Kelsea Ballerini Defends Beyoncé’s Country Nominations at Grammys

Kelsea Ballerini is making space in country music for Beyoncé.

In a Jan. 31 appearance on SiriusXM’s “Fierce: Women in Music” show, Ballerini showed her support for Beyoncé, as well as Post Malone, amid criticism that the two artists received nominations for Grammy Awards in the country music categories.

“To me, you don’t have to be a country artist to make a country record,” the singer told host Lori Majewski. “Those don’t have to exist in the same plane. I’m a country artist, but I’ve done pop songs. That’s okay. So why isn’t it okay the other way around? That doesn’t make sense.”

She also opened up about the best country album category at the award show, adding, “That category, to me, represents what country music has been this year, and that’s what the album of the year category should represent — what has happened in country music and been successful and groundbreaking this year.

“I don’t really understand the other opinions other than, like, it’s amazing to have huge, respected artists in other genres come in and celebrate ours,” she said. “I don’t understand why that would be anything but great.” 

Ballerini is nominated in the best country duo/group performance category for her duet with Noah Kahan “Cowboys Cry Too” from her new album, “Patterns.” The category also features “II Most Wanted” by Beyoncé featuring Miley Cyrus and “I Had Some Help” by Post Malone featuring Morgan Wallen.

Beyoncé received 11 nominations at the 2025 Grammy Awards, including album of the year for the fifth time, record of the year, best country song, and best country album. Post Malone is also nominated in several categories, including best country song and best country album.

Across the more than two dozen tracks on “Cowboy Carter,” Beyoncé featured a wide range of collaborations, including with country artists like Malone, Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Shaboozey, Tanner Adell, Linda Martell and more.

While Parton was featured on the album, she spoke to Variety in September 2024 after “Cowboy Carter” was snubbed at the Country Music Awards. 

“I think everybody in country music welcomed her and thought that, that was good,” Parton said at the time. “So I don’t think it was a matter of shutting out, like doing that on purpose. I think it was just more of what the country charts and the country artists were doing, that do that all the time, not just a specialty album.”

Carlene Carter, the daughter of the late June Carter Cash, showed her support to Beyoncé after her album release, calling the singer “one of the Carter women.”

“I am here to let Beyoncé and to all those nay sayers know that I admire and love her and all she does,” she said in a statement. “I am delighted to know that Carter spunk is in her just like it’s been through nearly 100 years of us Carters choosing to follow ours (sic) hearts, hearts that are filled with love not just for country music but for all kinds of music.”