Beyoncé performs in Atlanta on her Cowboy Carter and the Rodeo Chitlin' Circuit Tour on July 11, 2025.

Beyoncé Knowles-Carter wrapped up her "Cowboy Carter" tour this summer, and despite the history-making feat, her name has been pulled into recent online political and cultural controversies. It can feel like there's hardly a news cycle when Beyoncé isn't dragged into the discourse. And as she typically does, Beyoncé has responded with silence — though perhaps not stillness.

In July, country musician Gavin Adcock took aim at the singer when her "Cowboy Carter" album ranked higher than his on Apple Music's country albums chart. His comments sparked an outpouring of support for her on social media, with many noting country music’s diverse roots and its history of exclusion.

Later that month, President Donald Trump criticized the singer, claiming she was paid $11 million to endorse Kamala Harris' presidential bid — a payment the the Federal Election Commission has no record of.

Then, Beyoncé was thrown into the Sydney Sweeney and American Eagle controversy. While some users quickly came to Beyoncé's defense, comparisons to Beyoncé's Levi's jean ads still made the rounds online.

The debate continued when British media personality Piers Morgan entered the chat and accused Beyoncé of cultural appropriation when she rocked voluminous blond hair in a photoshoot.

"Very disappointed to see Beyoncé culturally appropriate Marilyn Monroe in her new Levi’s ad," he wrote on X. Later, Morgan walked back his comment, writing it was merely a joke.

Each time, Beyoncé has not said anything. Instead, the "Cowboy Carter" creator has forged away promoting her venture with Levi's, adding new products to her hair care line Cécred and possibly dropping hints about upcoming music.

How Beyoncé handles her critics: A look at recent moments

The album itself was born from Beyoncé's ties to country music. As a Texas native, she has always celebrated Southern culture. She and those close to her have spoken about how she was inspired by different music genres at a young age, including country. She also explored the genre before with her 2016 song "Daddy Lessons" and even celebrated elements of it as far back as her Destiny’s Child days.

But the "Cowboy Carter" album was also a direct response to doubters and gatekeepers.

Prior to releasing the album, Beyoncé alluded on social media to her 2016 performance at the CMA Awards and said it inspired her to create the project, which she worked on for five years.

"It was born out of an experience that I had years ago where I did not feel welcomed…and it was very clear that I wasn’t," she wrote on Instagram. "But, because of that experience, I did a deeper dive into the history of Country music and studied our rich musical archive."

On her first country album, Beyoncé featured Black country artists — both legends and emerging stars alike. The record made history and broke multiple records.

CMA Awards passed over, Grammy Awards taken over

Another instance came at the 2024 Country Music Association awards. Despite releasing her album and becoming the leading nominee at the People's Choice Country Awards, Beyoncé received not a single nomination at the CMAs — one of the most prestigious country music award shows. Though many others voiced their opinions, Beyoncé kept quiet.

Her response came a few months later when she became the first Black woman to win best country album at the 2025 Grammy Awards. The same ceremony started with her winning the award for best country duo/group performance for "II Most Wanted" with Miley Cyrus. It was the first time a Black woman won a Grammy for a country music song since the Pointer Sisters in 1975.

Not only were country wins at stake, "Cowboy Carter" was up for album of the year — the top prize of the evening and an honor Beyoncé hadn't yet received despite being the most decorated artist in Grammy history.

She took home that award as well.

Ticket sales concerns lead to highest grossing country tour

In February, Beyoncé announced her Cowboy Carter and the Rodeo Chitlin' Circuit Tour. Before she debuted the 32-night stadium tour at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on April 28, some critics questioned whether ticket sales and fan enthusiasm for this tour would match her past success. Her Renaissance World Tour reportedly grossed over $579 million across 56 shows.

The "Cowboy Carter" concert proved to be a revolutionary spectacle filled with fashion, different music genres and cultural commentary as she challenged industry norms. Turns out, it became the highest grossing country tour of all time, earning the title by pulling in over $400 million in just three months and 32 stops.

Follow Caché McClay, the USA TODAY Network's Beyoncé Knowles-Carter reporter, on Instagram, TikTok and X as @cachemcclay.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: How Beyoncé turns criticism — whether over jeans, country music or Trump — into comebacks

Reporting by Caché McClay, USA TODAY NETWORK / Nashville Tennessean

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