Black Pop Artists Embrace Country: A Brief History

When Beyoncé announced her full dive into country music with “Cowboy Carter,” the follow-up to her 2022 album “Renaissance,” discussions on pop artists transitioning to the genre and the reception of Black artists in Nashville intensified.

Country music remains a tightly-knit sector of the music industry, presenting significant challenges for Black performers, despite the historical contributions of Black pioneers like Lesley Riddle, also known as Esley. Riddle, a guitarist and folklorist, played a pivotal role in instructing the Carter Family in the 1930s.

Additionally, Charley Pride, with over 50 Top 10 country hits from the 1960s to the ’80s, stands as another influential figure in the genre’s history.

In recent years, Lil Nas X ignited cultural discussions and achieved chart-topping success with “Old Town Road,” a fusion of country and rap.

Following this, Breland introduced his own unique blend with “My Truck,” while O.N.E the Duo, a mother-daughter duo, blended country, R&B, and pop in their music.

However, this trend is not new, as there is a rich history of Black artists embracing country music after establishing themselves in other genres. Here’s a look at how some notable figures navigated this path.

Ray Charles

Ray Charles’s love for country music traced back to his childhood, where his mother allowed him to stay up late on Saturdays to listen to the Grand Ole Opry.

Ray Charles (Credit: YouTube)

Reflecting on this passion during an interview with Terry Gross on “Fresh Air” in 1998, Charles expressed fascination with the musicians’ skills with banjos, fiddles, and steel guitars.

When Charles ventured into the genre with “Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music” in 1962, he departed from the typical country music sound.

Instead, he reimagined country classics from the past decade as poignant pop-crooner melodies. Focusing on themes of heartbreak, Charles beautifully interpreted songs such as Eddy Arnold and Cindy Walker’s “You Don’t Know Me,” Don Gibson’s “I Can’t Stop Loving You,” and Hank Williams’s “You Win Again.”

His soulful voice was complemented by lush orchestral arrangements, capturing the melancholic essence of these timeless tunes.

The concept proved to be a stroke of genius, yielding remarkable sales success: “Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music” claimed the top spot on the Billboard pop chart, while its second volume, released later the same year, reached No. 2.

Despite maintaining a steady presence in pop, R&B, and jazz, Charles continued to revisit country music regularly in the years that followed.

Albums like “Love Country Style” (1970) and “Wish You Were Here Tonight” (1983) saw him openly paying homage to his musical roots.

In these projects, he skillfully incorporated the banjos, fiddles, and steel guitars that had amazed him decades earlier, reaffirming his enduring connection to the genre.

Tina Turner

Crafting an entire album centered around country music wasn’t a significant departure for Tina Turner. In her memoir, “I, Tina,” she reminisced about her childhood radio experiences dominated by country and western music.

Tina Turner (Credit: Parade)

Turner’s exceptional covers of songs like Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Proud Mary,” the Stones’ “Honky Tonk Women,” and the Beatles’ “Get Back” showcased her mastery of the rock ‘n’ roll genre’s rootsier elements.

On her 1974 solo debut album, “Tina Turns the Country On!,” Turner elevated the heartfelt yearning of Kris Kristofferson’s “Help Me Make It Through the Night,” infused a righteous twang into a gender-flipped rendition of Bob Dylan’s “She Belongs to Me,” toughened up Hank Snow’s “I’m Movin’ On,” and uncovered the gospel undertones in Dolly Parton’s “There’ll Always Be Music.”

While the album earned a Grammy nomination for best R&B vocal performance, female, it didn’t chart as expected.

Turner found greater success with her subsequent LP, “Acid Queen,” which leaned more towards rock.

Although she never released another country album, outtakes from the “Tina Turns the Country On!” sessions emerged later, including dynamic renditions of Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson’s “Good Hearted Woman,” Tammy Wynette’s “Stand by Your Man,” and Loretta Lynn’s “You Ain’t Woman Enough (to Take My Man).”

Linda Martell

In the early ’60s, Linda Martell had released a few singles in the girl-group R&B style when a music manager discovered her singing country covers at a U.S. Air Force base in South Carolina.

Linda Martell (Credit: Rolling Stone)

Encouraged by his vision, Martell ventured to Nashville where she swiftly secured a record deal and recorded her debut album, “Color Me Country,” in 1970, marking her transition to a country singer.

Three singles from the album made their way onto Billboard’s country songs chart, with Martell’s beautifully nuanced rendition of Richard Lewis Spencer’s recent hit, “Color Him Father,” reaching No. 22.

Martell made history as the first Black woman to perform at the Grand Ole Opry, yet she encountered racial discrimination while touring.

A disagreement with her producer, who retaliated against her for recording with another label, led to the conclusion of her Nashville recording career.

Despite this setback, Martell continued to sing both country and R&B in subsequent years but never released another album. Recognized today as a pioneer in the genre, her legacy has inspired contemporary Black country artists like Mickey Guyton.

Millie Jackson

In 1981, soul singer Millie Jackson remarked,

”I took these country songs that I like and funked them up a little,” ahead of releasing ‘Just a Lil’ Bit Country,’ her first full-length album dedicated to the genre.

Millie Jackson (Credit: Pinterest)

Like Charles and Turner, Jackson, a Georgia native, was raised on country radio, and while she made her mark as a master of passionate, straight-talking R&B, she also recorded songs by Merle Haggard and others.

On ‘Just a Lil’ Bit Country,’ Jackson infused a contemporary groove into Charles’s ‘Modern Sounds in Country and Western’ hit, ‘I Can’t Stop Loving You.’

She tackled ballads popularized by Tammy Wynette and John Conlee, and transformed Kris Kristofferson’s ‘If You Don’t Like Hank Williams’ into an homage to her favorite soul singers, including herself, on ‘Anybody That Don’t Like Millie Jackson.’

Although the album cracked the Top 50 on the R&B albums chart, it marked Jackson’s final full LP exploration into the genre. She continued to explore soul, pop, and even raunchy comedy.

However, in 2014, she demonstrated her ability to funk up country once again with her playful and explicit take on Tyler Farr’s 2013 country hit, ‘Redneck Crazy.’”

Darius Rucker

In 2008, singer-songwriter Darius Rucker announced a hiatus for Hootie & the Blowfish, stating that fans shouldn’t expect another album or tour until he released “three or four country records.”

Darius Rucker (Credit: X)

Ultimately, Rucker surpassed this estimate with five country albums. His second solo LP and debut country album, “Learn to Live,” immediately found success, topping the Billboard country albums chart and spawning a series of country No. 1 hits.

Among these hits was “Wagon Wheel,” a Grammy-winning, diamond-certified cover of Old Crow Medicine Show’s song from 2013.Rucker’s impact on the country music scene was substantial, making him the most prominent Black artist in the genre in decades.

He became the first Black artist to top the Billboard country songs chart since Charley Pride in 1983 and the first to be inducted into the Grand Ole Opry since Pride in 1993.

Although Rucker reunited with Hootie & the Blowfish in 2019, his country career remains a significant focus. His sixth country album, “Carolyn’s Boy,” was released in 2023, showcasing his enduring commitment and success in the genre.

Lionel Richie

Country influences were evident in Commodores hits like “Sail On” from 1979, featuring Lionel Richie’s pronounced twang. However, Richie, an Alabama native, found even greater success in the genre the following year with “Lady.”

Lionel Richie (Credit: Pinterest)

Originally pitched to his bandmates without success, the stirring love ballad became a massive hit for Kenny Rogers, topping Billboard’s Hot 100, country-songs, and adult-contemporary charts, and also making a mark on the R&B songs chart.

Amid Richie’s solo career explosion in the ’80s with pop hits like “Truly,” “All Night Long (All Night),” and “Hello,” he continued to pay homage to Nashville on tracks like “Stuck on You” and “Deep River Woman,” a collaboration with country veterans Alabama.

His country roots were highlighted on the 2012 LP “Tuskegee,” where he revisited his country forays alongside his pop smashes, featuring collaborations with Rogers, Willie Nelson, Shania Twain, Darius Rucker, and other country luminaries.

In 2022, Richie expressed his desire to prioritize recording country music going forward, emphasizing his deep connection to the genre.

“I am so vested in country music, you have no idea,” he declared at the C.M.A. Awards that year.

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Kane Brown is ready to knock one out of the park at Fenway

Kane Brown made history last year when he became the first Black artist to sell out a headlining show at Boston’s Fenway Park. He will finish his new tour by stepping back up to the plate.

The singer and songwriter known for such hits as “I Can Feel It,” “Bury Me in Georgia” and “Thank God” will wind up his In the Air Tour with five shows in major stadiums, including a return to Fenway Park.

Kane Brown

Kane Brown’s In the Air Tour makes its first stop Thursday at Charlottesville’s John Paul Jones Arena.

He’s the first performer to have No. 1 hits at the same time on all five country music charts, including Top Country Albums, Hot Country Songs, Country Airplay, Country Digital Song Sales and Country Streaming Songs.

His solo hits aren’t his only songs with multi-genre appeal. Many fans have discovered the country singer through his many collaborations, including “What Ifs” with Lauren Alaina, “One Thing Right” with Marshmello and “Cool Again” with Nelly.

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Kane Brown 2

Kane Brown is sharing some new music before his In the Air Tour begins, including “Fiddle in the Band.”

“Thank God” teams him up with his wife, singer Katelyn Brown. In other projects, Brown has joined forces with Khalid, Chris Young, Digital Farm Animals, Becky G and Camila Cabello.

Thursday’s show at John Paul Jones Arena is the first show of Brown’s new In the Air Tour, and Brown took time before hitting the road to answer some questions for The Daily Progress.

In your opinion, what makes a good song, and what specifically makes a good country song? What qualities do you look for?

I think finding honesty of experience in the lyrics and finding songs you can relate to or can imagine someone you know relating to. There’s a million life stories but so many common factors of how people can feel at times, and music definitely is one of the things that highlights that in a real way.

How can music reach people’s hearts and minds today, in the midst of everything people are going through?

It gives people a chance to connect on a different level. You may agree on nothing else but both love a song or a band. Music can be so personal to people, but for it as personal as it is, [it] can bridge the gap between people. And make you feel like you’re not alone.

What advice would you give young people who dream of country stardom, or music stardom in general?

Just to keep believing in yourself and to know everything you’re going through is help [for] shaping you for the person you’re meant to be — it’s making you stronger or more humble or kind or giving you something you’re going to need to know for something later in your life. Don’t give up.

What makes the In The Air Tour special for you? What kinds of reactions are you getting from the fans?

It’s the biggest tour we’ve ever done with the stadiums we are doing, and we get to go back and visit a lot of the markets I love playing or have had really amazing memories or milestones playing before — and some new ones. It’s always amazing to get to see the fans in new places, too.

Do you have any albums, collaborations or other projects in the works for when the tour is finished?

We are working hard on a new album right now and have a lot finished for it. I keep thinking and have even said it’s done, but then I write more or find a new song I can’t not cut. So it’s been fun to see how the project has evolved since starting it, but it’s definitely getting pretty close to being done, and we will have at least a few songs that are new music out very soon — before the tour, including “Fiddle in the Band.”

Is there a dream collaboration that you’ve always wanted? Anybody in music history?

I’ve loved collaborating with everyone I’ve gotten to so far, and I always feel every artist has something different and unique to offer. For dream collaboration? So many on that list still.

What does a perfect day look like on tour, and at home?

We are likely to be at our home if not on tour, but a perfect day is getting to see Kate and the kids and be with them, then write and record some music, play basketball or golf, get to headline a show — then, post-show, play video games.

To get ready for the show, check out Brown’s albums, “Kane Brown,” “Experiment” and “Different Man.”

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New ‘Science Center’ coming to the Hill District

THE CITIZEN SCIENCE LAB’S PRESIDENT AND CEO, DR. ANDRE SAMUEL, AND GRANTS AND COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER NIKKI FEAGIN ACCEPT THE AWARD FOR BEING CITIZENS BANK’S “CHAMPION IN ACTION” FOR 2024. (PHOTO BY ROB TAYLOR JR.)

 Old MLK Cultural Center on Herron Ave. to become The Citizen Science Lab’s headquarters

Sometime next year, don’t be surprised to see rockets being launched in the Hill District.

The New Pittsburgh Courier has learned that the old Martin Luther King Jr. Cultural Center building that has long been vacant, but is still standing at 636 Herron Avenue, will be converted into the new headquarters for The Citizen Science Lab. Andre Samuel, Ph.D., The Citizen Science Lab’s Founder, President and CEO, told the Courier exclusively that a number of additions will occur on the building, and he’s especially excited about the courtyard space, where they’ll “be outside launching rockets, flying drones, and piloting robots. Who’s not going to walk by and say, ‘Can I check this out?’”

The official groundbreaking of the new headquarters, which is near the corner of Herron Avenue and Milwaukee Street, will occur either in May or June of this year. All new construction should be completed by early 2025, according to Dr. Samuel.

“This is going to be huge for us,” Dr. Samuel told the Courier exclusively, “because not only does it give us (extra) space, but it gives us that ability to have people walk by in our community and say, ‘This is in my neighborhood, let me check this out.’”

The Citizen Science Lab has been in existence since 2014, described as a “community life sciences laboratory where interactive learning and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) enrichment fuel enthusiasm for all things science.”

The Citizen Science Lab was originally housed in a small space inside the Energy Innovation Center, on Bedford Avenue in the Hill. Dr. Samuel, who is Black, took pride in opening a space to show the youth the ins and outs of science and research, right in their own backyard, as many of the youth involved were also Black.

By 2019, the lab had outgrown the physical space inside the Energy Innovation Center, so the lab moved to a larger space in Bethel Park, a few minutes from South Hills Village mall. But Dr. Samuel told the Courier there was always the intention to move the lab back to the Hill District, and for the last five years, “Project Dream” has been in effect, raising the capital needed for the big move.

Dr. Samuel said philanthropic support has come from, among others, McAuley Ministries, the Buhl Foundation, the Richard King Mellon Foundation, and the Hillman Foundation. Bridgeway Capital also serves as a supporter, along with elected officials like state Rep. Aerion Abney, who represents the Hill District.

On Jan. 25, Citizens Bank, which is not affiliated with The Citizen Science Lab, along with Trib Total Media, recognized The Citizen Science Lab as its 2024 “Champion in Action” for promoting energy efficiency and renewable energy. Citizens Bank’s Pittsburgh Market President, Mark Rendulic, presented a $50,000 check to The Citizen Science Lab at the lab’s Washington Road location. Rendulic also said the lab would receive volunteer support from Citizens colleagues, and free print advertisements from Trib Total Media.

“It’s not just about a check for us,” Rendulic said. “This program (Champions in Action) is very, very focused on making sure we select very specific type of nonprofits under $5 million in revenue. Our commitment is to help them with long-term growth…Doctor (Samuel), you and your team are doing such critical work, you’re making such a big difference in so many ways. Thank you for leaving D.C. and coming to Pittsburgh.”

Dr. Samuel was raised in Washington, D.C., but was born in Germany to a German mother and Black father. He began his collegiate journey at Tuskegee University, in Alabama, but he soon battled periods of drug addiction and homelessness for six years, he told the Courier. Eventually, Dr. Samuel transferred the credits he had earned at Tuskegee to another HBCU, the University of the District of Columbia, and earned a bachelor’s degree there in Biology.

So how did Dr. Samuel get to the Steel City? In 2004, his wife went to law school in Pittsburgh, and Dr. Samuel made the move, too. While working at the University of Pittsburgh as a research technologist, Dr. Samuel applied to the Ph.D. program at Duquesne University. After some hard work, he walked out of Duquesne University with a Ph.D. in Biology, with a focus on molecular modeling and using proteins as a target to develop new antibiotics.

But before he said goodbye to Duquesne, he noticed that “we were sitting at the foot of the Hill District, and our biology labs would stay open and unused during the summer,” Dr. Samuel told the Courier.

Dr. Samuel began having small programs for youth inside the previously-unused biology labs, and it didn’t go unnoticed. One of the faculty members informed Dr. Samuel that a $500,000 grant was coming to the university, and “we’ll turn it over to you and you can create what you want to create,” Dr. Samuel said he was told.

“The Citizen Science Lab” was born.

And the well-known Bill Generett, J.D., the current Senior Vice President of Civic Engagement and External Relations at Duquesne University, assisted Dr. Samuel by having Generett’s Urban Innovation 21 economic development agency (which is now part of the Riverside Center for Innovation) serve as a fiscal sponsor for The Citizen Science Lab.

The Citizen Science Lab held its first workshop at the Energy Innovation Center in the Hill District in 2015. The lab eventually became its own independent nonprofit in 2018.

If it’s up to Dr. Samuel, he’s going to make sure Black youth in Pittsburgh see how interesting it is to be a scientist. He said people often believe one has to have a background or knowledge in science to get into it, but that won’t be the case at The Citizen Science Lab’s current or new headquarters. There are a number of free “pipeline” programs that are offered to youth for free throughout the school year, and fees for summer camps can often be offset by the lab’s scholarship fund.

Dr. Samuel said The Citizen Science Lab also has programs for adults who are interested in science and research.

Upon its completion, the new headquarters for The Citizen Science Lab will have state-of-the-art labs that are named after prominent Black scientists, an open glass vestibule to the front of the building with a cafe, a reception area, teaching spaces, a greenhouse and a chicken coop for egg laying. There will also be murals painted by local Black artists that highlight Black scientists. Dr. Samuel told the Courier it all will equal 6,000 square feet of science, learning and fun.

“If you’re a scientist, you’re a White guy with glasses and a lab coat,” is how Dr. Samuel described the stereotypical impression of a research scientist. “So, we’re trying to change that, and we’re also trying to have our young folks understand that…there’s a very lucrative career in the sciences.”

Earning a six-figure salary with your Ph.D. as a scientist is pretty much a given in most cases.

Dr. Samuel said there’s one thing that seems to “hook” the young people when it comes to his classes or science in general. “Believe it or not, are those lab coats,” Dr. Samuel told the Courier with a smile. “As soon as our kids come in and see a lab coat and put a lab coat on, they are transformed. The first thing they say is, ‘Wow, I’m a scientist.’”

 

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Dexter Suhn x ThankGod4Cody: SZA’s Grammy Award-Winning Music Producer Visits Harvard

On March 6, ThankGod4Cody, Grammy award-winning music producer of SZA’s R&B album “SOS,” visited Harvard to engage in an intimate and candid conversation with students about his artistry and the reality of his climb to make it up the music industry ladder. The event featured a surprise virtual appearance from SZA herself. The Q&A, moderated by Dexter S. Griffin ’27 (known as Dexter Suhn), was followed by an audience Q&A. The evening was a labor of love co-produced by Suhn with support from the Harvard Foundation, OFA, Hutchins Center, and leadership from the Harvard BSA, BMF, and Black Arts Collective. Suhn extended his gratitude to these organizations along with production partner Marvin Baclig, coordinators Candace J. Howe ’27 and Amara R. Howard ’27, his friends, family, supporters, and all who contributed to making the event possible.

Inspired by No Label, a music non-profit founded at Harvard, Suhn aimed to bring ThankGod4Cody to inspire students and shed light on the realities of the music industry.

“I think a lot of times only the accomplishments get highlighted and the uphill battle that you have to fight to get there is not given as much attention. They always say behind every overnight success is 10 years of hard work,” said Suhn, emphasizing the importance of acknowledging the reality of being in the music and entertainment industry.

Attendees gathered in Emerson Hall, fostering a sense of community as they bonded over music and food. Building connections among attendees was a key aspect for Suhn. “I like bringing people together,” he said.

Building connections among attendees was a key aspect for Suhn.

The evening commenced with a personal video message from SZA expressing her admiration for Cody: “You can’t buy, teach, or explain his insight and his mind on sound. Honor to know him. Honor to love him. Enjoy Cody. Love y’all. Bye Harvard.”

Suhn and Cody then delved into Cody’s Memphis upbringing and his early passion for music. He shared anecdotes of his humble beginnings and emphasized his relentless determination to succeed in the face of adversity.

“From the jump, I just always messed with music,” said Cody. “I remember in seventh grade, my parents got me this keyboard and I was making a melody and my family was like ‘Oooh that’s your heart right there,’’’ he added.

From couch-surfing and living in a cramped house with other Top Dawg Entertainment — an independent record label specializing in Hip Hop and R&B — artists to facing financial struggles and being arrested in 2020 at a Black Lives Matter protest, Cody described how he maintained commitment to his art.

Reflecting on his journey, Cody emphasized the importance of self-belief and confidence, stating, “You gotta be your biggest supporter and inspiration. You gotta be undoubtedly believing in yourself. Like you gotta just be knowing that you the one.”

Expanding on what motivated him to stay focused on making music, Cody said, “Basically I had no choice. It was either clean or chase my dreams and I was not finna be cleaning offices.”

The conversation also touched upon Cody’s relationship with SZA, spanning from their initial meeting to their work on her acclaimed 2017 album “ctrl” and Grammy-winning “SOS” album.

Cody’s journey provided valuable insight and sparked inspiration in many students.

“What I learned from hearing from his perspective is that he locked in with one thing and didn’t allow himself to have a Plan B,” said musician Jaeschel O. Acheampong ’24.

Acheampong’s perspective on art was changed as he said, “knowing I want to do music makes me realize how much more attention I should focus on the things that matter to me.”

“Especially his background was super inspiring because he came from nothing and he was able to provide himself a platform and collaborate with amazing artists,” said Ebun A. Oguntola ’27 who has a background in music composition.

Singer-songwriter Anya E. Movius ’27 walked away from the event having gained clarity about the sometimes intimidating music industry from Cody’s experience.

“Any opportunity that you can get to talk to someone who has made it happen from themselves and who knows the ins and outs of the industry is always going to be something that’s really helpful and special,” Movius said.

From SZA’s guest appearance to Cody’s charismatic story-telling, good music, and good company, the event was truly a special experience. Cody’s motivational story impacted attendees as they left having gained renewed artistic drive and determination. The event breathed a new life into the spirit of music and creativity at Harvard, and Suhn intends to keep this alive with plans to produce more events like these in the future.

From SZA’s guest appearance to Cody’s charismatic story-telling, good music, and good company, the event was truly a special experience.

From SZA’s guest appearance to Cody’s charismatic story-telling, good music, and good company, the event was truly a special experience. By Courtesy of Lauren E. Mei

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Colorado Premiere of Raisin Celebrates Black Voices

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5 Essential Black Women Authors Of The Moment That You Must Read

Black voices are always worth paying attention to, particularly within the publishing world. There is such a long, rich history of Black authors using the power of the pen to highlight Black communities’ unique perspectives and plights worldwide. While some consider the book industry declining, some up-and-coming Black artists are on their way to lending their talents to define our modern existence. Of the many out there, here are five worth paying attention to.

Charmaine Wilkerson

Charmaine Wilkerson commanded readers’ attention with Black Cake. This evocative story follows two siblings who uncover the mysteries of their Jamaican-born mother’s past after her death. Adapted into a Hulu original series garnering critical acclaim, Black Cake is a triumphant debut that marks a pivotal moment for Wilkerson. Her writing prowess and commitment to the nuance of Black storytelling proves she’s an author worth keeping on your radar. 

Irene Muchemi-Ndiritu

You may not have heard much about Irene Muchemi-Ndiritu’s Lucky Girl. The novel follows a young Kenyan woman who opts for a new life in New York City over one in her native Nairobi under the iron fist of her extremely religious and controlling mother. A tale that should be in the lexicon of great African-meets-American fictionMuchemi-Ndiritu encourages powerful and fresh conversations about race, identity and the complexities of the mother-daughter relationship. The novel proves that Muchemi-Ndiritu has a remarkable voice that illuminates Black experiences in thought-provoking ways. 

Cicely Belle Blain

Cicely Belle Blain is the poster child for the modern and meaningful relationship between social justice and literature. The British anti-racist activist and poet penned a moving collection of poems, Burning Sugar, in 2020 that explores the experiences of existing in a pre-colonial world as a Black queer person. Their radical and stunning work paints the picture of a complicated world, interweaving the beautiful with the heartbreaking. Their growing body of work hits now more than ever. 

Kiley Reid

Kiley Reid, whose debut novel Such a Fun Age earned attention for its organic and addictive exploration of class and race in 2019, dives into messy, complicated and worth-rooting-for characters that make the author deserving of a place on this list. Though her sophomore effort, Come and Get It, was less sharp of a narrative than her first book, Riley has much more to say, and she’s worth keeping your eye on. 

Ayanna Lloyd Banwo

Interested in escapist reads that translate vibrant worlds to the page? Ayanna Lloyd Banwo is the author for you. Her debut novel, 2022’s When We Were Birds, will set your imagination on fire as it tells a love story for the ages set in Trinidad. Her work transports you to another place and another time. Many argue that’s writing at its best. 

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Listen Up! Tons of Artists Are Dropping New Albums This Spring

Spring 2024 Music Preview: Beyonce, Taylor Swift and More | Us Weekly

Updated on: March 22, 2024

Spring Music Preview Beyonce Taylor Swift and More 352
Beyoncé, Taylor Swift. Getty Images (2)

Charge up your AirPods and clear some space on your playlists, because this spring is proving to be an unusually fertile time for new music.

Everyone from Beyoncé and Taylor Swift to Pearl Jam and New Kids on the Block are dropping albums, with many artists launching corresponding tours as well. Kacey Musgraves, for example, released Deeper Well in March and is set to hit the road in April.

“This time, I was, like, OK, I’m older now. I’m a little bit wiser. I live in the heart of the woods. My feet are firmly planted in who I am,’” Musgraves told NPR of her new album in March. “I just feel really grounded, and I wanted the instruments to reflect that. There’s nothing more grounded sounding to me than, like, a good old fingerpicked acoustic guitar or, like, a hint of a banjo here or there or, like, just a touch of pedal steel guitar.”

Keep scrolling for a guide to the many artists releasing new albums this year:

Reigning Queens

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Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images

Ariana Grande, Eternal Sunshine

Following a lengthy break to film Wicked, Grande is channeling the tumult of the past year into Eternal Sunshine. The album is full of bops, hinting that Grande doesn’t care much about what critics have to say about her divorce and subsequent romance with Ethan Slater. As she sings on “Yes, And?”: “Your business is yours and mine is mine.” (Out now)

Kacey Musgraves, Deeper Well

After playing around with pop sounds, the girl from Golden is getting back in touch with her folk and country roots. On the title track, Musgraves sings about how her life changed course when she turned 27. Nearly a decade later, she’s reflecting on all developments over the mellow, acoustic sounds that made her one of Nashville’s biggest stars. (Out now)

Maggie Rogers, Don’t Forget Me

Rogers is known for crafting highly personal songs full of searing lyrics, but for her third album, she decided to experiment with writing from others’ points of view. On Don’t Forget Me, she sings from the perspective of a fictional young woman who’s road-tripping while processing the end of a relationship. (April 12)

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Taylor Swift, The Tortured Poets Department

Swifties spent much of the winter theorizing that their heroine would announce Reputation (Taylor’s Version) early this year, but she did them one better and revealed an entirely new album. Swift hasn’t shared any music from TTPD yet, but she’s already teased multiple special editions — and fans are convinced the rollout contains plenty of Easter eggs referencing her ex Joe Alwyn. (April 19)

St. Vincent, All Born Screaming

It’s always been impossible to predict what St. Vincent will do next, and that remains true with All Born Screaming, her first self-produced album. On top of tapping Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl and Welsh musician Cate Le Bon for contributions, Annie Clark — who describes the LP’s sound as “post-plague pop” — incorporates vintage analog synths and tons of guitars on her latest opus. (April 26)

Sia, Reasonable Woman

Sia returns with her first solo album in eight years, which includes collabs with Kylie Minogue, Missy Elliott, Chaka Khan and more. Expect radio-friendly earworms and, if that list of featured artists is any indication, the perfect soundtrack for a night on the dance floor. (May 3)

Dua Lipa, Radical Optimism

Hot off the success of her Barbie soundtrack banger, “Dance the Night,” Lipa is gearing up to dominate the summer again for the second year in a row with her third album, Radical Optimism. She’s said that her new tunes were inspired by psychedelia, trip-hop and Britpop — and “the idea of going through chaos gracefully.” (May 3)

Rock Out

Bleachers, Bleachers

Jack Antonoff is the busiest man in music, somehow finding time to produce records for friends like Swift and Lana Del Rey while also making an album with his own band. The group’s self-titled LP is as New Jersey as they’ve ever sounded, channeling the state’s No. 1 native son, Bruce Springsteen, on tracks like “Me Before You.” (Out now)

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Gie Knaeps/Getty Images

Kim Gordon, The Collective

The former Sonic Youth bassist is still one of the coolest people on the planet, perhaps even more so now that she’s struck out on her own. Her second album as a solo artist finds the music icon dabbling in everything from trap and industrial to the experimental noise rock she honed with her former band. (Out now)

Gossip, Real Power

It’s been far too long — 12 years! — since Gossip blessed the world with a new album. Thankfully, Beth Ditto and Co. reconvened after the pandemic with superproducer Rick Rubin, and the result is a scorching, dance-punk party anchored by the frontwoman’s inimitable vocals. (Out now)

Vampire Weekend, Only God Was Above Us

Many of the bands who found success during the indie rock boom of the early 2010s have faded into the background, but Vampire Weekend is still kicking — and still at the top of their game. Frontman Ezra Koenig and his colleagues have reconvened for another round of slickly produced, lyrically dense tunes that will remind fans why they were once kings of the Pitchfork-approved world. (April 5)

Black Keys Artists Are Dropping New Albums-Spring 2024
Larry Niehues

The Black Keys, Ohio Players

The garage rock duo gets as bluesy as ever on their 12th studio album, which includes a cover of William Bell’s 1968 soul classic, “I Forgot to Be Your Lover.” The band cowrote lead single “Beautiful People (Stay High)” with genre-blending master Beck, whose fingerprints are all over the brassy, infectious track. (April 5)

Neil Young and Crazy Horse, Fu##in’ Up

The astonishingly prolific Young is at it again with his longtime band Crazy Horse on their latest offering. The nine-track album reimagines songs from 1990’s Ragged Glory, complete with new titles and arrangements. “We made this for the Horse lovers,” Young said when announcing the release. (April 26)

’90s Night

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Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for MTV

Justin Timberlake, Everything I Thought It Was

After ’NSync reunited for a song from last year’s Trolls Band Together, fans demanded more — and Timberlake was ready to deliver with his first album in six years. The LP includes “Paradise,” another collab with his former bandmates, as well as the gospel-inflected “Sanctified” and the mid-tempo R&B jam “Drown,” which recalls some of his earliest solo hits. (Out now)

Sheryl Crow, Evolution

Crow previously said her 2019 album, Threads, would be her last because she thought “there was no point to it,” but thankfully, she’s changed her mind. One of the most underrated artists in rock continues to prove why she’s a force to be reckoned with on Evolution, which delves further into the rootsy, bluesy sound Crow has been perfecting over the past 30 years. (March 29)

98 Degrees, Full Circle

The nostalgia wave continues with a new album from the group, who have reunited for their first non-holiday album in more than a decade. Full Circle includes a mix of new tunes and rerecorded classics from their past — all with a hefty helping of those four-part harmonies they do so well. (April 5)

Pearl Jam, Dark Matter

The craze for all things ’90s isn’t just for Friends and claw clips — it’s also for grunge. Alt-rock pioneers Pearl Jam recorded their latest album in just three weeks, and frontman Eddie Vedder’s voice is as dynamic as ever, serving as the perfect accompaniment to the band’s blistering drums and guitars. (April 19)

New Kids on the Block, Still Kids

Need more boy bands in your life? Enter New Kids on the Block and their brand-new LP. “Donnie [Wahlberg] and I pretty much cowrote the whole album,” Joey McIntyre told Us exclusively. “We’ve been lucky, the five of us, to never grow up in some ways. And a lot of people look to us to go back to that happy place, and we give permission to them to just have fun.” (May 17)

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Mike Coppola/Getty Images

Lenny Kravitz, Blue Electric Light

Don’t forget the king of oversize scarves and leather pants makes music, too! If lead single “TK421” is any indication, the new LP — recorded at Kravitz’s studio in the Bahamas — will mine funk and glam rock for inspiration. Think: Prince, Chic and David Bowie’s early ’80s work with Nile Rodgers. (May 24)

Deeper Cuts

Adrienne Lenker, Bright Future

Lenker’s band, Big Thief, is coming off two years of touring, but she still found time to write and record another solo album’s worth of material. Bright Future is a gorgeous, pared-down effort that allows Lenker’s crisp voice to shine through even brighter than it does on her work with the group. (Out now)

Waxahatchee, Tigers Blood

For her sixth album, frontwoman Katie Crutchfield collaborated with guitarist MJ Lenderman on an irresistible set of songs that blend Americana, rock and folk, all the while centering Crutchfield’s fathomless vocals. (Out now)

Girl in Red, I’m Doing It Again Baby!

Girl in Red (real name: Marie Ulven Ringheim) is known for low-key indie pop, but she’s turning it up a notch on her sophomore effort. Take the album’s title track, which is a downright dance number that somehow incorporates bird calls and banjo. (April 12)

Shannon and the Clams, The Moon Is in the Wrong Place

The quartet started working on their new album following the 2022 death of frontwoman Shannon Shaw’s fiancé just weeks before their wedding. Amid the pain, they turned tragedy into inspiration, as evidenced by the buoyant anthem “Bean Fields” about pushing forward in the face of despair. (May 10)

Yola, My Way

While the U.K. native has spent the past several years exploring country, blues and soul, her new EP finds the genre-bend- ing artist bringing in elements of electronica, R&B and synthpop to create a sound that’s distinctly and uniquely Yola. (May 24)

La Luz, News of the Universe

Led by vocalist and guitarist Shana Cleveland, La Luz has always been a band in tune with the metaphysical. That’s even more true on News of the Universe, which Cleveland wrote after receiving a breast cancer diagnosis not long after giving birth to her son. The group’s psychedelic surf-rock sound is brought back down to Earth by Cleveland’s unwavering belief in love. (May 24)

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VALERIE MACON/AFP via Getty Images

Maya Hawke, Chaos Angel

The Stranger Things actress is also an accomplished musician, having released two albums since 2020. On her third, she uses ’90s folk-pop as her guidepost, sounding like a dead ringer for Aimee Mann on “Missing Out” and proving that she’s far more than the average nepo baby. (May 31)

Gone Country

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Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

Beyoncé, Cowboy Carter

Bey kicked off her next act with singles “Texas Hold ’Em” and “16 Carriages,” which feature banjoist Rhiannon Giddens and pedal steel player Robert Randolph, respectively. It seems like the icon is on a mission to highlight Black artists’ influence on country music, as she did with house music on Renaissance. (March 29)

Zayn, Room Under the Stairs

Fans have long suspected that Zayn was working on a country album, and it turns out they were kind of right. The first single from his fourth LP, Room Under the Stairs, has a decidedly folksy feel, with countrified harmonies and twangy guitar that marks a big departure from the R&B sound of his previous releases. (May 17)

Lana Del Rey, Lasso

Earlier this year, Del Rey confirmed she plans to get in touch with her Southern side on her 10th studio album, Lasso. She’s been working with Antonoff on the LP, recording in Tennessee, Mississippi and Muscle Shoals Sound Studio in Alabama, which has played host to iconic musicians like Willie Nelson. (September)

Post Malone, TBD

Malone’s been talking about making a country album for a while, and there have been several hints it could materialize this year: He participated in a Joe Diffie tribute at the 2023 CMA Awards, sang an acoustic version of “America the Beautiful” at the Super Bowl and shared a snippet of a collab with Luke Combs. (TBD)

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Two Black Women Artists Engage In Legal War Over Copyright And Defamation Claims

Black women artist, copyright, defamation

Two Black artists with similar styles are locked in a legal war over who’s copying the other and spreading conspiracy theories.


Two Black artists with similar styles are locked in a bitter legal war over who’s allegedly copying the other and spreading “false” conspiracy theories.

The legal battle between Deborah Roberts and Lynthia Edwards took new heights on Monday, March 11, when Edwards filed a counterclaim against Roberts for alleged defamation, ArtNet reports. Roberts was the first to file a copyright infringement lawsuit against Edwards and her gallery, the Richard Beavers Gallery, accusing them of copying her artwork.

However, according to Edwards, her artwork is rooted in her upbringing as a Black girl in the South, and while she and Roberts share common influences, like the Black collage artist Romare Bearden and the German Dada collage artist Hannah Höch, works by the two artists only possess “superficial similarity.”

In Roberts’ initial lawsuit, she alleged that Edwards was enlisted by the Richard Beavers Gallery to copy her works. Edwards denies these claims and accuses Roberts of monitoring her art practice through a private investigator unbeknownst to her. Her lawsuit calls out Roberts for allegedly using “a barrage of social media posts and private messages to spread her false conspiracy theory” and even preventing the lesser-known artist from showing at Expo Chicago and the Park Avenue Armory Show.

“Emboldened by the success of her big lie, Roberts has gone so far as to claim that Edwards has copied Roberts’s more recent use of black backgrounds in her works, which Roberts has said she began during COVID,” Edwards’s lawyers said.

They highlighted a 2019 Instagram post showing one of Edwards’ collages with a black background.

New York gallerist Stephen Friedman is listed as a third-party defendant in Edwards’ lawsuit for allegedly helping Roberts spread her “big lie” by telling her in 2022 that her rival was “gaining ground in [her] market.” The counterclaim also includes a transcript of a voicemail Roberts sent to Beavers shortly after he began representing the Alabama artist where she threatened to go public with her copyright claims.

“I see that you’re representing that girl in Pinson, Alabama, [Edwards] who is ripping off my work. And I did get an attorney on her. We researched. She has no money. That’s the only reason I haven’t sued her,” Roberts allegedly said in the voicemail.

“But I’m telling you right now: If she continues to show my work and do my work, I’m gonna make it public. Public. The New York Times. I don’t care what I have to do. I’m gonna squash this.”

Roberts is accused of calling Edwards a “h*e” and the “bi*ch who’s copying me” in public and private messages, as well as recruiting popular artist Amy Sherald to defame Edwards.

“This is ridiculous,” Sherald wrote under an Instagram post celebrating Edwards’s art. “It’s a straight up Deborah Roberts copy.”

“Yes, if the gallery really wanted to help her they should be helping her develop her own voice and not copying my work,” Roberts responded.

Roberts currently has one of her pieces on display as part of Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys’ “GIANTS” exhibit that’s being featured at the Brooklyn Museum. From the couples’ Dean Collection, they’ve displayed over 100 major artworks by Black American, African, and African diasporic artists.

RELATED CONTENT: How To Master The Art Of The Follow-Up

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The Meaning Behind The Photo for Beyoncé’s ‘Cowboy Carter’ Album

beyonce blair caldwell cowboy carter ii
Blair Caldwell’s photograph for Beyoncé’s new country album Act II: Cowboy Carter

Photographer Blair Caldwell has shot the striking cover artwork for Beyoncé’s new album — in an image that intends to give new meaning to the concept of “country music.”

On Wednesday, Beyoncé announced the forthcoming release of her latest studio album Act II: Cowboy Carter — a record influenced by country music.

In an Instagram post, Beyoncé revealed the album’s cover image — shot by Texan photographer Blair Caldwell — which shows the singer riding a white horse, holding an American flag, wearing a 10-gallon cowboy hat, decked out in red, white and blue.

In the accompanying caption, Beyoncé, who is also Texan, gave some insight into why she is making a country album.

She appeared to suggest that it came about after she received backlash from the mainstream country community after releasing a country song called Daddy Lessons in 2016.

“This album has been over five years in the making,” Beyoncé writes on Instagram.

“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.”

Caldwell’s photograph for Act II: Cowboy Carter intentionally plays with country music’s iconography. In his image, the photographer allows Beyoncé to visually clap back to critics who previously told her she didn’t belong in country music.

“The aesthetic choice is bold and seems to be signaling the ways that Beyoncé is putting herself into conversations about nationalism, a theme very much central to discourses about country music, patriotism, and authenticity, from the times of its origins,” Francesca T Royster, an English professor at DePaul University and author of Black Country Music: Listening for Revolutions, tells The Guardian.

Rodeo Queens, Presidents, and American Cowboys

According to an analysis by Artnet, Caldwell’s photograph is reminiscent of the imagery of rodeo queens, who similarly carry the flag while riding their horse after winning the title.

The publication notes that Beyoncé’s platinum hair cascades down in a way that resembles that of a real Rodeo Queen’s and the singer even rides sidesaddle, like royalty, in the photograph.

ArtNet also comments on the similarities between Caldwell’s photograph and the art of Kehinde Wiley who depicts Black people in imperial positions formerly reserved for white leaders.

The image of Beyoncé also alludes to presidential portraits which show leaders atop a horse. Presidents depicted in equestrian art include George Washington and Andrew Jackson.

Caldwell’s photograph also nods to the emblem of the American cowboy and its status in American mythology as a symbol of patriotism and nationalism.

By portraying Beyoncé as an American cowboy, Caldwell’s photograph seeks to reinscribe images of Black women into the history of the cowboys and the West.

An Image That Reclaims Country Music

The imagery comes at a time when the American cowboy is undergoing a reassessment, with artists reclaiming the lost legacy of Black cowboys and female cattle drivers.

As Frank Rojas notes in The New York Times, Beyoncé looks directly into the camera with her face forward in Caldwell’s photograph as though she is reclaiming her place in country music — at a time when Black artists are often excluded from the genre.

The imagery in Caldwell’s photograph also reminds fans of Beyonce’s Texan roots and also that her entry into the country genre isn’t as random as many might assume — given some of the Black origins of country music itself.

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Meghan Markle and Prince Harry seen for first time since Princess Kate video emerged as they give speech

PRINCE Harry and Meghan Markle have been seen for the first time since Kate was spotted out and about.

The Sussexes were snapped making a speech in Los Angeles.

A pic of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry was posted on Instagram

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A pic of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry was posted on InstagramCredit: Instagram/@msshaunrobinson
The couple were snapped making a speech at an event

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The couple were snapped making a speech at an eventCredit: Instagram/eduardobrazileiro
It's the first time the Sussexes have been seen since Princess Kate was spotted shopping with Prince William at Windsor Farm Shop

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It’s the first time the Sussexes have been seen since Princess Kate was spotted shopping with Prince William at Windsor Farm ShopCredit: The Sun / TMZ
Trolls are still pushing wild rumours about Kate's health

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Trolls are still pushing wild rumours about Kate’s healthCredit: Splash

On Monday, we exclusively published a clip of the Princess Kate beaming as she walked side-by-side with Prince William at the weekend.

The couple carried bags of shopping as they wandered through the car park at a farm shop near Windsor.

Kate, 42, dressed casually in a hoodie and leggings, while Wills was sporting a cap and blue jeans.

It was the first time the princess had been snapped in public with her husband since Christmas.

And now, Harry and Meghan have been seen at an event.

The couple stood up and chatted to a crowd at the Kinsey African American Art and History Collection’s event at SoFi Stadium.

In one snap, Meghan can be seen speaking into a microphone while Harry stands at her side.

In another the prince can be seen talking, and Meghan smiling away.

Most read in Royals

TV personality Shaun Robinson posted to social media: “Thank you Duke & Duchess of Sussex and @thearchewellorganization for supporting the @kinseycollection.”

Meanwhile yesterday The Sun’s Royal Editor revealed how he knows the video of Princess Kate is real.

 Matt Wilkinson answered Brits’ burning questions on a live blog today, after we exclusively published a video of the royal pair.

I saw Kate with my own eyes – cruel trolls need to back off, says shopper who filmed royals

He talked at length about the clip of Kate and Wills at the farm shop in Windsor – as well as recalling some of his favourite behind-the-scenes moments with the pair.

Despite the video showing a beaming Kate seemingly recovering well while she walks alongside her husband, crazy conspiracy theorists are still running rampant.

The shopper who spotted Kate with his own eyes has even slammed “evil trolls” – saying they had to leave Kate alone.

Nelson Silva, 40, saw Kate “with my own eyes” looking relaxed in Windsor.

Nelson says his meat-section encounter with the Princess of Wales should end wild rumours about her health.

But yesterday trolls were still pushing their bizarre claims — despite The Sun releasing Nelson’s exclusive video of her at Windsor Farm Shop on Saturday lunchtime.

I realised that this video of two people happy and shopping could help make all these rumours fall flat

Nelson Silva

Incredibly, some said it was a Kate lookalike. Others that it was too tall to be her.

Another crazy claim was that the footage was taken in December as there are “Christmas decorations” in the background.

In under 24 hours the body-double rumours racked up more than 12million views on X/Twitter, and more than 11million on TikTok.

Engineer Nelson blasted the conspiracy theorists as “delusional”.

Speaking from the home he shares with his wife and daughter in the town, he said: “I’m not so much shocked that these comments have continued, I’m just confused how exactly they can continue.

“This is a video clearly showing her and William. I saw them with my own eyes. It was a completely relaxed situation.

“What more do you need to lay off her? I thought after this was released they’d go quiet. But these people are so invested in the drama now.

“They’ve put so much time and energy into these rumours and lies that they can’t pull the plug.

Read more on the Scottish Sun

“Even famous people are guilty. People with a large platform online — they can’t admit they are wrong now because they look so delusional.”

KEVIN INTO BAT FOR PRINCESS

By Rachel Dale

CRICKET star Kevin Pietersen says he sees the Princess of Wales most days — as he rubbished online conspiracy theories about her yesterday.

The batsman-turned-TV pundit, 43, and his family live close to the Windsor Farm Shop where Kate and William were seen on Saturday.

He wrote on X/Twitter: “The conspiracy theories around Kate are absolutely absurd!

“We see Will & Kate most days and in the last couple of days too!”

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