For manny Black women artists, entering the country music scene is about more than overcoming obstacles in a predominantly white, male space. as Adell explains,”Country music is how you feel,it’s your story,it’s part of you.”

Kennedy tiera, who is featured on “Blackbiird,” had a similar experience when she began writing songs as a high schooler. Inspired by Taylor Swift,she naturally gravitated towards expressing herself through country music. “I always say I don’t feel like I found country music, I feel like country music found me,” she tells PS. “When I started making music, it just came out that way. I was writing what I was going through at the time, which was boy drama. And I fell in love with all things country music and just dove into it.”

“Country is just as much a part of the fabric of Black culture as hip-hop is.”

Kennedy tiera considers her move to Nashville seven years ago as pivotal for her career. “Everyone told me that if you want to be in country music, you have to be in Nashville.” She was pleasantly surprised by the welcoming attitude of the industry, an experience not universally shared. “I was super thankful and blessed to have met so many people early on who have opened doors for me without asking for anything in return,” Kennedy says.

Adell also credits her move to the “capital of country music” three years ago with considerably advancing her career. A crucial aspect of this journey has been finding a supportive community of fellow Black women artists. “Oh, we have a group chat,” she jokes. “We’re extremely supportive,and I think sometimes people are trying to pin us against each other or even pin us against Beyoncé,but you’re not going to get that beef or that drama.”

Despite the strong community these artists have built, country music has faced scrutiny regarding racism and sexism. Incidents involving artists like jason Aldean and Morgan Wallen have highlighted these issues. In 2023, Maren Morris expressed her decision to distance herself from the genre, citing these concerns. “After the Trump years, people’s biases were on full display,” she told the Los Angeles Times. “It just revealed who people really were and that they were proud to be misogynistic and racist and homophobic and transphobic.”

However, the contributions of Black artists to country music are undeniable. Prana Supreme Diggs of O.N.E the Duo emphasizes, “Black Americans, so much of our history is rooted in the South. Country is just as much a part of the fabric of Black culture as hip-hop is.”

Diggs grew up in California, watching her mother, Tekitha, a vocalist for Wu-Tang Clan, host jam sessions. She had long desired to perform professionally with her mother, and the pandemic provided the possibility to fully commit to their country project.

Diggs has been excited as Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter” announcement. She immediately listened to the songs. “And the second the instrumental came on for ‘Texas Hold ‘Em’ came on, I was like, oh my god, it’s happening,” she says. “We are finally here.”

Tekitha shared this sentiment. “In the Black and country community, we’ve really been needing a champion,” she says. “We’ve been needing someone who can kind of blow the door open and to recognize our voice is vital in this genre.”

Beyoncé’s Grammy wins signal a growing recognition of Black women’s contributions to country music.”I’m super thankful that Beyoncé is entering into this genre and bringing this whole audience with her,” Kennedy says. “And hopefully that’ll bring up some of the artists that have been in town a long time and grinding at it. I don’t think there’s anybody better than Beyoncé to do it.”