Tierra Kennedy will always look back on the first half of 2024 as the beginning of her artistic renaissance, thanks in part to a surprise boost from Beyoncé.
Last month, the Nashville-based singer-songwriter announced “I Ain't a Cowgirl,” the first single from her upcoming debut album Rooted. This gentle guitar-driven ballad shows her carving her own unique path as a country musician, even though she doesn't stick to the tried-and-true modes that many associate with country. It reflects her determination.
“I hid a lot of my feelings for a long time because I didn't want to seem ungrateful,” Kennedy told HuffPost. “But this industry is a tough industry. I've been in places in my life and career where things were out of my control, and it's a tough place. Let's just ignore the fact that we're unhappy. I was able to put that into the song more freely than if I were to do that.”
Watch the music video for “I Ain't a Cowgirl” below.
As for what listeners can expect from Rooted, which is scheduled for release this fall, she said: “Most of it comes from personal relationships. There are a lot of songs about her husband [Kamren Kennedy], but it also extends to the grieving process. We get a little angry. Without apologies, this is me. ”
Rooted is Kennedy's first full-length album, but the Alabama native has been active in the Nashville music scene for about eight years. She became famous for her series 'Real Country', a music competition mentored by Shania Twain in 2018. Three years later, she signed a record deal with Scott Borchetta, CEO of Big Machine Label Group, the company that catapulted Taylor Swift to stardom nearly 20 years ago.
Under contract with Big Machine, Kennedy released the anthemic singles “Found It In You'' and “Jesus, My Mama, My Therapist.'' But last year, she was dropped from the label. But it didn't take long for her professional rock bottom to turn into an artistic breakthrough, with her 32nd Grammy Award-winning country album Cowboy Carter (released in March) from BeyoncĂ©. was nominated to appear in.
Kennedy and fellow Nashville artists Tanner Adele, Rayna Roberts and Brittney Spencer provide dreamy harmonies on “Blackbird,” BeyoncĂ©'s cover of the Beatles' 1968 hit “Blackbird.” are doing. She also sings backup on “Tyrant,” one of the two “Cowboy Carter” songs on which Dolly Parton guest stars.
“This is the most important moment of my career so far. I felt so many emotions, experiencing the lowest of lows right next to the highest of highs,” Kennedy said of losing his record deal. After the interview, he recalled the moment he learned he would become a member of “Cowboy Carter.” “After I was dropped from my label, I felt like God was saying, 'This is your time.' BeyoncĂ© is one of my favorite artists and I was excited to work with her. I dreamed of it, but I didn't know if it would come true. That's the biggest validation I wanted.”
By all accounts, Cowboy Carter was a huge hit both critically and commercially. The album's first single, “Texas Hold'em,” made BeyoncĂ© the first black female artist to top Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart. The album became her eighth No. 1 album in the United States, and also topped the charts in countries such as Australia, France, and Germany, among others.
Sales numbers aside, Kennedy was deeply impressed by the level of research Beyoncé and her team did to reflect the challenges that Black women continue to face in country music.
“I learned a lot as a country artist myself. I actually didn't know the history of 'Blackbird.' [which was written by Paul McCartney in response to the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and ’60s] “Before we recorded it,” she said. “She didn't just put out an album of great songs. She put out an album that meant something. She influenced not just country music, but music in general.”
Witnessing the success of “Cowboy Carter,” Kennedy began to lean into R&B and other musical genres.
“When BeyoncĂ© said, 'This is not a country album, this is a 'BeyoncĂ©' album,' it really opened my eyes,” she said. “I’m always going to have country at my heart, but I have other influences as well.”
Kennedy will spend the remainder of 2024 supporting the release of “Rooted” with both a tour and various new singles. She's also started thinking about her second album, which she says will delve deeper into the sonic and lyrical atmosphere of “Rooted.”
“I feel very free and open to different sounds and possibilities,” she explained. “I think that's when you get an album like 'Cowboy Carter.' There's no other album like 'Cowboy Carter.' For me, that's the inspiration for my music.” I want to create something that is unique to me and that other people cannot do.”
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