On Monday night (April 1), Beyoncé took the stage at Los Angeles' Dolby Theater to accept the Innovator Award at the 2024 iHeartRadio Music Awards, just days after releasing her new album. Cowboy Carter. The pop star accepted the trophy from Stevie Wonder, whom she thanked for playing harmonica on “Jolene,” and dedicated the award to her innovators: Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Tracy Chapman, Linda Martell, Prince, Stevie Wonder, André 3000, Tina Turner, and Michael Jackson. Watch a replay of the moment below.
“I love you and I honor you,” Beyoncé told Wonder during her speech. “I want to thank you for making a way for all of us. I am honored to receive this recognition from you, Stevie Wonder. Every time someone asks me if there's anyone I can listen to for the rest of my life, it's always you.”
“Innovation starts with a dream, but then you have to execute that dream, and that road can be very bumpy,” he continued. “Being innovative means saying what everyone else thinks is impossible. Being innovative often means being criticized, which will often test your mental strength. Being innovative means leaning on faith and trusting that God will catch you and guide you. So at every record label, at every radio station, at every award show, I hope we're more open to the joy and liberation that comes from enjoying art, without preconceptions.”
In his list of 27 songs, Cowboy Carter includes covers of Dolly Parton's “Jolene” and The Beatles' “Blackbird,” as well as collaborations with Parton herself, Willie Nelson, Miley Cyrus, Post Malone, Shaboozey, Linda Martell, Willie Jones, Tanner Adell, Brittney Spencer, Tiera Kennedy, Reyna Roberts and Beyoncé's child Rumi Carter. Although the album's title and lead singles “16 Carriages” and “Texas Hold 'Em” suggested it was a country album, Beyoncé has gone on record to correct this, saying, “This is not a country album. This it's a 'Beyoncé' album.
“This album took over five years,” Beyoncé said in a press release. “It was really wonderful to have the time and the grace to be able to spend my time with him. Originally I was going to put Cowboy Carter out first, but with the pandemic, there was too much weight in the world. We wanted to dance. We deserved to dance. But I had to trust God's timing.”
Cowboy Carterwhich was originally announced as Act II2022 follows Renaissance. “Texas Hold 'Em” reached No. 1 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs, making Beyoncé the first black woman to do so. The song also topped the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Beyoncé's ninth track to do so and first since “Break My Soul”.
