Mickey Guyton found herself in a state of disbelief when she received word that none other than the iconic Beyoncé desired to reach out to her. “I had some people call me. They were like, ‘Hey, Beyoncé wants to get ahold of you.’ I’m like, ‘Wait, what?'” The country music star recounted how she attended Keep Memory Alive’s Annual Power of Love Gala in Las Vegas, an event honouring Blake Shelton.
However, Beyoncé’s intentions were genuine, and she sought to pay tribute to Guyton for her invaluable contributions to country music, particularly as a Black artist, just before the release of Guyton’s highly anticipated Cowboy Carter country album. “I didn’t even think it was real. She got my address and sent me some beautiful flowers, and it really meant a lot to me,” Guyton shared, her voice brimming with awe.
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Guyton’s admiration for Queen Bey extended beyond the exquisite floral arrangement, as she also received a heartfelt note from the Grammy-winning icon. “Mickey, Thank you for opening doors for me, queen. Keep shining. Love and respect, Beyoncé,” the note read, a sentiment that deeply resonated with Guyton.
“It was just really cool to be acknowledged,” Guyton explained. “You don’t realise how when you become an activist, which was never my intention, it comes with a price. Mental health can be one of those things, and to have someone like her acknowledge that and say thank you, it really, really meant a lot,” the “Better Than You Left Me” singer added, underscoring the profound impact of Beyoncé’s gesture.
Guyton found herself surrounded by music royalty once again as she honoured Shelton, an artist she holds in high esteem. “Blake is such an incredible artist and incredible person,” she told attendees. “He has such an amazing music catalogue, and he’s so important to country music. I’m so glad that we get to honour him tonight.”
The evening held personal significance for Guyton, as it centred on the vital cause of finding a cure for brain disease. “It’s such a special event. My grandmother had dementia, so it hit me very, very hard. It’s genetics,” she shared, her voice tinged with emotion. “It’s in my family, and it’s hard when you see someone that you love so much going through something like that. So this is really, really, really important to me.”
-Sushmita Sarkar