The Grand Ole Opry is one of the most iconic venues in country music, and for a reason. In the past, the popular venue has hosted acts like Hank Williams, Dolly Parton, and Johnny Cash. Thus far, it's established a reputation for showcasing the best of country music. Recently, however, the Opry has announced that it will be showcasing different talents, and fans aren't sure how to respond.
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Just days ago, the Opry Instagram announced that Sabrina Carpenter will be performing at the venue on October 7th. "'Oh boy!' @sabrinacarpenter is making her Opry debut!" the account shared. The Grammy award-winning artist will be performing alongside Laci Kaye Booth, Kaitlin Butts, and Kameron Marlowe. Aside from making her debut, she will also be playing in celebration of the Opry's 100th Birthday Show.
Sabrina is definitely talented and has proven herself to be a force of nature in pop thus far. However, a lot of people have reservations about her performing at a venue that has historically been for country artists. One user commented, "Ok, I love her so much, but why is she at the Opry?" Another said, "I mean, I'm not hating here...I just don't get what a non-country artist is going to play at the Opry."
Could This Mean a Genre Switch for Sabrina Carpenter?
Some fans were a little more supportive of Sabrina's debut, saying that "she definitely has country influence in her music." Honestly, I can understand both sides. While Carpenter definitely adds a country flair to her sound from time to time, she's known for dominating pop. It'll be interesting to see how she pulls this one off, but I have no doubt she will.
Sabrina Carpenter recently released her newest album, Man's Best Friend. While the album definitely gives 80s pop goodness, you can hear Carpenter's country influence in there from time to time. On her last record, she even did a version of her song "Please Please Please" that included a feature from Dolly Parton, and honestly, I didn't hear anyone complaining about that!
With more and more pop artists daring to go the country route these days, it's not surprising that this is something Sabrina may also pursue. However, unlike a lot of pop artists, I do think Sabrina has a solid history of using country sounds in her songs, even before country was considered "cool." I for one, am looking forward to her Opry debut, and am very curious to see what tricks this popstar has up her sleeve.
Photo by: Sabrina Carpenter/YouTube
