Reba McEntire: Women Need to Be ‘More Particular With Our Music’

Reba McEntire has had more than four decades in country music, and is also among the most successful artists in the genre. Because of her history, the 64-year-old has seen various phases in country music, including the current one where women struggle to be heard as much as male artists, and says the solution might be at least partly on the women.

“I think it’s been very open in a way, except for the woman being recorded,” McEntire shared with PopCulture.com and other media backstage at the ACM Awards. “The women know we’ve got to step up, and we’ve got to really be more particular with our music. We can’t chase anything. We’ve got to really find the songs that will touch people’s hearts. That’s how I have maintained a 43-year career. Because if I find a song that has touches my heart, hopefully when i sing it, it will touch your heart.”

“If you have no reaction from anything I say or do, I might as well not be up here taking your time,” she continued. “So that’s what we’ve got to do to make country music stronger, and make it, again, the strongest genre of music.”

McEntire is far from discouraged about the current state of country music. Instead, she is optimistic, based largely on the rising stars she saw perform during the ACM Awards ceremony.

“We’re just gearing up,” McEntire maintained. “I know it has been a little dry spell for the women, and after the Grammys and [the ACM Awards] – you saw some really powerful women performing. Ashley McBryde, I’m so excited about her career, and Kacey Musgraves. It’s going to be a very interesting 2019.”

McEntire was grateful to have a close-up view of the performances during the ACM Awards, where she became an even bigger fan of the new artists.

“Ashley McBryde and Luke Combs, I was just thrilled to death with both of their performances, and the audience love them,” boasted McEntire. “When Luke was singing, the audience was singing his song with him. It was like a Garth Brooks concert. I was really amazed. I was very stunned at first, and then I got to looking around. It’s a great song. It’s very country, and he’s such a great singer. And Ashley McBryde. They tore the house down when she got through.”

The “Freedom” singer is certain that the male-dominated genre will soon give way to a new season, one where the women will once again be heard.

“Country music has always been very diversified in the genre,” she said. “One time it will be very traditional, and then it will be very contemporary. It will all be girls, then it will all be boys. Everything changes up. It’s cyclical.”

Photo Credit: Getty Images/Santiago Felipe