Music

Apple Music rounds out Black Music Month with the release of a special Apple Music Nashville Sessions: Beyoncé Covered collection, featuring live-recorded country covers of Beyoncé’s catalog by Black rising country artists. 

Celebrating the global icon’s genre-redefining COWBOY CARTER and her profound impact on music, the collection spotlights country artists championed by Apple Music over the years. These artists include Tiera Kennedy, BRELAND, and Joy Oladokun, who have hosted their own radio shows on Apple Music Country. Additionally, Madeline Edwards re-recorded P!nk’s “More” through Apple Music’s Lost & Found initiative, and other Apple Music Nashville Sessions have showcased artists such as Edwards, BRELAND, and Tanner Adell.

All covers are available in Spatial Audio exclusively on Apple Music and include “Sandcastles” by BRELAND, “Irreplaceable” by Brittney Spencer, “II MOST WANTED” by Joy Oladokun, “Halo” by Madeline Edwards, “Drunk In Love” by Tanner Adell, and “1+1” by Tiera Kennedy.

“Sandcastles” by BRELAND

A truly one-of-a-kind force on the country scene, BRELAND is reshaping the genre’s future with his fearless originality and visionary sound, and has earned massive acclaim for merging elements of country, hip-hop, R&B, gospel, and pop. Taking on the mission of redefining the possibilities of country and uniting fans from all walks of life, the New-Jersey-bred artist putting his own spin on “Sandcastles” says, “I think people should be able to express themselves however they want.”

“Irreplaceable” by Brittney Spencer

As a Baltimore native, Brittney Spencer—who released her debut album ‘My Stupid Life’ earlier this year—is known for her free spirit and standout ability to mold life, truth, and wild imagination into songs. Spencer, who covers “Irreplaceable,” tells Apple Music, “When I first heard that Beyonce was making a country album, I felt…ready.” 

“II MOST WANTED” by Joy Oladokun

First-generation daughter of Nigerian immigrants and proud queer Black woman, Joy Oladokun counts extraordinary accomplishments thus far—from captivating audiences on sold-out tours and late-night television to finding herself with a guitar in hand on the White House lawn in celebration of equality. Taking on the COWBOY CARTER track “II MOST WANTED,” she thinks the album has amplified an idea that she and her peers—and their fans—have known for a while. “Audiences of country music are bigger than we thought,” she says, “and they don’t look like we thought.”

“Halo” by Madeline Edwards

California born and Texas raised, Madeline Edwards has earned the praise from many—including Apple Music Country’s Ward Guenther who spotlighted the artist as “Riser of the Month” in August 2022—for transcending musical boundaries by incorporating her jazz, soul, gospel and country influences into her unique sound. “I get to add to the tapestry of beautiful American stories that make up the South,” says Edwards, who contributes a version of 2008’s “Halo.”

“Drunk In Love” by Tanner Adell

Brought up between the coast of Manhattan Beach, California and the rustic charm of Star Valley, Wyoming, Tanner Adell lived a free-spirited childhood in the country, complete with cowboy boots and rodeos. Weaving the tales of her upbringing through her musical storytelling, her lyricism keeps its roots in country while infusing an addictive blend of pop vocals and hip-hop beats. “Country music to me means family, and country music lets you tell your story,” the Buckle Bunny songstress tells Apple Music.

“1+1” by Tiera Kennedy

Rising singer-songwriter and Apple Music Country host of The Tiera Show, Tiera Kennedy is injecting country music with a breath of vitality. The Alabama native’s unique sound—an earnest storytelling-based country laced with the influence of the R&B she was raised on—stems from equal parts nature and nurture. As she readies her forthcoming full-length debut album, Kennedy tells Apple Music, “Beyonce has opened a door that’s going to be really hard to close.”

Apple Music Nashville Sessions gives artists the opportunity to perform a selection of their favorite tracks from their catalog, as well as a cover versions of their choice, recorded in incredible, immersive Spatial Audio. 

The post Apple Music Releases Country Covers of Beyoncé’s Songs by Black Emerging Artists first appeared on The Source.

The post Apple Music Releases Country Covers of Beyoncé’s Songs by Black Emerging Artists appeared first on The Source.