In a moment that left both fans and the music industry buzzing, Beyoncé won the Best Country Album award for Cowboy Carter at the 2025 Grammy Awards on Sunday night. The Texas Hold ‘Em singer appeared visibly stunned when Taylor Swift announced her as the winner, her eyes widening in surprise as she walked to the stage at the Crypto.com Arena.
“Wow, I want to thank God that I’m able to still do what I love after so many years,” Beyoncé said as she accepted the award. “I’d like to thank all of the incredible country artists that accepted this, this album—we worked so hard on it.”
The victory was not without controversy. Some country music purists had questioned Beyoncé’s nomination in the country category, arguing that she was not a traditional country artist. However, her supporters, including country singer Kelsea Ballerini, defended her presence in the genre.
“If I can make pop music despite being a country singer myself, why not let pop singers expand into the country genre?” Ballerini argued, backing Beyoncé’s right to explore different musical styles.
During her speech, Beyoncé seemed to indirectly address the genre debate, saying, “I think sometimes genre is a Cold War to keep us in a place as artists. And I just want to encourage people to do this.”
The Crazy in Love singer took a moment to thank her family, team, and collaborators before closing her speech with heartfelt appreciation. “And I still am in shock, thank you so much for this honor.”
In addition to her historic country album win, Beyoncé was nominated in 10 categories at this year’s Grammys. Before the live broadcast, she had already secured another major win in the country category—Best Country Duo/Group Performance—for II Most Wanted, her collaboration with Miley Cyrus.
The victory further solidifies Beyoncé’s legacy as one of the most versatile and groundbreaking artists in modern music history. From R&B and pop to country, she continues to push boundaries and redefine genres.
As the night came to a close, Beyoncé’s unexpected triumph in country music marked yet another milestone in her legendary career. Fans and fellow artists alike will undoubtedly continue discussing Cowboy Carter and its impact on the country music landscape for years to come.