Beyoncé earned a whopping nine Grammy nominations Tuesday, including best rock performance, but the singer’s twangy song “Daddy Lessons” was rejected by the Recording Academy’s country music committee.
A person familiar with the Grammy nomination process told The Associated Presson Wednesday (Dec. 7) that Beyoncé submitted “Daddy Lessons” — from her album Lemonade — to the country category. The person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the person was not allowed to speak publicly about the topic, said the country music committee rejected the song.
If Beyoncé’s song had made it through, it would have been eligible for honors such as best country song and country solo performance.
Representatives for Beyoncé and the Grammys didn’t immediately reply to emails seeking comment.
“Daddy Lessons” highlights the Houston native’s Southern music roots, incorporating horns, acoustic guitar and hand claps as Beyoncé sings about lessons she learned from her father and former manager. The lyrics include references to the Second Amendment, the Bible and shooting guns.
Beyoncé performed the track at last month’s Country Music Association Awards alongside the Dixie Chicks, and later released a version of the song featuring the country trio.
Earlier in the year, the Chicks covered the song on their tour, and others in the country genre welcomed the tune, including Blake Shelton, who defended the song from critics who say it’s not country.
Country star Dierks Bentley told The AP, “There is just something intangible about it that it feels like a country song.”
Karen Fairchild of Little Big Town said, “[Beyoncé] has some stories to tell — that’s clear on Lemonade. And that’s what makes country music great.”
Beyoncé still impressed the music world by earning Grammy nominations in the rock, pop, R&B and rap categories — becoming the first artist to earn nominations in those fields in the same year. Paul McCartney and Janet Jackson have also received Grammy nominations in pop, rock, R&B and rap, but not in the same year.
Beyoncé’s nine nominations include the big three: album of the year for Lemonade and song and record of the year for “Formation.” She is also competing for best rock performance (“Don’t Hurt Yourself” with Jack White), pop solo performance (“Hold Up”), rap/sung performance (“Freedom” with Kendrick Lamar) and urban contemporary album (Lemonade).
She has won 20 Grammy Awards and is the most-nominated woman in Grammy history with 62 nominations. Beyoncé is also competing for best music film with Lemonade and music video with “Formation.”
