Beyoncé’s Representative Respond as Erykah Badu Criticizes New Album Cover

Before it even drops, Beyoncé’s upcoming album ‘Cowboy Carter’ has sparked controversy. Artist Erykah Badu criticized the album’s cover art, but Beyoncé’s longtime publicist, Yvette Schure, defended her. 

To highlight Beyoncé’s enduring style and talent, Schure uploaded an Instagram Reel featuring the singer’s signature braided hairstyles throughout her career.

Also Read: Beyoncé Might Have Covered Dolly Parton’s ‘Jolene’ For Her Upcoming Album

The album cover, which shows Beyoncé posing nude with a sash that reads “Act II Beyincé” across her body like the Statue of Liberty, had drawn criticism from Badu in the past. With a cryptic caption, Badu posted the album art to her Instagram Stories, implying that she prefers Beyoncé’s braided hairstyle.

Taking her criticism a step further, Badu expressed her disbelief at the portrayal and took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to ask Beyoncé’s husband, JAY-Z, to “say something” about the situation.

Before, Beyoncé had teased the album’s cover art and announced a 10-day countdown to its release. She revealed that the project was motivated by a previous encounter that left her feeling unwanted, which prompted her to research country music’s past and question genre conventions.

Beyoncé’s ‘Cowboy Carter’ album, which is scheduled for release on 29th March is anticipated to be a major artistic statement that tackles issues of diversity in music and representation.

– Farheen Ali