Being asked to collaborate on a Beyonce album is the equivalent of knighthood, and the morning after “Cowboy Carter” dropped to near-universal hosannahs, featured artists Miley Cyrus and Post Malone shared their gratitude at the rare honor.
Cyrus, who duets with Beyonce on the song “II Most Wanted,” wrote on social media:
“I’ve loved Beyonce since long before I had the opportunity to meet & work with her.
“My admiration runs so much deeper now that I’ve created along side of her. Thank you Beyonce. You’re everything & more. Love you. To everyone who spent time making this song so special thank you from the bottom of my heart. Sincerely , Miley.”
Post, who performs on “Levii’s Jeans,” kept his message short and sweet. “Thank you Beyonce! Congrats. This album is beautiful!,” concluding with red, white and blue hearts.
Calling the album an “epic tour de force,” Variety‘s Chris Willman wrote: “[‘Cowboy Carter’] sounds pretty magnificent, if a short answer is required. But if it’s genre we all really want to get into, ‘Cowboy Carter’ sounds kinda country, and kinda not — in a way that feels wholly country. Because what is modern country music if not a cornucopia that’s a long way past being defined by a single sound? ‘Act II’ feels a lot like a 27-course meal, difficult to describe in whole, but endlessly easy to digest, serving by serving. There are moments throughout where she’s embracing the tropes and traditions of country as we’ve known it, and just as many where you’re thinking she decided to abandon the concept, until suddenly Willie Nelson or Dolly Parton pop up for one of their intermittent spoken cameos, and suddenly she’s veered back into C&W mode again. No one will mistake this sprawling set for ever following a straight path, or having a remotely dull moment.”