Tiera Kennedy, Featured on Beyoncé’s ‘Cowboy Carter,’ Defends CMA’s Decision Not to Nominate the Project, While Thanking Beyoncé: “I Know There Are Humans at CMA That Care—Change Is Slow”

Country singer Tiera Kennedy has broken her silence regarding the recent controversy surrounding the lack of CMA nominations for Beyoncé’s groundbreaking project Cowboy Carter. Kennedy, who collaborated with Beyoncé on the poignant track “BLACKBIRD,” shared her thoughts in a heartfelt video on her platform, opting to speak from the heart rather than through traditional media outlets.

In a five-minute video that struck a raw and introspective tone, Kennedy made it clear that she has no intention of “talking down” on the CMA. “I don’t think that’s how God wants me to walk through life,” she said with quiet resolve. Though many expected her to lash out at the perceived snub, Kennedy instead chose a different path, one rooted in her own personal experiences with the Country Music Association. “I’ve gotten to work with CMA through different events, and so I know the humans behind CMA,” she explained. “I don’t know all of them, but I know that there are humans at CMA that care.”

Her words, however, came with an underlying sadness. For so many who saw Cowboy Carter as a moment of reckoning and opportunity within country music, the absence of even a single CMA nod felt like a missed opportunity — a silence that spoke louder than any accolade could. But Kennedy doesn’t see it that way. She acknowledged the widespread sentiment that the CMA missed the point of Beyoncé’s album but gently pushed back. “That’s just not true, in my opinion,” she said, adding with a heavy heart that “change is slow.”

It’s a message that resonates all too deeply for Black artists in country music, who often feel the weight of history and the slow grind toward recognition. Kennedy herself has seen the industry’s highs and lows, a fact she didn’t shy away from in her video. “I’ve seen the good and bad side of country music,” she admitted, her voice tinged with the hard-earned wisdom of someone who’s walked this road before.

And yet, Kennedy was quick to uplift others involved in the project, especially fellow collaborator Shaboozey, who did receive nominations for his work. “I want to give him his flowers,” she said warmly, spotlighting his contributions to Cowboy Carter and the recognition he’s received, despite the album as a whole being overlooked.

Kennedy’s words also shed light on a more profound truth: that Cowboy Carter was never about the awards. “I don’t think she made this album to get a CMA nomination,” she said of Beyoncé’s intentions. “I think she made this album to share the history of country music and to open the door for Black country artists like me.” There’s a deep, quiet pain in acknowledging that such a visionary project might be underappreciated in its time, but Kennedy refuses to lose sight of the bigger picture. In her eyes, the album wasn’t about accolades; it was about laying the groundwork for change.

Toward the end of her video, Kennedy became even more reflective. She admitted that while the current conversations around race and country music are important, they can also feel discouraging. “It’s not very encouraging to see people talk about how hard it is to be a Black woman in country music,” she shared. But even in that vulnerability, Kennedy found a way to express gratitude, noting how much happier she’s been in her career after the opportunity Beyoncé gave her through Cowboy Carter.

As Kennedy spoke, there was an undeniable sense of sadness in her voice — not just for what was lost in the CMA snub, but for the longer journey that still lies ahead. But beneath that sadness was a quiet strength, the kind that comes from someone who knows the importance of planting seeds, even if they might not bloom in her lifetime.

In a world that often measures success by the number of awards on a shelf, Kennedy’s response was a reminder of the deeper, more enduring success — the kind that reshapes an industry, one voice at a time.