After Beyoncé’s victory as a favorite women’s country artist at the American Music Awards, the legend of Country Music Reba McEntire intervened in the growing controversy with a bold and colorful declaration that is attracting the attention of the entire sector.

Reba Mcentire does not use minima terms

Speaking openly during an interview in the backstage of a recent event in Nashville, Mcentire did not silence his thoughts on the decision. “Oh, of course, to make Beyoncé win the female country artist prize is like inviting a peacock with a cowboy hat to sing in a barn: showy, out of place and only a circus number for people of city who thinks they understand the music of the South,” said Mcentire.

His metaphor immediately became viral, capturing the attention of both the purists of the country and the defenders of pop. The fiery comment has since rekindled a heated debate on authenticity, representation and evolution of the definition of country in the today’s mainstream panorama.

Support and reaction

Reba’s words aroused strong reactions from fans and musicians. The supporters of the traditional country have applauded his honesty, seeing it as a voice of a genre that they consider weakened by commercial and cultural trends. Others, however, criticized his tone, calling him contemptuous, suggesting that his observations could have discouraged the much necessary diversity and gender innovation.

Online platforms such as X (ex Twitter), Tiktok and Instagram have been flooded with memes, debates and fans’ comments that use the now viral analogy of the “peacock with the cowboy hat”.

A wider industrial gap

This accident highlights a wider challenge in the musical industry: how to balance innovation and tradition. Beyoncé’s adventure in the country territory, including its acoustic and American -inspired performances, was praised by many for having expanded the boundaries of the genre. Yet, for some icons such as Mcentire, this move seems more like an appropriation than an evolution.

Music historians and analysts are contributing their contribution, noting that while it generates like hip hop and pop have evolved quickly through fusion, country music has remained deeply protective towards their roots, often clashing with the outsiders who try their own aesthetics without completely immersing themselves.

What will happen now?

Neither Beyoncé nor his team responded directly to Mcentire’s comments. However, the experts suggest that the negative reaction could influence the future nominations to the prizes and reshape the way the artists face the gender classification in their works.

As for Reba, he did not show himself at all sorry and concluded his comment saying: “Country music comes from the heart of the earth, not by the titles of the newspapers”.