The Houston native said “Cowboy Carter” came after an experience where she did not feel welcomed.

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Leading up to the release of her upcoming album Act II: Cowboy Carter, Beyoncé is unpacking the flak she’s received in the past for making country music.

In an Instagram post revealing the album art, which features her sitting sidesaddle on a stallion with an American flag in one hand and the reins in the other, Beyoncé shares that she’s honored her single “Texas Hold ‘Em” landed her the number one spot on the Hot Country Songs chart, making her the first Black woman to do so. Then, she mentions she got to work on the album after an experience of being excluded.

“This album has been over five years in the making,” the Houston native wrote. “It was born out of an experience that I had years ago where I did not feel welcomed…and it was very clear that I wasn’t.”

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She doesn’t mention what exactly that experience was. But it was in 2016 that her Lemonade track “Daddy Lessons” got the cold shoulder during awards season. When she performed it at the Country Music Association Awards show with The Chicks, some viewers complained and made racist comments. And when it came to the Grammys, the song was reportedly unsuccessfully submitted for country consideration.

“The criticisms I faced when I first entered this genre forced me to propel past the limitations that were put on me,” Beyoncé shared in her post. “[This album] is a result of challenging myself, and taking my time to bend and blend genres together to create this body of work.”

Through it all, her fans in the Beyhive have acted as vocal supporters of her music, posting lemons and bees on CMA’s Instagram account in 2016 after they deleted a promotional post about her performance. With Beyoncé’s latest foray into country music, fans have similarly banded together and made a wave of calls to an Oklahoma radio station that didn’t play “Texas Hold ‘Em” after a request.

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Meanwhile, Beyoncé is confident about the album, which is a continuation of 2022’s Renaissance, and expected to have some top-notch collaborators (and maybe even a cover of Dolly Parton’s “Jolene”). She mentioned studying up on country music and ultimately creating a record that goes beyond the genre.

“This ain’t a Country album,” the singer clarified. “This is a “Beyoncé” album.”