Beyoncé has shared that her move into country music was “motivated” by Shaboozey and female country singers.
In March, the music icon released her first country album, Cowboy Carter, which includes the songs Sweet Honey Buckin and Spaghettii, featuring singer Shaboozey.
“When you are breaking down barriers, not everyone is ready and open for a shift,” Beyoncé told The Hollywood Reporter about her move into country music. “But when I see Shaboozey tearing the charts up and all the beautiful female country singers flying to new heights, inspiring the world, that is exactly what motivates me.”
Speaking to the outlet, Shaboozey said he was grateful for the attention he has received following the release of Cowboy Carter, which has racked up over a billion streams on Spotify.
“It’s been pretty great for her to put a lot of eyes on me at one time. Her being able to put a light on me at that time period helped my roll-out,” Shaboozey explained. “She helped amplify what I was already doing in this space, and it’s really amazing (coming from) somebody that is really influential (and a) historic figure.”
The singer-songwriter added, “It’s cool to see how far country music has reached since Beyoncé did her project. It’s cool to see the music reach all over the world.”
Shaboozey released his first album, Lady Wrangler, in 2018 but rose to prominence earlier this year with the release of his single A Bar Song (Tipsy).
Beyoncé’s country album, which made her the first Black woman to top the Billboard Country Albums chart, featured a number of breakout newcomers, including Tiera Kennedy, Willie Jones, Brittney Spencer, Reyna Roberts and Tanner Adell.
