Beyoncé recently dove into country music with her Cowboy Carter album, and now some of her classic pop and R&B songs have also received the country treatment thanks to a few rising Black singers in the genre.

Beyoncé addresses criticism ahead of release of new country album | The Independent

As part of Apple Music’s ‘Nashville Sessions’ series, Beyoncé Covered features Brittney Spencer, Tanner Adell, Joy Oladokun, BRELAND and more taking on hits that include “1+1,” “Drunk in Love,” “Irreplaceable,” “Sandcastles,” “II Most Wanted” and “Halo.”

“Beyoncé has opened a door that’s going to be really hard to close,” Tiera Kennedy, who’s also featured on the six-song playlist, told Apple Music.

Cowboy Carter has been a major success since its release in March. The album debuted atop the Billboard 200 tally with 407,000 equivalent album units in its first week, making for the biggest sales week of 2024 at the time – though it has since been one-upped by Taylor Swift’s latest effort.

Twenty three of the album’s 27 songs also made it to the Billboard Hot 100 chart, bringing the Houston native’s career total Billboard Hot 100 songs to 106.  She is now just the 17th artist and only the third woman to score over 100 entries since the Hot 100 was launched in 1958.

Talking to The Hollywood Reporter earlier this month, Beyoncé reflected on the effort’s success and what it meant to her as it was such a departure from what she’s done in the past.

“When you are breaking down barriers, not everyone is ready and open for a shift,” she said. “But when I see Shaboozey tearing the charts up and all the beautiful female country singers flying to new heights, inspiring the world, that is exactly what motivates me.

“There was a time in my life when charts and sales excited and motivated me. Once you have challenged yourself and poured every ounce of your life, your pain, your growth and your dreams into your art, it’s impossible to go backward,” she continued.

“I’m very grateful and humbled for the extraordinary success of the new album.”

Bey concluded: “I’m honored to introduce so many people to the roots of so many genres. I’m so thrilled that my fans trusted me. The music industry gatekeepers are not happy about the idea of bending genres, especially coming from a Black artist and definitely not a woman.”