Paul McCartney Discusses Collaboration with Beyoncé on “Blackbird”
On her first single from Cowboy Carter, Beyoncé addresses her critics, possibly alluding to the backlash she received after her performance at the 2016 CMA Awards.
She sings, “They used to say I spoke, ‘Too country’ / And the rejection came, said I wasn’t, ‘Country ‘nough,’” asserting her authenticity and questioning what truly defines country music. Despite facing obstacles, she stays grounded and resilient, “Plant my bare feet on solid ground for years / They don’t, don’t know how hard I had to fight for this.”
Amid controversy, some fans observed that the CMA Awards removed footage of her unexpected collaboration with The Chicks. However, the organization clarified to E! News that they specifically removed a promotional clip and not the performance itself.