Beyoncé breaks silence on backlash to go abroad: Singer unveils Cowboy Carter album cover on which she proudly holds an American flag and says: ‘Music can unite so many people around the world’

Beyoncé unveiled the cover of her highly anticipated country album Cowboy Carter during a speech the backlash she received for entering the genre.

“Today marks the 10-day countdown to the release of Act II,” the Grammy winner began. ‘Thank you from the bottom of my heart to all the supporters of [the album’s singles] TEXAS HOLD ‘EM and 16 CARS.’

She continued, “I am honored to be the first Black woman to have the number one single on the Hot Country Songs chart. That wouldn’t have happened without the outpouring of support from all of you.”

The Texas-born 42-year-old added: “My hope is that years from now, when it comes to releasing music genres, mentioning an artist’s race will no longer be relevant.”

Her album cover depicts Beyoncé on horseback, waving an American flag while wearing a red, white and blue leather outfit with a silver Stetson.

She has a huge silver wig blowing in the wind, and a sash with the name of the album draped across her front.

‘This album has been more than five years in the making. It stemmed from an experience I had years ago where I didn’t feel welcome… and it was very clear that I wasn’t,” Beyoncé wrote in the caption.

“But that experience made me delve deeper into the history of country music and study our rich musical archive. It feels good to see how music can unite so many people around the world, while also amplifying the voices of some people who have dedicated so much of their lives to teaching our music history.”

She added, “The criticism I faced when I first entered this genre forced me to go beyond the limitations placed on me. act ii is the result of challenging myself and taking the time to bend and fuse genres to create this body of work.”

Beyoncé teased: “I have a few surprises on the album and have collaborated with some brilliant artists that I deeply respect. I hope you can hear my heart and soul, and all the love and passion I put into every detail and sound.”

She explained: ‘I focused on this album as a continuation of RENAISSANCE…I hope this music is an experience, creating a new journey where you can close your eyes, start from the beginning and never stop.’

Finally, she wrote, “This is not a country album. This is a “Beyoncé” album. This is act ii COWBOY CARTER, and I’m proud to share it with you!’

Beyoncé, who grew up in Houston, made her first foray into the genre with a country-tinged song called Daddy Issues on her 2016 album Lemonade.

Beyoncé announced her country project last month and released two singles during the Super Bowl, 16 Carriages and Texas Hold ‘Em

Both songs were hits, with Texas Hold ‘Em debuting at the top of both the Billboard Hot 100 and Billboard Hot Country Songs charts.

She delivered a controversial performance of the song at that year’s Country Music Association Awards, taking the stage with the girl group then known as The Dixie Chicks and since renamed The Chicks.

When the CMAs posted footage of the performance to their official social media channels, the comments included attacks like, “Beyoncé overrated racist n****rb***h,” to the point where the videos were eventually removed.

Fans demanded that the videos be reinstated, but when the videos were reposted on Facebook, they received another round of racist comments.

Beyoncé announced her new country project last month and released two singles during the Super Bowl, 16 Carriages and Texas Hold ‘Em.

Both songs were hits, with Texas Hold ‘Em debuting at the top of both the Billboard Hot 100 and Billboard Hot Country Songs charts.

The commercial success of Texas Hold ‘Em made Beyoncé the first black woman ever to have a country song reach number one on the Billboard charts.

Texas Hold ‘Em gave Beyonce the opportunity to provide a platform for black folk musician Rhiannon Giddens, who plays the banjo on the track.

However, reactions to the singles were not uniformly positive, as Beyoncé was also strongly denounced by rapper Azealia Banks.

Beyoncé, who grew up in Houston, made her first foray into the genre with a country-tinged song called Daddy Issues on her 2016 album Lemonade.

She delivered a controversial performance of the song at that year’s Country Music Association Awards, taking the stage with the girl group then known as The Dixie Chicks.

“Yes, black girls can make country music… but you just really don’t push the button… Beyoncé, please stop the madness,” Banks wrote on Instagram.

“The gay bossing, the overtly narcissistic attempts to lazily infringe on a genre where you think your popularity will win you praise in… You look like a food sister,” added Banks, who has built a reputation as scathing outspokenness.

Shortly afterwards, a source told DailyMail.com exclusively that Beyoncé had been bracing herself for the possibility of a backlash over her country album.

“She knows there will be resistance from those who want her to stay on a narrow street, but she doesn’t care,” the insider said, explaining that Beyoncé hoped to offer a “spotlight” to “the contributions that Afro -Americans have contributed to the genre.’

Beyoncé got “the motivation to make a country record after seeing how many of her fans loved her single Daddy Lessons and her performance at the CMAs.”