Love ‘Cowboy Carter’? Here’s what to listen to next.
Erika Goldring/Getty Images for Americana Music Association
Beyoncé has done what Beyoncé does best with the release of her most recent album, Cowboy Carter, and that is to get people talking.
One of the biggest topics of conversation buzzing around these days revolves around Black country artists and whether they “belong” in country music. It was a debate put front and center when Lil Nas X released “Old Town Road” with Billy Ray Cyrus in 2019, and it’s completely resurfaced again with the release of Cowboy Carter.
Like most genres, the Black artists who originated them have largely been written out of history, which continues the topic of racism within the music industry.
For those who need the reminder, Black people more than belong in country music, and whether you want to accept it or not, they’re also the reason it exists in the first place.
Outside of some of the controversy, one good thing Cowboy Carter did is to put a focus on Black country artists out there to remind people they’re more than present within the industry.
Here are 10 Black, queer artists you should add to your playlist immediately.
Joy Oladokun
Joy Oladokun came onto the scene with her debut album, Carry, in 2016, and has also been featured on the TV show This is Us.
Amythyst Kiah
Amythyst Kiah is a Chattanooga native who plays the banjo and guitar. She’s best known for being part of the group Our Native Daughters, but her debut album, Dig put her on the map for a solo career.
Allison Russell
Allison Russel is a Canadian singer-songwriter who was also part of the Our Native Daughters group. She released her first solo album, Outside Child, in 2021.
Luisa Lopez
Luisa Lopez is a Southern singer/songwriter who operates as an independent artist. Her debut album, 45, released in 2019.
Crys Matthews
Crys Matthews is the daughter of a small-town preacher who sings about social justice in an effort to inspire hope. She released her debut album, Backroads and Driveways in 2011, and has had a number of EPs and albums since, with 2021’s Changemakers the most recent.
Brittany Howard
Most known for her time as the lead singer of the Alabama Shakes, Brittany Howard has stepped into her own lane as a solo artist at the end of the 2010s. Her first solo album, Jaime, released in 2019 and earned her seven Grammy nominations and was dedicated to her sister who taught her piano and died in 1998.
Apollo Flowerchild
Apollo Flowerchild is an indie musician who’s been writing music for over eight years. They released their debut album, DRAWING 101 in 2023.
Blackberri and Friends
Blackberri and Friends is a throwback band from the ’70s and ’80s that acts as a perfect reminder that Black country artists aren’t anything new, it’s just about time they get the shine they deserve.
Chastity Brown
Chastity Brown has been known for her banjo skills and sultry voice who’s been around in the business for a while. She released her debut album, Sankofa in 2009, with her most recent, Sing to the Walls in 2022.
Vicki Randle
Vicki Randle was the first female musician on the Tonight Show Band with Jay Leno in 1992, and released her debut solo album, Sleep City, in 2006.
