Beyoncé’s husband exchanged some words with her, which a lip reader disclosed, right before she took the stage to accept her Grammy award from Taylor Swift.
Music legend Beyoncé made history on February 2, 2025, when she took home the coveted Best Country Album trophy for “COWBOY CARTER” at the 67th Grammy Awards in Los Angeles. The “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM” singer’s rap mogul husband, Jay-Z, approached her and whispered something in her ear before she went to the stage to claim her prize.
Cameras panned to show Beyoncé’s startled expression as she heard her name after Taylor Swift revealed the category winner.
Then, the “Empire State of Mind” rapper, who was seated behind his wife, approached her while clapping. According to Lip Reader, NJ Hickling, Jay-Z had said, “Woah woah woah. Bout time! You’re a top girl.”
Blue Ivy Carter, the daughter of the power couple, gave her mother a hug after this conversation. Then, as the star-studded audience roared in support of her, Beyoncé headed to the stage to deliver her moving acceptance speech.
After graciously accepting her Grammy from the “Bad Blood” artist, Beyoncé expressed, “Wow, I really was not expecting this. Wow! I wanna thank God […] that I’m able to still do what I love after so many years […] I’d like to thank all of the incredible country artists that accepted this album — we worked so hard on it.”
She continued, “I think sometimes Genre is a code word to keep us in our place as artists, and I just want to encourage people to do what they’re passionate about and to stay persistent. Wow! I’d like to thank my beautiful family, all of the artists that were collaborators, thank you, this wouldn’t have been this album without you [sic].”
Before repeating how surprised she was to win, the superstar artist also thanked her fans. The Grammy audience at Crypto.com Arena gave Beyoncé a warm reception, but the “CUFF IT” singer faced harsh criticism on the internet for her victory.
After defeating nominees Kacey Musgraves with “Deeper Well,” Chris Stapleton with “Higher,” Lainey Wilson with “Whirlwind,” and Post Malone with “F-1 Trillion,” Beyoncé emerged victorious in a crowded field. Beyoncé was already a major force at the Grammys, having received eleven nominations in several categories.
She participated in several important competitions, including Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Pop Solo Performance, Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, Best Melodic Rap Performance, Best Country Solo Performance, Best Country Duo/Group Performance, and Best Country Song, in addition to Best Country Album.
Although her triumph for Best Country Album was a career high point, it sparked an online controversy. “That had to be rigged!” cried a reader on AmoMama. “She should not have won!” said another flatly. According to a third critic, “What an embarrassment to country music…” was a slap in the face of the genre.
Supporters of other nominees, especially Kacey and Lainey, expressed their dissatisfaction, and the reaction persisted. According to some reviewers, an artist is not truly a part of the country genre just because they embrace its trappings.
Others expressed their preference for performers like Lainey, whom they perceived as a more genuine representation of the genre, arguing that despite Beyoncé’s talent as a vocalist, her style does not fit with country music.
“She did not deserve that award,” one frustrated netizen remarked about Beyoncé, while another argued, “Kacey was absolutely robbed. ‘Deeper Well’ was phenomenal.”
The statement (about Kacey being robbed) was reminiscent of Jay-Z’s speech at the Grammys in February 2024, where he attacked the Recording Academy for never giving Beyoncé Album of the Year despite her record-breaking wins, following his acceptance of the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award.
“I don’t want to embarrass this young lady, but she has more Grammys than anyone and never won Album of the Year. So, even by your own metrics, that doesn’t work. Think about that: the most Grammys, never won Album of the Year. That doesn’t work,” the rapper explained at the time.
Additionally, the singer admitted that not all Grammy attendees will be happy, suggesting that some performers may feel underappreciated or unworthy of their nominations.
He implied that some nominees might feel “robbed” or out of place in their categories but later acknowledged his bluntness, attributing it to nerves. “No, when I get nervous I tell the truth,” Jay-Z said.
Beyoncé’s victory for Best Country Album drew a lot of criticism, while some individuals applauded her accomplishment. One AmoMama reader exclaimed, “Congratulations, Beyonce 🎊! You deserve this win!”
One commenter expressed their delight and support for Beyoncé’s unprecedented accomplishment in country music, while another hailed her and praised her well-earned victory.
Beyoncé’s much-anticipated tour was announced concurrently with her Grammy victory. She made the announcement in an Instagram video that showed an electrical hum and a luminous “COWBOY CARTER TOUR” sign flickering over a windswept desert at night.
Her second post featured a dramatic close-up of herself with white-blonde braids, bleached eyebrows, and a strong red lip against a black background, all of which matched the images from her “COWBOY CARTER” album. With the caption, “COWBOY CARTER TOUR 2025,” the tour’s presence is confirmed.
Beyoncé’s Grammy win and tour announcement make “COWBOY CARTER” a pivotal point in her career, regardless of the conflicting responses she received.
