Rhiannon Giddens Says She Felt She Had To ‘Compromise’ In Order To Play On Beyoncé’s ‘Cowboy Carter’

Beyoncé’s latest studio album Cowboy Carter is a Grammy Award record-setting project. Outside of the accolades, Cowboy Carter helped to further the careers of many of the musicians featured on it–including Shaboozey, Tanner Adell, Brittney Spencer, and Rhiannon Giddens.

However, as Cowboy Carter’s one-year anniversary approaches, Giddens remains conflicted about her contribution (the dazzling banjo playing on “Texas Hold ‘Em“) to the historic body of work. During an interview with Rolling Stone, Rhiannon Giddens expressed her complicated feelings about playing on Cowboy Carter.

“When I think about my banjo playing, I think of the lineage I have received through Joe Thompson and everyone who taught him, this connection to a very deep piece of my culture,” she said. “Every time I pull my banjo out, I’m thinking of that. If ever I do something that seems counter to that, there’s a very good reason.”

She continued: “There are two examples I could pull out, in my entire 20-year career, where I feel like I had to make a compromise in order for a greater good. This was one of those times. What was hard for me was to feel that gift treated as any other transaction in the music industry.”

Giddens did not name Beyoncé as the source of creative contention. But rather seemingly vented about the business side of the moment.

While the moment certainly benefitted her, for Giddens it also stirred up painful feelings about her identity. “Because of all the things I’ve been fighting for my whole life, it’s been difficult to be seen as a Black musician, especially since I’m mixed,” she said. “But for the first time, I felt acceptance from the mainstream Black community, which made me weep.”

With Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter Tour slated to kick off soon based on Giddens remarks, concertgoers should not expect a surprise cameo from her.