that. I watched the whole entire thing. This is exactly what we're—just give me life, please give me life. I'm getting chills, just thinking about that. That was iconic. Iconic Gaga.

So you moved to Kenya with your family when you were a teen, and I think it was then when you started recording music for the first time. How and when did you decide that you wanted to start make making music professionally?

I decided that I wanted to make music my profession right after we took a mission trip when I was 14, me and my parents, and we went to Nigeria for the first time. That was actually my first time going to the continent. My first introduction to the continent was Nigeria, even though we're from Kenya. We stayed there for two years and I joined the choir.

I know this is a random story to tie into, but for so many days there was no electricity in the house, but we had like three guitars in the house, and my dad and both of my elder brothers play the guitar. So sometimes when there was no lights, we'd turn the candles on, play guitar and I would sing.

And we would just keep that going. And my dad's like, wow, you really have a good voice. You can do this. And when my older brothers co-signed me too, I was like, well maybe I could, one day, actually record something. It started very organically at home and in the choir.

And after that, when we moved to Kenya finally, that was my first time in the studio. I've always written poetry at home, but I never actually went into a recording studio to actually record anything. So that was my first time and I just never stopped. I think if I wasn't encouraged by my dad, I probably wouldn't have known that I was good at all, because for me I was just naturally singing, because I knew this is how the song goes, this is the melody, like this is it.

I didn't know that I sounded good. My dad was the first one to say, "Wow, you sound nice. You should practice more, maybe you can be really good." So that's how it started.

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Was there a moment when you feel like you started to find your voice musically and really feel confident about it?

Yeah, it definitely wasn't the first time. The first time was probably the most depressing song in the world. It was called "How I Feel" and was really sad. But after going to the studio, probably like on the twentieth time, I started to really feel confident.

I still didn't understand how the headphones work, and how can I hear myself when I can't really hear myself? Should I take a headphone off? I was still trying to figure out the technical side of recording or making music, because I was just singing at home. But I was understanding how to stack my vocals and how to arrange things. I didn't know that there was something called vocal production. I didn't know that I should warm up before I record. Like so many different details that I didn't know, but as I continued to record and started to learn those things, I became way more comfortable in the studio.

That's so cool. And then, I read that you're an independent artist and that you were on a label, but then you parted ways after your first album.

Yeah, well five years after that. It's a long time.

I was just curious as to why you chose to be an independent artist and what you feel are the benefits of representing yourself?

Well, I was signed for five years to another, sort of indie label in Nigeria. While I was still on the label I was doing a lot of things myself and I felt like, well I could continue to just do these things that I've already been doing while I was signed and just see how it goes. I won't say I had planned to be independent as the ultimate plan, because there are so many challenges that come with that. And who knows, I may not always be "independent." But overall, I think that how aggressive I was, even when I was on the label, has been the reason why I've been able to get the fan base, I've been able to create and release as much music and visuals as I have. So I felt like, well, let me just continue what I'm doing. It's been good so far. I'm still learning. As I go, there are so many things I still need to learn. But that's the process of growing.

The independent thing is cool, and a lot of artists have been able to be very successful from it. And then I think it's important to be in a space where you're constantly learning and picking up different keys here and there. And I think that's the space that I'm in right now, I'm still picking up things, still learning things. You never know, though. I might not be independent for too long, you know. Although that probably sounds crazy.

"That is the goal ultimately, to be a global artist and to show other girls in Kenya that you can do the same thing locally as well as on an international platform."

Afro-fusion music is really gaining popularity globally, including here in the States. To me, your music feels like such a natural fit with what I'm hearing here now. What is your biggest goal right now, as a global artist?

That's a great question. My biggest goal right now is, not only to get the music out to a bigger platform and to the rest of the world, but also to be in a space where there is musical rights. Where I live, we're still fighting for royalties. We're still fighting against so many different, little thieves in the industry that we still haven't really, all the way, created a positive ecosystem in Kenya for music to thrive. And so, for me, it's very important to leave that space and in every way really represent for my country in a global space.

I always use Lupita [Nyong'o] as an example because she really was like the first person in entertainment from Kenya to get this global appeal. And when she said that "your dreams are valid," I really took that to heart. Like, hey, this is a girl that was an actor right home in Kenya and she was doing local movies, and then she did something so iconic and now it's just up and up and you continue going higher and higher. That's an encouraging story for me. And that is the goal ultimately, to be a global artist and to show other girls in Kenya that you can do the same thing locally as well as on an international platform.

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On "Dear Life," R&B singer Genia pens a farewell letter to her lover — while simultaneously reflecting on how the intense saga crumbled her.

"I can't take anymore/ Put my pride aside, thought you could save me," she cries in the first verse. "These days, I don't know what I need/ You destroy me from the inside out/ If I go off the deep end/ You'll be sure not to bring me back."

In this episode of Press Play, watch Genia deliver a stripped-down performance of the vulnerable track alongside her guitarist.

The California native released "Dear Life" on Nov. 10, via Def Jam Recordings. She has also dropped three more singles — "Like That," "Know!," and "Let Me Wander" — leading up to her sophomore mixtape, 4 AM In The Ville, on April 19. 4 AM is a sequel to her debut, 4 PM In The Ville; both projects are inspired by Genia's experience of growing up in Victorville, California.

""[The songs] explore the different stages of grief in a relationship," she revealed in an interview with Urban Magazine. "The second tape is really me touching on falling in love, betrayal, anger, and rape."

Watch the video above to hear Genia's acoustic performance of "Dear Life," and check back to GRAMMY.com for more new episodes of Press Play.

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"Genres are a funny little concept, aren't they? In theory, they have a simple definition that's easy to understand. But in practice, well, some may feel confined."

With those words, spoken on "SPAGHETTII" by Linda Martell — the first commercially successful Black female artist in country music and the first to play the Grand Ole Opry solo — Beyoncé provides a proxy response to her original call on Instagram 10 days before COWBOY CARTER was released: "This ain’t a Country album. This is a “Beyoncé” album." 

She delivered on that promise with intent. Through a mix of homage and innovation, Beyoncé's latest is a 27-track testament to her boundless musicality and draws  from a rich aural palette. In addition to its country leanings, COWBOY CARTER includes everything from the soulful depths of gospel to the intricate layers of opera. 

Beyoncé's stance is clear: she's not here to fit into a box. From the heartfelt tribute in "BLACKBIIRD" to the genre-blurring tracks like "YA YA," Beyoncé uses her platform to elevate the conversation around genre, culture, and history. She doesn't claim country music; she illuminates its roots and wings, celebrating the Black artists who've shaped its essence.

The collective album proves no genre was created or remains in isolation. It's a concept stoked in the words of the opening track, "AMERIICAN REQUIEM" when Beyonce reflects, "Nothing really ends / For things to stay the same they have to change again." For country, and all popular genres of music to exist they have to evolve. No sound ever stays the same.

COWBOY CARTER's narrative arc, from "AMERICAN REQUIEM" to "AMEN," is a journey through American music's heart and soul, paying tribute to its origins while charting a path forward. This album isn't just an exploration of musical heritage; it's an act of freedom and a declaration of the multifaceted influence of Black culture on American pop culture.

Here's a closer look at some of some of the musical genres touched on in act ii, the second release of an anticipated trilogy by Beyoncé, the most GRAMMY-winning artist of all-time: 

Country 

Before COWBOY CARTER was even released, Beyoncé sparked critical discussion over the role of herself and all Black artists in country music. Yet COWBOY CARTER doesn't stake a claim on country music. Rather, it spotlights the genre through collaborations with legends and modern icons, while championing the message that country music, like all popular American music and culture, has always been built on the labor and love of Black lives. 

It's a reckoning acknowledged not only by Beyoncé's personal connection to country music growing up in Texas, but the role Black artists have played in country music rooted in gospel, blues, and folk music. 

Country legends, Dolly Parton ("DOLLY P", "JOLENE," and "TYRANT"), Willie Nelson ("SMOKE HOUR" and "SMOKE HOUR II"), and Martell ("SPAGHETTII and "THE LINDA MARTELL SHOW") serve mainly as spoken-word collaborators, becoming MCs for Queen Bey. Some of the most prolific country music legends receiving her in a space where she has been made to feel unwelcome in music (most notably with the racism surrounding her 2016 CMA performance of "Daddy Lessons" with the Dixie Chicks) provides a prolific release of industry levies. Martell, a woman who trod the dark country road before Bey, finally getting her much-deserved dues appears as an almost pre-ordained and poetic act of justice. 

"BLACKBIIRD," a version of the Beatles' civil rights era song of encouragement and hope for the struggle of Black women is led softly by Beyoncé, backed by a quartet of Black female contemporary country songbirds: Tanner Adell, Brittney Spencer, Tiera Kennedy, and Reyna Roberts. 

Beyoncé holds space for others, using the power of her star to shine a light on those around her. These inclusions rebuke nay-sayers who quipped pre-release that she was stealing attention from other Black country artists. It also flies in the faces that shunned and discriminated against her, serving as an example of how to do better. The reality that Beyoncé wasn't stealing a spotlight, but building a stage for fellow artists, is a case study in how success for one begets success for others. 

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Gospel, Blues, & Folk (American Roots)

As is Beyoncé's way, she mounts a case for country music with evidence to back up her testimony. She meanders a course through a sequence of styles that serve as the genre's foundation: gospel, blues, and folk music.

"AMERIICAN REQUIEM" and "AMEN" bookend the album with gospel-inspired lyrics and choir vocals. The opener sets up a reflective sermon buoyed by  the sounds of a reverberating church organ, while the closer, with its introspective lyrics, pleads for mercy and redemption. The main verse on "AMEN", "This house was built with blood and bone/ The statues they made were beautiful/ But they were lies of stone," is complemented by a blend of piano, and choral harmonies. 

Hymnal references are interlaced throughout the album, particularly in songs like "II HANDS II HEAVEN" and in the lyrical nuances on "JUST FOR FUN." In the later track, Beyoncé's voice soars with gratitude in a powerful delivery of the lines, "Time heals everything / I don't need anything / Hallelujah, I pray to her." 

The gospel-inspired, blues-based "16 CARRIAGES" reflects the rich history of country songs borrowing from the blues while simultaneously calling back to songs sung by field laborers in the colonial American South. "Sixteen dollars, workin' all day/ Ain't got time to waste, I got art to make" serves as the exhausted plea of an artist working tirelessly long hours in dedication to a better life. 

Rhiannon Giddens, a celebrated musician-scholar, two-time GRAMMY winner, and Pulitzer Prize recipient, infuses "TEXAS HOLD 'EM" with her profound understanding of American folk, country, and blues. She plays the viola and banjo, the latter tracing its origins to Sub-Saharan West Africa and the lutes of ancient Egypt. Through her skilled plucking and bending of the strings, Giddens bridges the rich musical heritage of Africa and the South with the soul of country, blues, and folk music.

Pop, Funk, Soul & Rock 'n' Roll 

All in, Beyoncé is a pop star who is wrestling with labels placed on her 27-year career in COWBOY CARTER. Fittingly, she brings in two other pop artists known for swimming in the brackish water between country and pop, Miley Cyrus and Post Malone. Her intentional inclusion of two artists who have blurred genres without much cross-examination begs the question, Why should Beyoncé's sound be segregated to a different realm? 

On "YA YA" Linda Martell returns as the listener's sonic sentinel, introducing the track like a lesson plan: "This particular tune stretches across a range of genres. And that’s what makes it a unique listening experience." The tune sinks into the strummed chords of Nancy Sinatra's "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" before leaping into a fiery dance track that features reimagined lyrics from the Beach Boys, with soulful vocal flourishes and breaks that show the throughline connection between '60s era rock, funk, and pop music.

Robert Randolph lends his hands on "16 CARRIAGES" with a funk-infused grapple on his pedal-steel guitar. It's a style he honed through his early years touring and recording with his family band and later in his career as an in-demand collaborator working with names including the Allman Brothers, and Norah Jones. 

The lesson is solidified as the album transitions into an interlude on "OH LOUISIANA," featuring a sped-up sample of a classic track by Chuck Berry. This moment emphasizes the pop superstar's nod to civil rights era music history, spotlighting a controversial artist celebrated for his pioneering contributions to rock 'n' roll. (It's a part of music history Beyoncé knows well, after starring as Etta James in the 2008 film Cadillac Records, a veiled biopic of the legendary Chicago label Chess Records.)

Classical & Opera

Opera was missing from many listeners' Beyoncé Bingo card, but didn't surprise those that know her background. Beyoncé was trained for over a decade starting at an early age by her voice teacher David Lee Brewer, a retired opera singer who once lived with the Knowles family. 

COWBOY CARTER gives sing-along fans a 101 opera class with "DAUGHTER." In Italian, Beyoncé sings passages from the 1783 Italian opera "Caro Mio Ben," composed by Giuseppe Tommaso Giovanni Giordani. The aria is a classic piece of vocal training that fittingly shows off her full range — taking us back to the earliest days of her vocal teachings.

Hip-Hop & R&B

Midway through the album on "SPAGHETTII" Beyoncé announces, "I ain't no regular singer, now come get everythin' you came for," landing right where expectations have confined her: in the throes of a romping beat, experimenting with sounds that blend hip-hop with R&B and soul. The track notably highlights the talent of Nigerian American singer/rapper Shaboozey, who also shows up to the rodeo on "SWEET HONEY BUCKIN'" brandishing his unique mix of hip-hop, folk-pop, and country music. 

Beyoncé worked with longtime collaborator Raphael Saadiq on this album, a career legend in the R&B industry, who lends his mark to several tracks on which he wrote, produced, and played multiple instruments. Beyoncé also utilizes the Louisiana songwriter Willie Jones on "JUST FOR FUN," an artist who draws on a contemporary blend of country, Southern rap, and R&B in the hymnal ballad. 

The violin-heavy "TYRANT" and "SPAGHETTII" both underscore hip-hop's long love affair with the classical string instrument (See: Common's "Be," and Wu Tang Clan's "Reunited" as the tip of that particular iceberg) with a blend of soulful R&B lyrics paired with beat-based instrumentalization. 

In a world quick to draw lines and label sounds, Beyoncé's COWBOY CARTER stands as a vibrant mosaic of musical influence and innovation. Ultimately, Beyoncé's COWBOY CARTER isn't seeking anyone's acceptance. As a Texan once told she didn't belong, her critical response claps back at this exclusion.  It's also a reminder that in the hands of a true artist, music is limitless.

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Beyoncé's act ii is upon us — say hello to COWBOY CARTER.

On March 29, the 32-time GRAMMY winner unleashed the follow-up to her acclaimed 2022 album, RENAISSANCE. While COWBOY CARTER hints "Bey goes country," the LP is more of a psychedelic opus, with glimmers of country twang and style.

Across a sprawling 27-song tracklist of inspired originals flecked with covers and interpolations, Queen Bey takes us on a rodeo ride through so many musical universes, paying homage to the Beatles, Chuck Berry, Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, Linda Martell, and more.

Clearly, there's a treasure trove here — more than enough to keep the Beyhive abuzz throughout 2024. GRAMMY.com is here to help you pore over every twangy lick, mega-guest star and lyrical implication. 

As you dive into Beyoncé's astonishing new album, read on for some of the fundamentals of COWBOY CARTER.

The Tracklisting

Two days prior to COWBOY CARTER's release, Bey released the tracklist — fittingly, in the form of a rodeo poster. And much to the delight of the Beyhive, it's nearly double the length of its 16-track predecessor, RENAISSANCE.

Check out the rodeo poster, as well as the complete track listing, below.

1. AMERIICAN REQUIEM

2. BLACKBIIRD

3. 16 CARRIAGES

4. PROTECTOR

5. MY ROSE

6. SMOKE HOUR WILLIE NELSON

7. TEXAS HOLD 'EM

8. BODYGUARD

9. DOLLY P

10. JOLENE

11. DAUGHTER

12. SPAGHETTII

13. ALLIGATOR TEARS

14. SMOKE HOUR II

15. JUST FOR FUN

16. II MOST WANTED

17. LEVII'S JEANS

18. FLAMENCO

19. THE LINDA MARTELL SHOW

20. YA YA

21. OH LOUISIANA

22. DESERT EAGLE

23. RIIVERDANCE

24. II HANDS II HEAVEN

25. TYRANT

26. SWEET HONEY BUCKIIN'

27. AMEN

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The Cover Songs

Among two dozen dazzling Beyoncé originals, COWBOY CARTER features covers of the Beatles' "Blackbird," Dolly Parton's "Jolene" and Chuck Berry's "Oh Louisiana."

"BLACKBIIRD" (retitled from "Blackbird," with an act ii flavor) is a Paul McCartney song, credited to Lennon-McCartney and featured on 1968's The Beatles, commonly known as The White Album. The song's civil rights inspiration makes it more than a worthy selection: the use of McCartney's original guitar and foot-tapping track makes it especially ear-grabbing.

"JOLENE" is a Dolly Parton classic, similarly given symphonic heft by Bey; Parton offers a radio-like intro on the COWBOY CARTER rendition.

In Parton's pre-"JOLENE" intro, "DOLLY P," she connects "Jolene" to Bey's immortal line "Becky with the good hair" from the Lemonade track "Sorry": "You know that hussy with the good hair you sing about? Reminded me of someone I knew back when, except she has flamin' locks of auburn hair. Bless her heart. Just a hair of a different color, but it hurts just the same."

"OH LOUISIANA" is a Chuck Berry deep cut from 1971's undersung San Francisco Dues; a flicker of Berry's "Maybellene" appears in "SMOKE HOUR WILLIE NELSON," which also features interpolations of Roy Hamilton's "Don't Let Go" and Sister Rosetta Tharpe's "Down By The River Side."

Similarly, "YA YA" contains glimmers of Tommaso Giordani's "Caro Mio Ben," Lee Hazelwood's "These Boots Are Made For Walkin'," and the Beach Boys' "Good Vibrations."

The Guests

Beyoncé has always displayed razor-sharp intent with her collaborators, and COWBOY CARTER is no exception.

The featured guests highlight a slew of rising Black stars in the country scene. "BLACKBIIRD" spotlights four budding female artists, Brittney Spencer, Renya Roberts, Tanner Addell and Tiera Kennedy; Willie Jones shows off his chops on "JUST FOR FUN"; and country-rap fusionist Shaboozey stars on two tracks, "SPAGHETTII" and "SWEET HONEY BUCKIIN.'"

She also welcomes two country-loving pop stars, Miley Cyrus and Post Malone, who make appearances on "II MOST WANTED" and "LEVII'S JEANS," respectively. And along with Parton, Beyoncé honors two more country greats with two aptly titled homages: fellow Texan Willie Nelson appears on "SMOKE HOUR WILLIE NELSON" and "SMOKE HOUR II," and trailblazer Linda Martell "The Linda Martell Show"

Perhaps Beyoncé's cutest collaborator is her six-year-old daughter, Rumi Carter, who makes her adorable debut on "PROTECTOR."

With that, venture forth into COWBOY CARTER — another quintessentially Bey statement of purpose and prowess.

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Amongst Beyoncé's expansive catalog, "Halo" is easily one of her most iconic songs. Today, the 2009 single is her most-streamed song on Spotify; it was her first video to reach one billion views on YouTube; and it helped her set one of her GRAMMY records in 2010.

In this episode of GRAMMY Rewind, watch the superstar take the stage to accept Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for "Halo" in 2010 — the year she became the first female artist to win six GRAMMYs in one night.

"This has been such an amazing night for me, and I'd love to thank the GRAMMYs," she said, admitting she was nervous before taking a deep breath.

Before leaving the stage, Beyoncé took a second to thank two more special groups: "I'd love to thank my family for all of their support, including my husband. I love you. And I'd like to thank all of my fans for their support over the years."

The five other awards Beyoncé took home that night were for the coveted Song Of The Year ("Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)") and four R&B Categories: Best Contemporary R&B Album (I Am... Sasha Fierce), Best R&B Song ("Single Ladies"), Best Female R&B Vocal Performance ("Single Ladies"), and Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance (for her cover of Etta James' "At Last"). 

As of 2024, Beyoncé has won the most GRAMMY Awards in history with 32 wins.

Press play on the video above to relive Queen Bey's "Halo" win for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, and check back to GRAMMY.com for more new episodes of GRAMMY Rewind.