Kelly Clarkson on Beyoncé being singled out at the CMA Awards: "I feel like songs are everywhere."
Times of discover News: Kelly Clarkson has questioned Beyoncé being left out of any nominations at the 2024 CMA Awards. Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter did not receive a nomination for her first album in the country music genre, which Clarkson found strange. "I find that very interesting because I feel like those songs are everywhere," Clarkson told NBC10 Boston. Beyoncé's "Texas Hold 'Em" has been one of the most trending songs on social media since its release.
The song also reached number one on the Billboard Hot Country Songs and Billboard Hot 100 charts. Clarkson spoke about the struggle to find a place in country music, recalling that she tried to break into the market "years ago" and said that she released two songs, and added, "It's hard, even for me." Like, I was told at lunch that if I didn't quit pop music and just get into country music, I wouldn't play." See on Deadline
He added, "I had it said to my face at lunch and I said, 'Well, I mean, no offense, but I would never choose one over the other.'" Clarkson said it's "more obvious now" that he likes to cross musical genres, citing the "Kellyoke" segment on his daytime talk show.
"I grew up with country music [and] I think Beyoncé would do the same thing. They're both Texans, so you can't escape growing up there," he said. "I thought it would be a more welcoming environment, but it's really not.
So I didn't push it myself because I felt like the door was closed until I got into it and I had to leave all the other genres that I don't think people like me or even Beyoncé can do".
Clarkson said she was "not necessarily surprised" by Beyoncé's rejection, adding that it was "not necessarily because of the awards" because people still come to her concerts for her. Clarkson said, "You don't even need the awards... you're killing it anyway, or the people."