The year of yeehaw: 5 Canadian country music moments that shaped 2024
Natalie Harmsen | CBC Music | Posted: November 19, 2024 2:00 PM | Last Updated: November 19
From Shania Twain to Orville Peck, these country stars shined this year
Country music had a boom in 2024 — and Canadians helped usher in the resurgence. From emerging artists helming Beyoncé's Grammy-nominatd album Cowboy Carter to superstar k.d. lang receiving honours for her contributions to the genre, these are the five Canadian country music moments that stood out this year.
1. K.d. lang inducted into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame
On Sept. 14, the Grammy-winning country superstar was inducted into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame at the Canadian Country Music Awards in Edmonton. Lang reunited with her band the Reclines, who she played with in the '80s, for a performance of "Big Boned Gal."
"As you probably know, if you know anything about me, accolades and awards and record sales never mattered to me. I will say that this one is pretty meaningful," lang said after her performance. "I'm filled with absolute joy," she added.
In an interview with Q ahead of her induction, lang reflected on her storied career by explaining that she was "just trying to break the mould a little bit" by being a "lesbian, vegetarian country singer" in the '80s and '90s.
2. Canadian producers and songwriters worked on Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter
Beyoncé dropped one of the buzziest country albums of the year in March with Cowboy Carter, and several Canadian artists contributed to the record. Pop singer-songwriter Megan Bülow, producer/songwriter Nathan Ferraro and singer-songwriter Elizabeth Lowell Boland helped pen the infectious hit "Texas Hold 'Em." Boland, who has worked with the Beaches, Tate McRae and Lu Kala, also co-wrote the summery Cowboy Carter song "Bodyguard," and in June she received Billboard Canada's Non-Performing Songwriter Award presented by SOCAN for her work.
"I'm deeply grateful to receive this award, marking the first official recognition from my home country after a decade of success in the industry," she said.
Ferraro, who has credits on songs from Charli XCX, Lady Gaga and more, opened up about writing for Beyoncé: "I love Beyoncé and I love the record," he told Billboard Canada about crafting the song. "She's created such an amazing cultural moment."
Producer Dave Hamelin, of rock band the Stills, worked on the slow-burn ballad "16 Carriages" as an organist, guitarist and recording engineer. Additionally, Shawn Everett contributed production and mixing to Cowboy Carter, and Jack Rochon, a producer and songwriter, co-produced and co-wrote the track "Protector" on the album.
All the artists earned Grammy nominations for their work across several categories, including album of the year and best country album.
3. Orville Peck released his collaborative comeback album with Willie Nelson, Margo Price and more
Masked country star Orville Peck has always been one to push boundaries, and on his latest album, Stampede, he experimented with rock, disco and more. But before he dropped his expansive record, he hit a breaking point in 2023 with his mental and physical health and cancelled his tour: "I was completely burned out. I was so depressed, and I was just in a really bad place," he told Exclaim!.
The break afforded him time for relaxation and self-discovery, and he returned in 2024 with not only a tour, but a glittering collection of duets. Stampede was released in August and each song showed the country star singing alongside musical icons ranging from Elton John to Willie Nelson.
"I really set out to try to work with a diverse group of artists from different genres so that I could collaborate [on] a 50/50 blend of my style and theirs," he told CBC Music. "I wanted to challenge myself and step outside my comfort zone."
The genre-spanning album balances country with folk, disco and rock, and earned positive reviews in the Guardian, American Songwriter and more.
4. Josh Ross swept the CCMAs
Country singer Josh Ross, who made his Junos debut earlier this year with a performance of "Trouble" and "Single Again," won his first CCMA in 2023 for breakthrough artist. He returned to the CCMAs in September and won big by taking home five awards, the most of any artist this year. Ross won in the major categories including entertainer of the year and single of the year.
"This song was a surreal song," Ross said after collecting a trophy for Trouble," which spotlights the low points he experienced when moving to Nashville to launch his music career.
Ross also gave a heartfelt performance of "Want This Beer" with hitmaker Julia Michaels during the ceremony.
5. Shania Twain received her own Barbie doll
Between releasing the song "Boots Don't" for the Twister film, hosting the People's Choice Country Awards and kicking off a residency in Vegas, country superstar Shania Twain was busy throughout 2024. But a personal joyous moment for the singer came in March, when she was honoured with her own Barbie for International Women's Day.
"All I've wanted to do my whole life is tell stories of empowerment, independence and self-expression through my songwriting, getting to do that and inspire women and girls along the way is the dream ... everything else is a beautiful bonus!" she captioned on a photo of herself and her Barbie on Instagram.
The doll was outfitted in Twain's iconic black top hat and coat from the "Man! I Feel Like a Woman!" music video.
"This Barbie is sort of a projection — my own projection of myself," she told the Canadian Press at the time. "This character onstage, it's all play. The costuming, the hair, everything, it's all part of the same play that starts when you're a child."
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