We’ll admit, our first thought after Beyoncé broke the internet with two new songs was, Hold your horses, that metallic lingerie can’t be comfortable. But then we thought, Of course she’s going country. Not because we were smart enough to spot the seemingly obvious hints. Or, because she is, after all, from Houston. But because everyone seems to be into country right now — thanks in part to female artists of color. Besides Beyoncé, Mickey Guyton, Rissi Palmer, and Brittney Spencer (who just released “My Stupid Life”) have been leading the way for female country artists of color. All this renewed attention has some people feeling hopeful that female country artists will finally get their due. In 2022, female artists received just 11% of country radio airplay — and Black and biracial women, an abysmal .03% — but that could change in 2024, given this year’s slate of confirmed album releases: In addition to Beyoncé’s “Renaissance Act II,” expect new music from Kacey Musgraves, Sheryl Crow, and Lana Del Rey, who’s decided to sink her spurs into the genre. Giddy up.