“They don’t, don’t understand how laborious I needed to struggle for this,” sings Beyoncé on “Ameriican Requiem,” the harmony-laden opener on her eighth album “Cowboy Carter.” Anybody keyed into the promotional cycle main as much as its launch is aware of this properly.

Just a few weeks again, Beyoncé revealed that she got here up with the idea for the album, the second in her three-act challenge that kicked off with 2022’s “Renaissance,” after experiencing an incident the place she didn’t really feel “welcomed.” She was doubtless referring to a efficiency she gave on the 2016 Nation Music Affiliation Awards alongside the Dixie Chicks (as they have been then recognized), which was met with blowback on social media for giving her the highlight at a rustic occasion.

However Beyoncé used the expertise as inspiration for “Carter,” which she started engaged on 5 years in the past. Now, after releasing the singles “Texas Maintain ‘Em” and “16 Carriages” in early February, she’s lastly unveiled the sprawling 27-track challenge, a rustic — or in her phrases, a Beyoncé — album that toys with the conventions of what nation could be and infusing it with tropes and signifiers from different genres. At a hearty 80 minutes, “Carter” is a rebuttal to anybody who doubted that Beyoncé belonged in nation music; as an alternative, it retrofits nation to Beyoncé, bending and stretching what listeners would anticipate in a recent nation album, particularly from Beyoncé.

To paint within the traces, Beyoncé assembles a coterie of artists throughout “Carter,” spanning nation titans to up-and-comers. The marquee appearances materialize as duets and interludes. Put up Malone nabs the primary of two high-profile options this yr on “Levii’s Denims” (he’s slated to visitor on Taylor Swift’s upcoming album “The Tortured Poets Division,” releasing April 19), whereas Miley Cyrus lends her vocals to the highly effective collab “II Most Wished.”

“Carter” pays homage to nation legends by tapping them for a couple of cameos on interludes and tracks. Dolly Parton, whose 1973 basic “Jolene” will get revamped with new, fiery lyrics, contributes to an interlude entitled “Dolly P” and the opening moments of “Tyrant.” Willie Nelson has outdated nation radio-style appearances on a pair of “Smoke Hour” tracks, whereas Linda Martell, a foundational Black nation artist, will get her personal shine with “The Linda Martell Present.” She additionally seems on “Spaghettii,” referencing the controversy surrounding “Carter” and its designation as a rustic album when it was introduced.

“Genres are a humorous little idea, aren’t they?” says Martell. “Sure they’re. In concept, they’ve a easy definition that’s simple to know. However in apply, properly, some might really feel confined.”

Beyoncé additionally makes it a household affair on “Carter.” Her six-year-old daughter, Rumi Carter, could be heard initially of “Protector,” the place she says, “Mother, can I hear the lullaby please?” What follows is a deeply resonant ode to her kids, and a touching one at that: “I’ll lead you down that highway for those who lose your means / Born to be a protector,” she sings on the refrain. Beyoncé has beforehand proven love on file to her different daughter, Blue Ivy Carter, who at 9 years outdated turned the second-youngest artist to win a Grammy award for her look on 2019’s “Brown Pores and skin Lady.”

Beyoncé additionally facilities the highlight on some newer Black nation artists on “Carter.” Tanner Adell stars alongside Beyoncé on a canopy of the Beatles’ “Blackbird” (retitled “Blackbiird,” with two “i”‘s like lots of the songs on the album to suggest that it’s the second installment of the Renaissance challenge). Extra credited artists on “Blackbiird” embody Brittney Spencer, Tiera Kennedy and Reyna Roberts. Adell is finest generally known as a rustic star with a powerful social media following who launched her debut album “Buckle Bunny” final July. Her inclusion is notable: In February, shortly after Beyoncé dropped the primary two singles from the album, Adell tweeted that she needed to be thought of for a visitor look on the set.

“As one of many solely black ladies in nation music scene, I hope Bey decides to sprinkle me with a touch of her magic for a collab,” she wrote. It appears as if her want got here true.

Alt-country artist Shaboozey stops by for “Spaghettii,” one of many tougher hip-hop inflections of “Carter,” which samples the DJ Dedé Mandrake’s Brazilian Funk tune “Aquecimento – Vem Vem Vai Vai.” He additionally options on “Candy Honey Buckiin’.” A Virginia native, the 28-year-old has launched a pair of albums — 2018’s “Woman Wrangler” and 2022’s “Cowboys Reside Without end, Outlaws By no means Die” — although his hottest tune was a collab with Duckwrth entitled “Begin a Riot” that was featured on the 2018 soundtrack for “Spider Man: Into the Spider-Verse.”

Beyoncé faucets Willie Jones for “Ya Ya,” an eclectic mix of bluegrass, Americana and, in fact, a really outstanding pattern of Nancy Sinatra’s “These Boots Have been Made for Walkin’.” It’s unclear the place precisely Jones matches into the sonic palette of “Ya Ya,” however the spirit of the tune echoes the Shreveport, La.’s most up-to-date album “One thing to Dance To,” which launched final June.

The samples don’t begin and finish with Sinatra on “Ya Ya,” as there are many references and interpolations throughout “Carter.” On that very same monitor, Beyoncé sings a bit from the Seaside Boys’ “Good Vibrations.” A sped-up model of what seems to be Chuck Berry’s 1971 tune “Oh Louisiana” seems on an interlude of the identical identify. It’s certainly one of two Berry paeans: On “Smoke Hour – Willie Nelson,” a radio dial scrolls by snippets of songs together with Berry’s “Maybellene,” Roy Hamilton’s “Don’t Let Go” and Sister Rosetta Tharpe’s “Down by the River Facet.”

Beyoncé has two covers — the aforementioned “Jolene” and “Blackbiird” — and on “II Most Wished,” a purported interpolation of Fleetwood Mac’s “Landslide.” And on “Candy Honey Buckin’,” she makes an specific reference to Patsy Cline’s “I Fall to Items.”

There’s quite a bit to type by on “Carter,” a file with ambitions as massive as its accomplishments. However Beyoncé has managed to carry nation into her personal world, assembling a crew of musicians to execute her imaginative and prescient alongside the best way.