Sign up to Roisin O’Connor’s free weekly newsletter Now Hear This for the inside track on all things music
Get our Now Hear This email for free
Beyoncé fans are busy getting stuck into her brand new album, Cowboy Carter, and one song in particular is sparking intrigue.
On “Bodyguard”, pop fans are convinced they can hear another star, Taylor Swift, contributing some airy backing vocals.
The two pop titans are known to be on friendly terms, and turned up to support one another at the premieres of their respective concert films last year.
Swift has also hailed Beyoncé as a huge influence on her own work, stating in 2023: “I’m so glad I’ll never know what my life would’ve been like without Beyoncé’s influence.
“The way she’s taught me and every artist out here to break rules and defy industry norms. Her generosity of spirit. Her resilience and versatility.
“She’s been a guiding light throughout my career and the fact that she showed up tonight was like an actual fairytale.”
Swift’s presence on Cowboy Carter could also make sense due to early criticism she faced from naysayers who doubted the Pennsylvania-born musician’s place in country music, as she rose to fame with songs such as “Tim McGraw” and “Our Song”.
She later transitioned to a career as one of the biggest stars in pop, with albums including 2012’s Red and 1989, released in 2014.
Swift supported Beyonce at the London premiere of her ‘Renaissance’ concert film last year
(AP)
While Cowboy Carter includes many references and influences to country music, Beyoncé has implied that the backlash to her album now means that it is “a Beyoncé album”, instead of a country album.
Enjoy unlimited access to 70 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music
Sign up now for a 30-day free trial
Enjoy unlimited access to 70 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music
Sign up now for a 30-day free trial
Beyonce in artwork for her new album, ‘Cowboy Carter’
(AP)
Widely shared screenshots purport to show Swift credited for “Background Vocals” to the song on lyrics website Genius, which allows the general public to contribute annotations.
However, The Independent was unable to verify this, and Swift was not credited on platforms such as Spotify or Apple Music at the time of writing.
Artists who are credited as contributers on Cowboy Carter include country legends such as Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson and Linda Martell, plus pop artists Post Malone and Miley Cyrus.
Beyonce at the premiere of her concert film, ‘Renaissance’
(Beyonce.com)
In a five-star review, The Independent’s critic Helen Brown praised Beyoncé for leaning into country music tropes while putting her own spin on the genre, pushing it out of its comfort zone.
“Beyoncé’s hands are confidently and charismatically on the reins,” she wrote. “The righteous zeal of her mission, and the giddy range of sonic adventuring, repeatedly gave me chills I haven’t felt since the release of Lemonade. Back then she was fighting for her marriage. Now she’s fighting for a major culture shift. Throughout, she seeks to build bridges with the working men of the South, acknowledging their economic struggles.”
You can find the full review here.
