Beyoncé called in many artists to feature on her new album “Cowboy Carter,” spanning country icons like Dolly Parton and Willie Nelson to up-and-comers including Tanner Adell and Shaboozey. But she also made it a family affair, enlisting her daughter Rumi Carter to appear on one of the record’s songs.
At the start of “Protector,” the fourth song on the project, the six-year-old can be heard in an audio snippet where she says, “Mom, can I hear the lullaby please?” It leads into the acoustic guitar ballad that plays as a tribute to her children — Rumi and her twin Sir, as well as her 12-year-old daughter Blue Ivy Carter — and conveys her deep love for them.
“I will lead you down that road if you lose your way / Born to be a protector / Even though I know someday you’re gonna shine on your own / I will be your projector,” sings Beyoncé on the heartfelt tune.
Fans took note that Rumi could potentially feature on the album after she was given her own artist page on streaming platforms a day before release. This isn’t the first time that Beyoncé has included one of her children on a song. In 2019, she featured Blue Ivy on “Brown Skin Girl,” a track included on her “Lion King: The Gift” album, and gave her a writing credit. After its release, Blue Ivy, then nine years old, became the second-youngest person to win a Grammy award after “Brown Skin Girl” took home the trophy for best music video. Blue Ivy prominently featured in her mother’s concert documentary “Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé,” which hit theaters in December.
“Cowboy Carter” arrived at midnight on Friday, less than two months after Beyoncé surprise-released two singles — “Texas Hold ‘Em” and “16 Carriages” — during the Super Bowl. In the time since, she explained that the album is a response to an incident where she felt “unwelcomed,” likely referring to a performance with the Dixie Chicks (as they were then known) at the 2016 Country Music Association Awards.
A full breakdown of the “Cowboy Carter” album here.
