Kelly Clarkson expresses her confusion over Beyoncé being overlooked by the 2024 CMA Awards, stating, “It seems to me that those songs were all over the place.”
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The pop icon reminisced about her own experience in the country genre, noting that she was advised her music wouldn’t receive airplay unless she completely abandoned pop.
Kelly Clarkson understands Beyoncé’s exclusion from the 2024 CMA Awards.
Following the lack of nominations for Beyoncé’s album Cowboy Carter at the 58th Annual CMA Awards, Clarkson shared her thoughts on the snub. She reflected on her own experience when she ventured into country music and was told that her songs wouldn’t be aired unless she completely left the pop genre.
“I find it interesting,” the Grammy winner remarked to NBC10 Boston about Beyoncé’s absence from the nominations, adding, “It seems like those songs were all over the place.”
Clarkson makes a valid point—Cowboy Carter topped the Billboard 200 albums chart, and its lead single “Texas Hold ‘Em” reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Beyoncé, 43, also scored additional top-10 hits from the album, including “II Most Wanted” featuring Miley Cyrus and her rendition of Dolly Parton’s “Jolene,” along with several other tracks that charted.
“It’s challenging. I even attempted it years ago,” Clarkson reflected, recalling her own attempts at country music with singles like “Don’t Rush” featuring Vince Gill and “Tie It Up,” which followed her successful duet with Jason Aldean, “Don’t You Wanna Stay,” in 2010.
“That industry is tough, even for me,” she continued. “I was told at a lunch that unless I completely left pop music for country, I wouldn’t get any airplay. Someone literally said that to me at lunch, and I responded, ‘No offense, but I’m not going to limit myself to just one genre.’”
Clarkson shared that the experience was challenging because she “grew up on country music,” adding, “I imagine Beyoncé did too. We’re both Texans, so it’s part of the environment growing up there.”
Reflecting on her journey, she noted, “It felt like the door was shut unless I committed fully and abandoned all other genres, which I don’t think people like me, or even Beyoncé, can do. It’s not even about wanting to; we simply enjoy experimenting. Why put limits on ourselves?”
Over time, Clarkson has accepted her career path. “Ultimately, I’ve realized in this industry that it’s not just about the awards or any of that. What matters is that people are showing up, right? You’re huge,” she remarked, acknowledging Beyoncé.
“People are coming to my concerts; they enjoy the country songs, the pop tracks, and all the different styles I bring,” the “Miss Independent” artist remarked. “I’m sure the same goes for her. I believe the real victory is not even needing the award.”
The nominations for the 58th Annual CMA Awards were announced on September 6, with Morgan Wallen leading the way with seven nominations. He was followed by Chris Stapleton and Cody Johnson, each with five nods, and both Post Malone and Lainey Wilson received four nominations.