Beyonce Knowles-Carter, already the most-decorated and nominated artist in Grammy history, continues to set new records at this year’s Grammy Awards held at the Crypto Arena in Los Angeles. The singer started strong by winning the award for Best Country Duo/Group Performance for “II Most Wanted” with Miley Cyrus.
This year, Beyoncé leads with a total of 11 nominations, including Album of the Year for her acclaimed eighth studio album, “Cowboy Carter.” Notably, she received nominations across diverse genres, marking her first recognition in the Country & American Roots field. Her album featured seven nominated songs spanning four different genres. With the win for “II Most Wanted,” Beyoncé becomes the first Black woman to win a Grammy for a country music song since the Pointer Sisters in 1975.
No Black female solo artist has previously won a Grammy for a country song, though Mickey Guyton received a nomination for “Black Like Me” four years ago. Tina Turner was also recognized with a Grammy nomination in 1975 for her debut album “Tina Turns the Country On!” in the Best Female R&B Vocal Performance category.
This year’s Grammy Awards also marked the first time a Black woman has been nominated for Album of the Year for a country album. Beyoncé’s win in country music is particularly significant following her controversial snub at the 2024 Country Music Association Awards despite her groundbreaking album. However, she previously won top country female artist at the 2024 Billboard Music Awards.
