We're all over the place!
A musician living in Ireland features in Beyoncé's new song Texas Hold 'Em.
Rhiannon Giddens is originally from Greensboro, North Carolina but now lives in Co. Limerick, and is also the artist-in-residence at the Irish World Academy of Music & Dance.
She married an Irish trad musician in 2007 and has been living here ever since!
Beyoncé is going back to her country roots with this new album Act II, serving as the second in the promised trilogy of albums that began with Renaissance back in 2022.
The song opens with an impressive banjo riff, introducing the unmistakeable country sound into this new era for Beyoncé.
Rhiannon describes how it felt to first hear her own music playing at the start of a country song:
"The beginning is a solo riff on my minstrel banjo - and my only hope is that it might lead a few more intrepid folks into the exciting history of the banjo."
"I used to say many times as soon as Beyoncé puts the banjo on a track my job is done. Well, I didn’t expect the banjo to be mine, and I know darn well my job isn’t done, but today is a pretty good day." she added.
I woke up yesterday morning to new music from @Beyonce...featuring none other than my banjo and viola playing throughout!! Her single “Texas Hold ‘Em” is the first off her new country-inspired record, #actii.
Listen now! 🪕🐝 https://t.co/3KlQOO49ka pic.twitter.com/7NHKjXlqdy
— Rhiannon Giddens (@RhiannonGiddens) February 13, 2024
What a moment for Rhiannon! Are we alright to claim to her as one of our own now?
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