In today’s world where people can get any and every form of entertainment fast and easily, boredom occurs quickly. Low attention spans and lack of interest in repeating styles lead audiences to steer away from their favorite artists often as they desire to see something new. Singers change their genres to expand their outreach while maintaining the fanbase they currently have. With this comes new looks, commercials and connections with the public. The change from one form of music to another goes beyond the songs: it is a reinvention of the artist. Pushing the boundaries to maximize their influence is the bottom line of why singers try to change their already successful foundations and careers.
Recently, Beyoncé “going country” has brought a spotlight to her in the media. While she ventured from pop to R&B, in her 2022 album “Renaissance”, she has completely shifted her outlook in her new work, “Cowboy Carter”. On maybe a smaller scale of appreciation—yet still drawing the attention of millions—Jojo Siwa is making a turn to mature her looks, content and lyrics. For a star that fans saw grow up as a child throughout her singing and television career, seeing her shift from bows to an adult image as she gets older was a shock to many. Since both of these artists are already so popular, why would they decide to alter the direction of their careers? There could be many reasons for this, such as personal wants for something different, but the most likely explanation is to grow their market. In the past month, these two have gained as much attention as they have in possibly their whole career from both old fans following their new adventures, and new fans excited they are coming into a genre of their interest.
Stereotype barriers in the music industry are broken as artists expand their sphere of influence. Country music is a genre that has been dominated by mostly white and male singers. However, Beyoncé has shined a spotlight on black women in country music, making an impact beyond her own album. Beyoncé became the first black woman to have a Billboard number-one song in the country genre, other artists have benefitted from the fanbase she brings over in her cross-genre collaboration. While diversity in country music exists, it is now finally being recognized on a national scale by country and non-country fans abroad.
There is no single reason alone why an artist may switch genres. It could be to keep the interest of their audience, to change their public image or something they have always wanted to do. For any reason, artists like Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus and now Beyoncé have successfully done so and grown their fanbase in the process. A genre switch is not as simple as just changing a style of music, but the way singers present themselves and the legacy they want to leave. By crossing over into different genres, artists push the limitations of what is possible for others in the music industry.
