Country music is always changing but there will also always be a core base of country music singers that stand out among the rest. These are more than just the singers that sell the most albums, they have country music in their blood.
Now that Beyoncé has entered into the genre of country music, her fans have loyally followed along. She did well with her country music hit, Texas Hold ’em, but that didn’t help her at the Country Music Awards (CMA).
Despite the fact that she had one of the biggest country music songs of the year, she didn’t receive a single nomination. This caused many of her fans to be up in arms, claiming that she should have received recognition at the awards and looking forward to her being the first black woman to be nominated for Album of the Year.
Her album, Cowboy Carter, was inspired due to the treatment she received at the 2016 CMA. She performed the song Daddy Lessons with The Chicks, and people were critical.
Even though she didn’t receive any awards, her success in the country music genre is unmistakable. She was at the top of the Billboard Hot Country Songs for 10 weeks consecutively, making it the second longest song of the year to obtain that goal.
In addition, she was the first black woman to be at the top of the charts in country music as a solo artist. Despite all of that, she didn’t receive nominations for any categories at the CMA.
Many of her friends, as well as media outlets, felt that she was being snubbed for her performance in 2016. Many have also said that just because she has a country music album does not mean that she is country.
Beyoncé said: “[The album 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”
There were many other factors that caused a stir among her fans as well as others who felt that she was snubbed on purpose at the awards. It’s all water under the bridge now, but it will be interesting to see what happens in 2025.
I’m 18 and obsessed with using sunbeds… but people online are saying I look “burnt to a crisp.”
Megan Blain, an 18-year-old who’s hooked on sunbeds, says she won’t stop tanning, even though online trolls are constantly insulting her. They’ve compared her skin to a “dirty 2p coin,” but she feels stuck in a tanning habit she can’t break.
Megan, from Seaham, County Durham, started using sunbeds at 16 to keep a tan all year. She ditched fake tan products for daily sunbed sessions and even began using tanning injections to get a darker glow. Although she didn’t know much about the risks, she spent up to 30 minutes on sunbeds, sometimes using baby oil to boost the effect.
Teenager Megan Blain, 18, has admitted to being addicted to sunbeds, despite facing harsh criticism online and noticing concerning changes to her skin
Megan said, “I liked how I looked with a tan. I wear bright colors, and the tan made them stand out more. Once I saw how good it looked, I started going to the sunbeds more often.”
But her intense tanning routine has raised health concerns. Megan now admits she’s addicted and has tried to cut back on sunbed use.
She also says the tanning injections make her feel sick, and she’s noticed a strange patch on her skin that changes size. Even though she’s scared it could be cancer, she hasn’t stopped tanning yet. Megan has tried to go to the doctor several times but gets too nervous to go inside.
“I’m the type of person who worries about everything, so it’s strange that I’m not more worried about this patch. I know it could be melanoma, but I still use sunbeds, which shows it’s an addiction. I never feel dark enough,” she explained.
She says she’s stuck in a cycle of overusing sunbeds and taking injections that make her feel sick and unable to eat. She used to go every day, but now she goes about four times a week.
Despite getting negative attention from strangers, with some saying she looks like a “burnt chip” or a “cremated” version of herself, Megan still can’t imagine life without tanning beds.
Megan said, “Everywhere I go, people stare at me. When they say I’m dark, I don’t believe them. I don’t feel dark at all, like I can’t see it myself.”
She admits she wants to stop using sunbeds one day, but she can’t imagine quitting. “I wouldn’t recommend this to anyone because you could get addicted without even realizing it, like I did,” she warned.
Megan has tried to cut down, now only using sunbeds four times a week, and she’s using her TikTok platform to warn younger people about the dangers of sunbed addiction. She’s especially worried because more young people seem to be using sunbeds than older ones, and she knows how easy it is to get hooked.
However, Megan has also faced online trolls who make fun of her tan. Some compare her to “burnt chips” or say her skin looks like a dirty “2p coin.” One person even asked if the sunbeds “cremated” her.
While Megan’s views on tanning have changed, she still struggles to break her habit of using UV lights.
Megan said, “After two years, I’ve changed my mind about sunbeds. If I could go back, I’d never start. Now, it’s not even about wanting to be tan anymore—I just feel like I have to use them.”
She explained that once she’s on the sunbed, it’s hard to turn it off. “I don’t even like using them anymore, I actually dread it, but I feel like I physically can’t stop.”
Another tanning addict, Fionnghuala Maguire, 35, from Belfast, shared her story, saying she feels “lucky to be alive” after using sunbeds almost every day for 15 years. She started at 14 and never used sunscreen during that time. Fionnghuala is now warning others not to make the same mistake, having been hooked on tanning and going to salons up to seven days a week at the height of her addiction.
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