Lily Allen has stirred up controversy by commenting on Beyoncé’s recent cover of Dolly Parton’s iconic ‘Jolene’, describing the decision as “very weird” and suggesting her venture into country music feels “calculated.” This statement has prompted strong reactions from fans and critics alike.
In response to Beyoncé’s cover, Allen remarked, “Now she’s the most played woman on country radio… I guess she’s coming for that market.”
A week following its release, artist Lily Allen has entered the conversation surrounding Beyoncé’s latest album, Cowboy Carter.
Fans are aware that Beyoncé’s new album, which underwent over five years of development, draws inspiration from her feeling of exclusion within the country music genre. “This album has been over five years in the making,” she shared on Instagram last month. “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.”
In 2016, Beyoncé, hailing from Houston, Texas, showcased her versatility by releasing the country-infused track “Daddy Lessons” on her album Lemonade. However, her performance of the song with The Chicks at the Country Music Association Awards later that year sparked criticism from some country fans. Furthermore, she faced snubbing from the Grammy Awards’ Country Music Committee, as reported by AP News.
In her recent Instagram statement preceding the release of Cowboy Carter, Beyoncé seemed to address the unfair scrutiny she encountered in 2016. Despite facing racist backlash following the album’s release, many have applauded her for reclaiming the roots of country music and infusing the genre with her own style. “This ain’t a Country album. This is a ‘Beyoncé’ album,” she boldly declared.
Since its release, Cowboy Carter has garnered praise from several prominent artists, notably Country Queen Dolly Parton. Beyoncé’s rendition of Parton’s famous hit “Jolene” on the album has received acclaim. Interestingly, Dolly herself, who had previously expressed her desire for Beyoncé to cover “Jolene,” introduces the track on the album with a brief monologue. In this introduction, she nods to the infamous “Becky with the good hair” referenced by Beyoncé on Lemonade, adding a layer of intertextuality and homage to their collaboration.
Adding to the mix of celebrity reactions to Cowboy Carter is British artist Lily Allen, who shared her thoughts on the project during this week’s episode of her podcast titled Miss Me? Allen’s commentary suggested that she wasn’t particularly impressed by Beyoncé’s latest album.
During a discussion about the album with her podcast cohost Miquita Oliver, Lily Allen, who admitted to having only heard a couple of the songs, expressed her view that it was “very weird” for Beyoncé to cover “Jolene.”
“It’s quite an interesting thing to do when you’re trying to tackle a new genre, and you just choose the biggest song in that genre to cover,” she said.
“I mean, you do you, Beyoncé,” she added. “And she literally is doing her — or is she doing Dolly?”
Cohost Miquita then shared her perspective, suggesting that Cowboy Carter appears to be “forcing itself to be part of its own narrative” as a country album. In response, Lily elaborated on why she perceives the entire project as “calculated.”
“When Jay-Z got up and said that thing, that was part of this campaign,” she said, referring to Jay-Z publicly calling out the Grammys for never giving Beyoncé the Album of the Year award — which the singer addresses directly on the album. “It was before the album had come out or even been announced, and she was wearing the blonde wig and a cowboy hat,”
“It’s a bit about challenging these institutions that have thus far rejected Beyoncé as the icon and institution that she is of herself. Now she’s the most played woman on country radio.” Lily added.
In response, Miquita playfully challenges her cohost by mentioning Lily’s own project of working on a country album. Lily responds by clarifying her stance: “But I’m not, like, trying to conquer the country market. I’m here because I’ve loved country music and always have loved country music — not saying Beyoncé doesn’t — but I tell stories in my songs, and quite a lot of country music does the same thing. I think it’s well-suited to what it is that I do.”
Many internet users have joined the conversation, offering their thoughts on Lily’s comments about Cowboy Carter. Some have suggested that she is attempting to gatekeep country music despite having no prior connection to the genre.
“The irony of a white woman from England criticizing an American Black woman with actual southern roots about country music is insane,” One user on Reddit commented. “An English woman gatekeeping country music is wild.”
