Category: Worldwide

Recently, blogger Jen Hatmaker had a funny conversation with a friend about parenting:

“My girlfriend told me the greatest story. Apparently her 11-year-old also wanted to be a grown up this week and, in fact, not only did he treat his siblings like despised underlings, but when asked what he wanted, he said: ‘I want the authority to be in charge of them and tell them what to do, because they deserve it!’

Well. My girlfriend and her husband are NOT AT ALL MESSING AROUND with parenting. Calmly, evenly, they granted his request to be a grown-up for a week by pulling him out of camp (the underlings still got to go, because they are ‘such children’) and sending him to work ALL DAY EVERY DAY with his dad. He has to get up early and shower and make breakfast for everyone. He has to kiss the underlings before he goes to work and tell them to have a great day and that he loves them. He has to work on a typing project during his office hours. He only gets to eat what his dad eats, because eating like a grown-up is not nearly as fun as eating like a kid.

Want to be an adult? Fine.”

Photo via iStock.

Hatmaker’s post went viral, with thousands of parents chiming in with their own stories of tough love, both giving and receiving.

The responses were hilarious, poignant, and a sign that the next generation is being parented by extremely capable, if not a little bit diabolical, hands.

Here are five of my favorite stories from the comments about parenting-gone-absolutely-right:

1. Jill Duff’s mom used an embarrassing outfit to teach her sister an important lesson:

“My sister was snotty to my Mom. She called her and pretty much demanded, ‘Bring my band uniform to the high school!’ She’s the one who forgot her uniform in the first place. Then she told my Mom ‘Do not come in the school, that would be so EMBARRASSING. Just wait for me by my car.’

So my Mom did just that. She stood by my sister’s car, in the Texas heat, WEARING my sister’s band uniform. All the kids walking out for the day saw it.

Parenting GOLD.“

And Mom was like…

2. Jessica Klick got her sons new shoes … but not the ones they wanted.

“Our 11 and 12 year olds at the time were complaining and whining and being ungrateful, saying how ‘hard their life was.’ For boys, the big thing is wearing those cool Steph Curry shoes and our boys LOVE their Currys!

So after hearing the last complaint my husband went to Walmart to buy white maypop leather shoes (the kind you see in geriatric centers) and high white socks. He brought those bad boys home, set them on the boys’ dresser, and made them wear those things everywhere we went. Those devastated boys told us we were ‘ruining their lives.’

I may or may not have laughed like a little girl when I dropped them off at school and watched them do the walk of shame.“

3. Marisa Rodriguez Byers says she wished her mother was dead. And boy, did she regret it.

“I was a wretched, hormonal teenager. At the age of 13 I told my mom, ‘I wish you were dead!’ And at that moment, she ‘died,’ but to me only. (I had younger sisters).

She completely ignored me, didn’t speak at me, didn’t look at me, wouldn’t cook for me, set my place at the table, wash my clothes, take me to school, NOTHING. After 8 days, I broke down in the middle of the night, went to her room, clutched her tightly while sobbing how sorry I was and how much I loved her and that I would NEVER say those words again. I’m 41 years old now, I have NEVER uttered those words or anything remotely like them after that incident.“

After tough love, you gotta hug it out.

4. Jessica Hill gave her daughter a good scare — and, in turn, a new appreciation.

“I was grocery shopping with my three year old when she decided to start screaming for ice cream. There was no reasoning with her in this hulk-type rage. I swear she had super human strength as I struggled to get her out of the cart full of groceries.

I was completely unaware of the two police officers who were witnessing this wrestling match. She was still hitting, kicking, and screaming when I was stopped by the police officers in the parking lot. They thought I had abducted her. This happened long before we had smart phones full of our children’s photos. They tried questioning her but she was still too busy throwing a fit, so I handed her over. I told them she could ride with them because I really needed a break and they could follow me home to see her birth certificate, baby book, etc. They started chuckling as one officer said, ‘Spoken like a true mom!’ I think they were more relieved than I was when she finally cried out, ‘Mommy?’

The officer handed her back to me while the other went back inside the store to ensure there wasn’t a distraught mother looking for her missing toddler. That evening my daughter told her dad she almost went to jail because she threw a fit, and I let her believe it. She didn’t throw a fit in public again.”

“Uhh, ma’am?”

“I didn’t mean to scare her, so after this experience, I wanted to ensure my daughter had a healthy respect and appreciation for first responders. Today, I’m happy to say she is highly aware and appreciative of the police, firemen, paramedics, and military personnel who serve to protect her.”

5. Erica Goodnight taught her son an incredible lesson that he carries to this day.

“My kid was whining over not having anything to play with. So, without a word, I went to the garage and got a black 50 gallon trash bag and started putting in all the toys that he obviously didn’t even realize were in our home to play with.

I loaded them AND him into the car and we drove to our local homeless shelter and gave every. single. toy. in the bag away. To a child who TRULY had nothing. And you know what? He didn’t even cry. His eyes were opened to the ones who have nothing. He actually enlarged his heart that day. And, we still do it. We still take toys to kids with nothing at least once a year.”

Parent win. Life lesson score.

There’s a fine line between teaching your kids a tough lesson in a funny way and engaging in “humiliation parenting.”

Making children wear a sign that says, “I sneak boys in at 3 a.m. and disrespect my parents and grandparents” or otherwise berating them publicly is a good way to erode trust between the two of you and seriously damage your relationship.

But calling their bluff on a ridiculous demand? Or having a little fun with how you choose to correct their bad attitude? That’s just plain survival.

And that’s what parenting is really all about.

You can read the whole hilarious exchange over on Facebook.

In the meantime, what’s your favorite tough-love story?

This article originally appeared on 07.13.16

The final season of HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm continues with a new episode this weekend. In season 12, episode 5, “Fish Stuck,” Larry asks his friends to vouch for his character following an incident at temple, while also trying to help name a baby and worrying about a fish. We’ve all been there.

Curb Your Enthusiasm season 12, episode 5 premieres on HBO and Max this Sunday, March 3, at 10 p.m. EST.

Earlier week, a member of the Curb family passed away. The great Richard Lewis died at 76 years old after suffering a heart attack. “Richard and I were born three days apart in the same hospital and for most of my life he’s been like a brother to me,” Larry David said in a statement about his buddy. “He had that rare combination of being the funniest person and also the sweetest. But today he made me sob, and for that I’ll never forgive him.”

Curb star Cheryl Hines also paid tribute to Lewis. “He would take time to tell the people he loved what they meant to him,” she wrote on X. “In between takes on Curb, he would tell me how special I was to him and how much he loved me. To be loved by Richard Lewis. A true gift. I love you Richard. You will be missed.”

Music lovers rush to X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram each year to share their Wrapped results with friends (sorry, not sorry, Apple Music). That data-driven badge of honor lets their friends and family know which albums, songs, and genres they were obsessed with on Spotify. But the streaming giant could be looking to do the same for audiobook enthusiasts.

Spotify has announced a new subscription plan solely for audiobooks. Continue below for details about the new plan.

How To Get A Spotify Subscription For Audiobooks Only

In October 2023, the platform rolled out audiobooks at no additional cost to its Spotify premium subscribers. Now, for those unwilling or uninterested in the music side of the app, Spotify offers an “audiobooks only” option starting at $9.99. To sign up, users must visit the mobile application or web version here, then select the “Audiobooks Access” plan. However, it is important to note the limits of the plan. Read the restriction as listed on Spotify’s website:

“With the Audiobooks Access plan, you now get 15 hours of audiobook listening time every month from our audiobooks subscriber catalog. Unused listening hours expire at the end of each month and do not carry over. Your music listening experience will be on our free, ad-supported service. If you’re an existing Premium subscriber or a Premium plan member, you’ll need to cancel your current plan first before joining Audiobooks Access.”

Find more information here.

Was this a big indie news week? Steven and Ian hope it wasn’t. Steven was off recording the audiobook version of his forthcoming book There Was Nothing You Could Do (out May 28, you can pre-order now!) so the guys had to bank this episode ahead of time. And you can immediately tell this was a banked episode, as they spend several minutes talking about the Kings Of Leon album that was announced last week. They also promise to spend next week talking about the big Fantasy Draft albums that are out today from Mannequin Pussy, Faye Webster, and Yard Act. Speaking of the fantasy draft, Vijay Iyer finally showed up on Metacritic and he has a fantastic score. But Ian insists he doesn’t regret pivoting off of him.

From there Steven and Ian dip into the mailbag to answer inquiries from our listeners. Some important topics are discussed. Is Q1 of the 2024 music release schedule historically great? Did Feist invent the “female seal” vocal style? Which modern albums would have ended up in thrift store bins, Fairweather Johnson-style? And Ty Segall, yay or nay?

New episodes of Indiecast drop every Friday. Listen to Episode 178 here and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. You can submit questions for Steve and Ian at [email protected], and make sure to follow us on Instagram and Twitter for all the latest news. We also recently launched a visualizer for our favorite Indiecast moments. Check those out here.

Welcome to SNX DLX, your weekly roundup of the best sneakers to hit the internet and where to find them. This week is an interesting one, it’s no secret that Nike is the dominating sneaker brand. The ol’ Swoosh snags most of the spots on our list week to week, but brands like New Balance and Saucony aren’t that far behind.

It’s also a great week for three-strip fans. While Adidas has some of the best classic silhouettes in all of footwear and great collaborators, it’s rarely been competitive with the big Swoosh lately. This week is different. Snagging nearly half of an admittedly short list, we have Adidas, with its strongest drop week in recent memory.

We love to see it — we just wish the other brands had something to show as well. Here are the seven best sneakers dropping this week.

Nike Women’s Air Jordan 5 Lucky Green

Price: $210

This week the legendary Lucky Green colorway returns! The AJ 5 Lucky Green features a crispy white leather upper with a black shark tooth over a green midsole with embroidered details and a translucent lace lock.

It’s one of those Nike drops that feels incredibly lazy yet is somehow undeniable. It’s an easy pickup for fans of classic Jordan colorways.

The Nike Women’s Air Jordan 5 Lucky Green is out now for a retail price of $210. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app or aftermarket sites like GOAT and Flight Club.

Nike Air Terra Humara x UNDEFEATED Light Menta

Price: $170

Nike and UNDEFEATED are teaming up again for a seasick take on a ‘90s classic. I say “seasick” because this sneaker has a sort of aquatic vibe to it. It’s a bit messy thanks to its shaggy suede upper. Rounding out the design are woven underlays, a textured heel piece, and a speckled midsole with UNDEFEATED branding at the tongue and heel.

The Nike Air Terra Humara x UNDEFEATED Light Menta is out now for a retail price of $170. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app.

Nike Air Foamposite One Black and Varsity Purple

Price: $240

The Air Foamposite One is the polar opposite of the Air Humara UNDEFEATED collab. Where that sneaker was textural and messy, this one is all sleek and futuristic. The sneaker features a molded upper in metallic Varsity Purple over a semi-translucent outsole and black contrast points.

It’s futuristic, stealthy, and ultra-sleek. It’s an instant favorite of the month.

The Nike Air Foamposite One Black and Varsity Purple is set to drop on February 29th at 7:00 AM PST for a retail price of $240. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app or aftermarket sites like GOAT and Flight Club.

Nike Air Jordan 5 Olive

Price: $225

Sorry to the Lucky Green but the best Jordan 5 dropping this week is without a doubt the Jordan 5 Olive. The sneaker features a textured upper in Army Olive with a metallic tongue, translucent outsole, and orange-speckled shark tooth at the midsole.

It’s a great combination of colors but our favorite detail is the metallic silver tongue which shimmers under low light. The colors and textures are in perfect harmony here, one of the best colorways to ever hit the Jordan 5.

The Nike Air Jordan 5 Olive is set to drop on March 2nd at 7:00 AM PST for a retail price of $225. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app or aftermarket sites like GOAT.

Adidas Rivalry Low Extra Butter

Price: $140

A late ‘80s classic returns! The Rivalry silhouette is back and it’s looking better than ever. The sneaker features a smoothed-out leather upper with a leather lining, lace jewel, rubber outsole, and a ragged three-stripe design with frayed threads.

The colorway combines warm beige tones with a white perforated underlay and a red stripe tongue. Anytime Adidas updates an old silhouette, they’re going to knock it out of the park.

The Adidas Rivalry Low Extra Butter is out now for a retail price of $140. Pick up a pair via the Adidas Confirmed app.

Adidas AE 1 Best of Adi

Price: $120

Adidas has been rolling out the AE 1 colorways lately and the best of those new colorways is this week’s Cloud White and Core Black take on the Anthony Edwards signature. The sneaker features a textile upper over a BOOST midsole equipped with Lightstrike cushioning.

The AE 1 is designed for speedy court play and this colorway highlights the ultra-sleek design perfectly. I love that such a simple design can look so different when dipped in different colors. It’s no secret that I’m not the biggest fan of Adidas’ more recent silhouettes, but the AE 1 is an exception.

The Adidas AE 1 Best of Adi is set to drop on March 1st at 7:00 AM PST for a retail price of $120. Pick up a pair at Adidas or aftermarket sites like Flight Club.

Adidas Bali

Price: $115

Do you see what I mean about vintage Adidas designs? They just hit in a way that the modern stuff can’t. The Adidas Bali was originally released in 1977 as part of the limited “Island Series” collection of sneakers. Much of the design language here is lifted from the Samba, which is never a bad move.

The sneaker features a smooth all-suede upper with a monochromatic teal colorway. It’s simple, yes, but we wouldn’t change a thing.

The Adidas Bali is set to drop on February 29th for a retail price of $115. Pick up a pair at Adidas and select retailers like END.

Disclaimer: While all of the products recommended here were chosen independently by our editorial staff, Uproxx may receive payment to direct readers to certain retail vendors who are offering these products for purchase.

After making the leap from a throwaway gag in the Batman comics to a fan-favorite character on Harley Quinn, Kite Man is moving up even further by getting his own spinoff series Kite Man: Hell Yeah! on Max. The high-flying villain has big plans in this raunchy spinoff, and you can definitely expect some of your favorite Harley Quinn characters to come along for the ride.

Here’s everything we know so far about the new spinoff series from Harley Quinn executive producer Justin Halpern:

Plot

Like Harley Quinn, don’t expect too much in the way of plot as the Kite Man: Hell Yeah! will lean more into the hilarious private lives of Gotham’s most notorious criminals. When they’re not embroiled in elaborately themed heists, sometimes they just want to cut loose and get freaky, and Kite Man plans on opening just the place for them.

Here’s the official synopsis:

Kite Man and Golden Glider take their relationship to the next level by opening a bar in the shadow of Lex Luthor’s Legion of Doom. Nobody said serving cold ones to the most dangerous rogues outside of Arkham Asylum would be easy, but sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name, and how to hide a body.

As for Kite Man’s backstory, well, he lives up to his name and a surprisingly tragic backstory for a toss-off character with a funny catchphrase that was coined by writer Tom King during the mid-2010s. In the latest version of the comics, Charles Brown Sr. is a brilliant engineer who gets mixed up with The Joker and ends up building the Clown Prince’s Jokermobile. This move puts Brown in the middle of an all-consuming gang war between The Riddler and The Joker during Batman’s early years, and ultimately leads to the death of Brown’s son after The Riddler poisons a kite string.

Brown soon builds himself an experimental kite suit and fights for The Joker in the ongoing gang war. However, Brown is routinely mocked because Kite Man is a pretty ridiculous schtick, and he becomes a punchline in the criminal underworld despite being a loyal soldier for The Joker.

Whether any of this tragic backstory will pop up in Kite Man: Hell Yeah! remains to be seen, but The Joker has been a routine presence in Harley Quinn so we could see that connection explored in the new comedic series.

Cast

Matt Oberg will reprise role as Kite Man along with Kaley Cuoco as Harley Quinn. There will also be some familiar voices from her series including Keith David as Darkseid, James Adomian as Bane, Janelle James as Queen of Fables, Jonathan Banks as Noonan, Stephanie Hsu as Golden Glider, and the late great Lance Reddick as Lex Luthor.

Release Date

Max has yet to reveal an official streaming date for Kite Man: Hell Yeah!, but the series announcement confirmed the Harley Quinn spinoff will debut some time in 2024.

Trailer

You can watch the official teaser below:

Kite Man: Hell Yeah! will take flight in 2024 on Max.

Yellowstone opened a wealth of opportunity on television, not only for those who enjoy watching approximately 8,000 Taylor Sheridan shows but also those who hail the return of the Western atop the pop culture mountain. When it comes to Outer Range, sure, comparisons between the two realms have been made, and star Josh Brolin has pointed out why the Amazon Prime series stands far apart from the “imitator” label. The series actually qualifies as a neo-Western/sci-fi series that will appeal not only to lovers of Dad TV but also Lost and even The X-Files mixed up in a heady dramatic brew.

It’s worth noting that for all of Brolin’s very valid points (about this not being a Yellowstone knockoff even if it benefits or “piggybacks” off the trend), plenty of parallels do exist. The show revolves around a sprawling ranch, and of course an outside force wants to come and snatch that land. The joint also houses an expansive family with unresolved issues regarding tragedy, and people also tend to get killed. And there’s no peace to be found, only threats on the horizon, but in this case, one of those dark forces involves that yawning hole in the ground. So, the show has a blast with the similarities to Yellowstone but also veers into WTF territory.

That “WTF” to nothing do with the fact that Brolin recently shed his clothes while teasing the next season, and at least he did not lose the cowboy hat. Let’s get down to business on where the second season will pick up.

Plot

Brolin portrays Royal Abbott, which yes, will remind people of his turn in No Country For Old Men, although the menacing realities of the Texas range are far different than what Abbott finds in Wyoming. The giant void initially seemed alien-ish, but as viewers recall, the discovery coincided with the arrival of the mysterious Autumn (Imogen Poots), and the chess game that followed kept everyone on their toes. Before the season ended, the series posed plenty of questions about the nature of time travel. Royal had already been revealed as a time traveler from the 19th century who had popped up in the 1960s, and yes, that had to do with that hole. Revelations about Autumn added to the mystery, and Deputy Sheriff Joy Hawk’s vision of Indigenous people was not entirely clear as far as when that took place (also tied to time travel).

In other words, this series truly ends up being far from Yellowstone in time, place, and tone (mountains actually disappear from view, y’all, so this is spacey), but some of the two worlds’ common themes do remain universal. So, what is on tap for this next season?

Filming has completed, and Brolin has been on the press circuit for Dune: Part Two. Brolin was cryptic and didn’t reveal too much but also stressed that he is enormously pleased with how this season turned out like he wanted the first season to be, which does sound thrilling:

“I was in a marketing meeting two days ago. We saw a couple of teasers for the entire season because I directed one of the episodes, and I was very happy to do that. And it was a very exciting process for me… It looks like I wanted it to look the first season. It looks incredible, and I’m very, very happy with it. Not that I was totally disappointed with the first season, I just felt like we were finding ourselves, and I feel like we found ourselves now.”

Brolin does come by his love of Westerns honestly, given that he grew up on a California ranch and also starred in not only No Country For Old Men but also True Grit. And Outer Range combines his love of producing and helping to craft the show and his ability to deftly portray laconic characters who do not show their hand and, in fact, can be several steps ahead of those who oppose them.

Of course, there were layers there as well, since Abbott had claimed that he hadn’t known about his time-traveling origins. By the end of the first season, the audience knows better, but that’s likely only the tip of the iceberg of secrets here.

Cast

Brolin wouldn’t miss being Royal Abbott for the world, and he’s also executive producing alongside Brian Watkins, head writer and creator. Imogen Poots portrays the incendiary Autumn Rovers, Tom Pelphrey steps in as Perry (son to Abbott), and Lili Taylor portrays Cecilia (wife to Abbott). The show also stars Sean Sips as Luke Tillerson and Noah Reed as Billy Tillerson. Do not forget about Tamara Podemski as Deputy Sheriff Joy Hawk.

Release Date

Amazon will bring the new season to viewers beginning in May 2024.

Trailer

No trailer has surfaced yet, but that should happen fairly soon. In the meantime, enjoy this intimidating poker session complete with a “feet” request and a distracting story about the Devil.

The Stranger Things team just dropped a behind-the-scenes photo that has fans melting down over the highly anticipated fifth and final season. In the new pic, Sadie Sink and Caleb McLaughlin are back as Max and Lucas, but the setting is not exactly the most uplifting. Or is it?

The events of Stranger Things 4 left Max in the hospital, and clearly, Lucas is still by her side as fans wait to see if or when the character recovers from her truly horrifying ordeal that did not look great. While it’s sure to be an emotional experience, Sink and McLaughlin seem to be having fun filming the somber scene, which you can see below:

However, one particular detail jumped out at Stranger Thing fans: a Kate Bush tape on the bedside table. “Running Up That Hill” played a pivotal role in Stranger Things 4 as the song helped Max escape Vecna during the emotional fourth episode that nearly saw her leave the Hawkins Crew for good. Unfortunately, Max had less luck during a second encounter with Vecna in the season finale, and now sits in a coma that she may never wake up from.

You can see more reactions below as fans are all up in their feels over Lucas never giving up on Max:

(Via Stranger Things on Twitter)

As she’s often done and will continue to do, Beyoncé sparked an integral social conversation in response to her world-stopping work. In early February during the Super Bowl, the announcement of her rumored forthcoming country album “Act II” — lead by the plucky single “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM” and the stripped-down ballad “16 CARRIAGES” — raised several points surrounding the genre’s diversity issue. Both songs feature production, writing, and instrumental assists from Black artists. (“TEXAS HOLD ‘EM” features Black folk musician Rihannon Giddens on banjo and viola, while roots music steel guitarist Robert Randolph can be heard on “16 CARRIAGES.”)

Despite the songs’ rapid popularity following their surprise release, a post on X alluded to an Oklahoma country radio station refusing to play “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM,” stirring allegations of racism. It was later clarified that the station was unaware that Beyoncé had released music within this genre. (Early metadata also suggests that the songs were initially placed under her typical labels — Pop, Hot AC, Rhythmic, Urban, R&B — rather than country, which it was eventually serviced to.) Regardless of whether these songs will get airtime on country radio or not, the notion that the genre is attempting to shut out Beyoncé because of her perceived lack of country street cred has loomed largely.

But we’re missing the forest for the trees. Bey’s place in country music ultimately turns the genre’s proverbial mirror inward, in order to highlight a larger issue regarding the longtime exclusion of the genre’s Black female artists by both institutions and fans. These artists are integral to the foundation of country music, but seldom get the respect or visibility to compensate for the contributions they’ve made. Whether this was Beyoncé’s intention or not, “Act II” is both an album release and a social experiment. She’s helping to apply pressure on a machine designed to exclude certain acts from certain genres in order to force a change.

“I want to recognize that I do not know of any Black female country artists and I do think that this is a problem,” says Jane*, a country music fan from Massachusetts, when asked if she actively listens to country music by Black artists. “There is no representation for Black female artists in country music, and very little representation for Black male country artists. I think that Beyoncé’s two songs are highlighting this major fault.”

Despite “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM”s supremacy on both the country charts and the all-genre Billboard Hot 100, country’s fiercest advocates have taken umbrage with the idea that the Houston-bred icon is threatening “traditional” country music, identified by simple production and thematic-yet-unifying lyricism. This is due to the sonic je nais se quoi that makes a Beyoncé song, a Beyoncé song. (Unparalleled vocal runs, harmonies, and layered production.) As we saw with Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road” in 2019, 2017’s “Meant To Be” by Bebe Rexha and Florida Georgia Line, and even Shania Twain’s “Man! I Feel Like a Woman!” in 1997, this isn’t the first time a discussion about “what country sounds like” has occurred.

“I think it is inevitable that [genre cross-pollination] happens,” says country fan Xavier, who not only names Zach Bryan and Charles Wesley Godwin as some of his favorite acts, but performs country music in NYC. In the last 15 years especially, pop, hip-hop, and trap beats have infiltrated the genre by acts such as Morgan Wallen (“Wasted On You”), rapper-turned-country star Jelly Roll (“Unlive”), and Florida Georgia Line (“Lil Bit”). Purists may also condemn these artists, but it seems that casual fans — and the charts — don’t seem to mind.

But the “sound” of some songs doesn’t negate the fact that there are Black women country acts, producers, and songwriters who are fighting to have their work heard, regardless of whether they’re releasing genre-bending takes or “pure” country tracks. What ultimately stifles these voices in the mainstream is the genre’s deeply rooted racism, inherent misogynoir, and the demonstrated unwillingness of fans and higher powers to dive deeper into the diversity country offers outside of what is already being pushed.

“Chris Willman did a really great article in Variety, and he included a quote about how [country] programmers have been searching for this amazing Black woman that is an incredible singer, has charisma, has the right voice, the right song… but they just haven’t found her,” explains country music star Rissi Palmer over Zoom. “There have been more than 50 years of Black women trying to be in the genre…not one?” With her 2007 song “Country Girl,” Palmer became the first Black woman in 20 years to have a song hit Billboard’s country music chart. She is also the host of Apple Music’s radio show “Color Me Country with Rissi Palmer,” where she highlights non-white acts within country.

“Myself and my friends [musicians Denitia, Madeline Edwards, Tiera Kennedy, Miko Marks, and Sacha] went to the Opry to support Camille Parker,” she continues. “In the group you have a variety of colors, shapes, size, perspective, sound. Every one of these women has put music out into the world, several of them are signed to major labels…not one [fits the criteria]?”

Race played a major factor in the distribution of music during the beginning of the recording era, around the 1920s. Black art was relegated to “race records,” while white acts played “hillbilly music.” Both “types” of music featured instruments that Black artists are often credited with bringing to the forefront, such as the banjo, which was long associated with slaves. “Race records” would eventually evolve into rhythm and blues, and “hillbilly music” — presented as more “marketable” to rural whites — would birth country music. With this said, music scholars often acknowledge country’s Black roots and overarching influence. However, its segregated foundation contributes to a present-day aversion to change, and the continuation of Black artists being overlooked or ignored.

These days, country radio remains overwhelmingly white and male. Per PBS: “A recent study from the University of Ottawa found a mere .03 percent of all songs on country radio from 2002 to 2020 were by Black women. Less than 1 percent of the 411 artists signed to the three major country music labels are people of color.” Linda Martell was the first Black woman to hit the country charts with “Color Him Father.” When her singles hit Billboard’s country charts, Beyoncé became just the eighth Black woman to have her work appear there, joining Martell, Ruby Falls, Pointer Sisters, Nisha Jackson, Dona Mason, Palmer, and Mickey Guyton.

“I think that country is an American art form,” Palmer notes of the importance of Black country artists. “It borrows from Celtic tradition, African tradition, Mexican tradition, and Native American tradition. You bring all these things together, and it makes this art form that is truly unique and special to the experiences of this country, and that’s what should make it inclusive.”

“I really hope people realize that country is such a diverse genre and that it shouldn’t be defined by any stereotypes,” country fan Xavier adds regarding the importance of inclusivity in country music. (He was born and raised in China.)

Perhaps more than any other genre, country music thrives on the pertinence of storytelling. Now more than ever, Black women deserve just as much of a chance as anyone to share their stories. As a country composed of the descendants of individuals from all over the world, there is nothing more American than art chronicling these diverse experiences. Julie Williams’ “Southern Curls” highlights Black beauty. “Seeds” by Rissi Palmer exemplifies the power of community. Mickey Guyton’s “Black Like Me” earned a Grammy nomination in 2020, christening her as the first Black woman to be nominated for “Best Country Solo Performance.” (“These are valid stories, these are country stories,” Palmer affirms.)

But such is life — these voices remain muffled rather than amplified, not just because of the genre’s diversity issue, but also perhaps as a means to turn a blind eye to reality. This creates barriers between Black art and consumers. So, how do we continue to bolster these voices in country music?

Support them. Listen to their stories. Shine a light. Give them your time. Because not only have they been here doing the work, they’re not going anywhere.

Songwriter and performer Frankie Staton made waves during the ‘90s by leading the nationally recognized Black Country Music Association, which had an aim to educate the masses and form community within the country music space. Music journalist and artist manager Holly G founded the Black Opry in 2021, an in-person community of Black artists and fans that commune to celebrate the art form. Equal Access, now entering its third year, is an initiative that strives for equity among artists, executives, and management in country music. Per USA Today, its cohorts have been about 60 percent Black women. There’s also CMT’s Next Women of Country, where women of color (including Denitia and Tanner Adell) reportedly make up 12 percent of the artists in the program.

Plus, there’s a plethora of radio shows and podcasts like “Color Me Country” that speak to the non-white experience in the genre, as well as playlists that highlight country music from minority groups. (Don Flemons’ Tennessean playlist is a robust exploration of Black country music, while Spotify’s “Country Frequency” and “Country Latino,” and Apple Music’s “Boots & Mocs” highlight country, roots, and Americana music from Black, Brown, and Indigenous voices.)

“I remember during the election in 2020…somebody said that the motto of Black women is: ‘Forget it, I’ll do it,’” Palmer laughs. “We’re doing that [within country]! We always make a way when we have to. Plus, Google is your friend. You’ve got the same Google that I do.”

What does this moment mean for the future of Black women artists in country music? Palmer (as well as Xavier, Jane* and likely many other country advocates) are hopeful that these conversations allow both new and longtime fans to expand their horizons when it comes to their idea of country music.

“I do think that anyone regardless of race, gender, or background can create a song that includes many country aspects,” Jane* says. “Anyone can make any kind of music they want to, [and] mix country with whatever you want to. I don’t think that my opinion of country music should limit anyone to stay in a box.”

There’s also the wish that Black women country musicians, songwriters, and producers seize the opportunity to strike while the iron is hot, but continue to stay true to who they are.

“I’m not looking at this like ‘Beyoncé has swooped down to save all of us and to take her with us,’ because it’s not her job,” Palmer explains. “It doesn’t start with Beyoncé, it doesn’t start with Charley Pride, it goes way further than that, and that’s the story that needs to be told at this moment.”

“There’s a lot of really great music,” she continues. “If people just take the time to look it up, they will find a treasure trove. Whatever it is that you’re looking for, whatever style [of country music] you like, it’s out there.”

The late Johnny Cash’s hit song “Ring Of Fire” is a musical staple.

Due to country music fans’ deep love for the track, some musicians may stay far away from it. However, Lykke Li isn’t afraid of covering a cult classic (just listen to her take on Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive“). So, when Netflix came calling for her to put on spin on the track for its upcoming film, Damsel, she eagerly jumped at the opportunity.

No version will top Cash’s, but Li’s smokey rendition, produced by Andrew Sarlo, isn’t so bad either. In a statement, Li opened up about her love for the record crediting its original songwriters June Carter Cash and Merle Kilgore.

“I respect her songwriting so much,” she said. “You realize just how powerful it is when you can sing her song in any way. A song of that quality can be a lullaby, it can be a hymn, it can be a country song–and it just stands the test of time.”

Netflix’s Damsel starring Millie Bobby Brown and directed by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo is due out on March 8. Find more information here. View the full trailer here.

Listen to Li’s “Ring Of Fire” cover above.