The Grand Ole Opry has been testing a lot of country fans' patience lately, as well as the bounds of the genre in general. It wasn't too long ago that pop princess Sabrina Carpenter performed at the iconic venue, and there were a lot of mixed opinions about it. However, you have to admit, even though Sabrina certainly doesn't fit the typical country mold, she did sing some songs that were at least "country-influenced."
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Carpenter has also expressed time and time again how influenced she's been by country artists growing up, like Shania Twain and Dolly Parton, so the performance wasn't as out of pocket as fans assumed it would be. This week, however, another non-country performer took the stage, and he himself even admitted that he's "not a country artist." Fans still aren't sure how to feel about his appearance.
R&B performer Ne-Yo is very well known for songs like "Miss Independent" and "So Sick." What he's not known for is singing country music, as even he made very clear at his Opry performance yesterday. Regardless, that didn't stop him from chasing a dream. "I had no idea how I'm gonna do it." He told his audience, "Because I'm not a country artist, but I told myself at some point, I'm going to make it to the Grand Ole Opry stage." And you gotta hand it to the guy, he did do that, against all odds.
Fans Get Ruthless After Ne-Yo's Opry Performance
Even though he didn't necessarily sing it, Ne-Yo certainly dressed the part at the Opry, wearing an all-black fit complete with a cowboy hat. The R&B singer, who's won three Grammys for his work in the genre, gave an appreciative speech before singing his set.
"First and foremost, I wanna thank the Grand Ole Opry for allowing me to be here. This is a huge moment; this is a bucket list moment for me," he shared. Although it might have been a big moment for him, several Opry fans didn't exactly share his excitement. The Opry shared a post of the singer, saying, "Thanks for embracing the circle, @neyo! #Opry100," and the comments underneath were opinionated, to say the least.
"God I miss real country music!"
"Wearin a cowboy hat doesn't make you a country music artist just to say.."
"Guess there are ZERO real or sacred country music institutions anymore, I wonder when Alan Jackson or George Strait get their BET lifetime rap artist award?"
"Are you kidding me? First, Beyonce. Next, Post Malone. Then, K. Michelle. Now, Ne-Yo!"
Part of me can respect someone from a different genre having the guts to stand on a stage that's as revered as the Opry. However, another part of me understands the hesitation amongst Opry fans. The place is about as traditional as it gets, at least until lately. Should the Opry continue to welcome new genres with open arms, or stick to its roots and remain unproblematic? As for now, the question still stands.
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