Beyoncé Is Taking Gen Z on a Country Music Ride They Didn't Expect

People are probably starting to wonder if there's anything Beyoncé can't do? Given her apparent musical versatility, the answer is probably no.

It's an unexpected twist that no one has seen coming, Gen Z have suddenly become owners of cowboy boots and hats to match. As Queen Bey strikes again and nails a new genre: country music. The hit "Texas Hold 'Em" has taken the internet by storm and in true TikTok fashion, there's already a viral dance that everyone is doing.

Beyoncé has upped her game and taken a chance that has definitely paid off. She released two country songs on February 11 and, in a span of just one week, she made history once again. After the song debuted at No. 1, Beyoncé became the first woman to have topped both the Hot Country Songs and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts, according to Billboard.

Newsweek spoke to three young women who have grown up listening to the singer and never imagined themselves line-dancing to one of her tracks.

Country music isn't usually part of young people's playlists, according to YouGov. The genre is indeed favored by older adults aged 45 or older whereas younger adults between 18 to 44 are more evenly split in their choices of favorite genre, with 13 percent of 1,000 adults choosing rap and hip-hop and 10 percent selecting runner-up pop.

Just 24 hours after the hit was released, Alessia Wilmore, 23, racked up 2.2 million views on TikTok. Using the handle @uhlayseeuh, the campaign manager from Long Island, New York, recorded herself contemplating the song in her bathroom.

The caption insinuates she wasn't sure at first, it says: "Beyonce girl i thought i was gonna have to sit this one out." But as soon as the beat kicks in, Wilmore is only short of screeching "yeee-haw" as she replaces her hood with a sparkly silver cowgirl hat.

She told Newsweek: "I have been a Beyoncé fan since I made it out the womb! For as long as I could remember.

"I was not 100 percent surprised that Beyoncé's Texas roots came out to shine, I'm sure it just caught myself and the Beyhive by surprise."

Of course, Wilmore isn't the only one who has shared a video of themselves grooving to the song. Another fan who has jumped on the bandwagon is Sage Thomas, 22, whose video amassed 10.1 million views on February 12.

"I was born and raised on Beyoncé so I've been a fan since I could remember," told the college student from Long Island, New York.

"When I found out that she was releasing a country song I was surprised but had no fear because Beyoncé is that girl and can do anything and it's will sound amazing.

"Honestly I'm not a big country girl, but Beyoncé is sure turning me into one—when I first heard it, I loved it! You can't help but to dance to it."

Using the hashtag @sagethomass, the clip has received almost 5,000 comments.

One said: "I like it. I love when singers venture out. It's fun and different."

Another said: "Not gonna lie...this is the first Beyoncé song I have loved in YEARS."

But the dance that is capturing the attention of millions wouldn't be possible without content creator Matt McCall, who choreographed it.

McCall, from Houston, Texas, told Newsweek: "I created it for fun with my best friend Dexter Mayfield and had no expectation of the massive response.

"It's been really exciting watching so many people from around the world recreate my choreography!"

On February 13, the video shared to his TikTok (@matt8mccall) blew up and amassed 39.4 million views.

At the time of writing, #texasholdem has 49,600 views on TikTok alone and it is filled with videos of people showcasing their best country dancing. It isn't just Gen Z who are loving the new music but millennials too.

Newsweek also spoke to 28-year-old LyAsha Anderson, from Atlanta, Georgia, about her video. Wearing the full shebang, Anderson performed live from her sitting room in a black two-piece, cowboy boots and of course a matching Western hat. So far, the clip shared on February 16, has 1.9 million views.

The strategy and consulting specialist told Newsweek: "When I first heard the song, I was pleasantly surprised by how well Beyoncé incorporated country elements into her music while maintaining her signature style.

"I have listened to more country music by other artists since she released the song. She's definitely opened a door for some of us to explore country music and have an appreciation for the genre as a whole. I'm excited to see what's next!"

Update 02/23/24, 9:33 a.m. ET: This article has been updated with a comment from Matt McCall.

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