Beyoncé’s powerhouse ‘Cowboy Carter’ tour blends country music with cultural commentary
Beyoncé-Knowles-Carter kicked off her "Cowboy Carter" tour in Los Angeles, highlighting her deep-rooted love for country music and its culture while also exploring the genre's rich history and the ongoing complexities surrounding it.
The Grammy-winning singer debuted her Cowboy Carter and the Rodeo Chitlin Circuit Tour at SoFi Stadium in Los Angles on April 28 with 39 songs on the set list. Her second show took place May 1 on the same stage. The groundbreaking concert proved to be spectacle of many things including fashion, different music genres and most notably country music and politics.
'This ain't a country tour, it's a Beyoncé tour'
Through her genre-bending performance, Beyoncé reinforced the statement printed on her merchandise: "This Ain't A Country Tour, It's A Beyoncé Tour." However, it was clear the tour wasn't just a country music tour. It stood for much more.
On both nights, Beyoncé made a grand entrance, opening the show with her song "Ameriican Requiem," in which she sings "for things to change they have to stay the same." Later in the song she sings, "They used to say I spoke too country and the rejection came, said I wasn't country 'nough."
Beyoncé followed this up with her her Beatles cover "Blackbiird," inspired by the Civil Rights Movement, and "The Star-Spangled Banner."
The national anthem was followed by "Freedom," the theme song of Kamala Harris' presidential campaign. Beyoncé wrapped up the night's first act with "Ya Ya" — "whole lotta red in that white and blue."
On opening night she greeted the crowd.
"Oh Beyhive, it feels so good to be on this stage," she said. "I want to thank all of those who came before me that allowed me to be on this stage today. I want to say thank you to my fans for allowing me to make this album. Thank you for giving me the creative liberty to challenge myself."
Country music and its complexities take center stage
The truth is, country music's history is intertwined with America's history of segregation and exclusion. In concert, Beyoncé made a point to highlight this ongoing complexity through her interludes, outfit choices and more.
There was lots of red, white and blue. There were a great deal of American flags, which plucked at the patriotism that is oftentimes associated with country music. In a way, Beyoncé seemed to highlight the irony of Black people and other minorities being historically and continuously ostracized in a genre they helped build, while also reclaiming the themes and colors as her own.
The phrase "never ask for permission for something that belongs to you" appeared onscreen.
In one interlude, Beyoncé played a snippet of news commentator Megyn Kelly.
"Country music’s been around for a long, long time," Kelly said. "It goes right to the heart of America, and most Americans in red states have been loving and enjoying it long before ‘Queen Bey’ decided to stick her big toe into the lane."
She intercut this sound bite with various news clips along with videos of Black musicians from the past and present before a message that read "despite noise, we sing." On X, fan account @beyoncepress noted that the interlude includes audio by Ras Baraka, the mayor of Newark, New Jersey.
"His work explores the dissonance between America’s ideals and its harsh realities — touching on systemic racism, economic inequality, and the ongoing pursuit of justice," the fan noted.
Beyoncé then sang her 2022 song "America Has a Problem" in a white jumpsuit with the song title on it along with newspapers and lyrics to her other songs like "I'm that girl."
Beyoncé reiterates she's 'bncntry' — been country
At another point, Beyoncé wore a cap that read "bncntry." The message was clear: She's not entering country as a newcomer — she's been part of it all along. The message was reiterated throughout the concert.
During both shows, she paused to repeat lyrics during her 2016 song "Formation:" "I said they never take the country out me."
As fans know, Beyoncé first released the 27-track project in March 2024. It has since made history and broken multiple records. As Beyoncé's first country album, she deliberately featured country legends and emerging Black country artists alike. She became the first Black woman to win best country album at the 2025 Grammys and also took home album of the year.
Prior to releasing the album, Beyoncé got candid about creating the five-year project and alluded to her 2016 performance at the CMA Awards, which was met with an icy reception and harsh criticism.
"It was born out of an experience that I had years ago where I did not feel welcomed…and it was very clear that I wasn’t," she wrote on Instagram. "The criticisms I faced when I first entered this genre forced me to propel past the limitations that were put on me. Act ii is a result of challenging myself and taking my time to bend and blend genres together to create this body of work."
The nine-city tour will span the U.S. and Europe with the grand finale taking place in Las Vegas on July 26. She's set to make history again with her scheduled tour dates, including by playing the most dates at SoFi Stadium of any artist.
Follow Caché McClay, the Paste BN Network's Beyoncé Knowles-Carter reporter, on Instagram, TikTok and X as @cachemcclay.