If Cowboy Carter ain't nation, inform Kelsea Ballerini: What’s?

The "I Give up Consuming" singer defended Beyoncé and Publish Malone's nominations in nation classes for this 12 months's Grammys in an interview with Fierce: Ladies in Music on SiriusXM. "To me, you don't should be a rustic artist to make a rustic file," Ballerini mentioned. "These don't should exist in the identical airplane. I'm a rustic artist, however I've completed pop songs. That's okay. So why isn't it okay the opposite means round? That doesn't make sense."

Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter and Publish Malone's F-1 Trillion — and the singles they spawned — are nominated in a number of Grammy classes this 12 months, regardless of the 2 superstars' lack of serious prior expertise making music within the style. In consequence, some nation purists have expressed skepticism concerning the artists' inclusion on nation radio stations and in nation classes at awards reveals.

Former American Idol mentor Bobby Bones schools Beyoncé’s critics on country music history, crossovers

However Ballerini sees no purpose to reject Beyoncé or Publish Malone from the nation group. "[The Best Country Album] class, to me, represents what nation music has been this 12 months," she mentioned. "That's what the [Country] Album of the 12 months class ought to characterize: what has occurred in nation music and been profitable and groundbreaking this 12 months. I don't actually perceive the opposite opinions aside from, like, it's superb to have big, revered artists in different genres are available and have fun ours. I don't perceive why that might be something however nice."

Our 2025 Grammys predictions: Who will win (and who ought to)

Ballerini famous that her current track "Deep" is way more of a pop track than a rustic track. "I used to be totally impressed by SZA," she mentioned of the observe. "I used to be like, 'I wanna do a enjoyable SZA-inspired sound' as a result of I beloved that file a lot, that SOS file. Gosh, like, most performed. I used to be so influenced by it throughout Rolling Up the Welcome Mat, and I used to be like, 'If I'm influenced by it, I wanna let myself go there.'" (The track even makes use of the phrase "SOS" in its second verse, maybe as a shout-out to SZA's album.)

Dolly Parton disagrees that Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter was snubbed by the CMAs 'on purpose'

The singer mentioned she has no clue who will win the Nation Album of the 12 months class. "I’ve just one vote," she mentioned. I don't know. I'm actually desperate to see how all the classes, however particularly nation [categories], shake out this 12 months. There's nobody in that class that it shouldn't go to."

Cowboy Carter and F-1 Trillion are up in opposition to albums by Kacey Musgraves, Chris Stapleton, and Lainey Wilson within the Greatest Nation Album class. Beyoncé and Publish Malone are additionally nominated for Greatest Nation Duo/Group Efficiency, Greatest Nation Tune, and Greatest Nation Solo Efficiency.

Join Leisure Weekly's free day by day publication to get breaking TV information, unique first appears to be like, recaps, opinions, interviews together with your favourite stars, and extra.

The Grammys air on Sunday, Feb. 2, at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on CBS and Paramount+.

Shut