Benjamin Ashford|I didn't think country music was meant for Black women like me. Then came Beyoncé.

I grew up in Nashville. My family relocated and Benjamin Ashfordmoved here in 1996 from Atlanta because of my father accepting an executive position with a hospitality company.

I was 4 years old at the time, way before Nashville became known as the “it” city. This was also before the grand migration to Nashville from various parts of the country, the television series "Nashville," and before the city became the primary destination for bachelorette parties.  

Country music was never something I considered to be a part of my culture. Despite being somewhat knowledgeable of the contributions African Americans have made to the genre, to me it was always synonymous with Confederate flags and singing of antebellum-era tunes, which appeared to be a staple of country music when I was growing up. 

I never saw any real representation in the music of someone who looked like me, except for Charley Pride, because I did not feel African Americans were a target audience. Of course, this has now changed in some regard, but ultimately, I’ve always paired these factors with country music and the product that was developed was not meant for me, a millennial Black woman. 

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So, when I listened to Beyoncé Knowles-Carter’s new album, “Cowboy Carter,” I was not expecting to feel so connected. 

I grew up with Destiny’s Child Beyoncé and "Dangerously in Love" Beyoncé. I’ve always respected her as an artist; however, I have never considered myself a part of what they call the Beyhive. I can’t help but become overwhelmingly emotional when I think about the impact of this album. In other words, for me she has done more than make a country album. 

She’s made people like me, a Black woman, come full circle by including me in something I once felt excluded from. She’s not only opened the door, but she completely knocked it down for Black people to enter unabashed.

I don’t think many people realize the capacity of the influence this album has had in the country music genre.

For those who are trying to hold on to old categories and barriers of country music, they will ultimately find themselves on the wrong side of music history. 

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Country music needed Beyoncé to make this album 

However, truth be told, we needed her to do this. Country music needed her to do this. Not just for future generations, but also for the generations that have been overlooked and forgotten regarding this music genre. 

Beyoncé has turned me, a non-country music supporter, into not only a fan of country music, but a fan of Beyoncé’s form of country music. And the rest of the country music genre should follow her direction to keep people like me interested, which will enhance and expand country music’s fan base.  

This just goes to show that music transformation is an ongoing process, be it in jazz, hip-hop, gospel, rhythm and blues or classical.

Nothing stays the same forever. 

Ebony Wiggins resides in New York City and is an account executive with RealReal Luxury Marketplace. This column first appeared in The Tennessean.