Who Gets to Belong? The Music Industry’s Bias Against Black Women’s Success

The entertainment industry has undoubtedly entered a golden age of women in music. Female producers, writers, and performers are no longer just seen—they are forcing themselves to be heard. By clean-sweeping award shows, challenging industry norms, and using their music to push boundaries with bold, controversial themes and visuals, this era has given women more control over their narratives than ever before.

Unfortunately, like all good things, this justified shift in the industry has a downside. Society’s obsession with pitting women against each other rather than allowing them to flourish together fuels unnecessary rivalries and fan wars. And too often, Black women are cast as the competition, scrutinized and sidelined instead of celebrated alongside their non-black peers.

Used to say I spoke too country, then the rejection came, said I wasn’t country ‘nough

–Beyoncé, “AMERIICAN REQUIEM“

Photo: Blair Caldwell 

Beyoncé Knowles—a Houston-born performer who has dedicated her life to music since age nine—sparked controversy at this year’s Grammys with her Cowboy Carter album wins. From Americana to Louisiana zydeco, Cowboy Carter paid tribute to multiple subgenres of country music in more ways than one. In the eyes and ears of many African Americans in the South, or anyone who paid enough attention to the lyrics, the message of the album was clear: Black Americans were the pioneers of country music, and it’s time to reclaim that part of history and make it our own again. We can’t continue to let the contributions of Black people not only be discredited but redefined by our white counterparts.

Ironically, the very message Beyoncé aimed to highlight was used against her. Instead of being embraced when she won “Best Country Album,” she was met with backlash and critics questioning her “authenticity” in the country genre. Just as country music was taken from Black pioneers and rebranded by white America, Beyoncé’s success in the genre was met with an attempt to discredit and exclude her—proving the very point Cowboy Carter set out to make.

If this wasn’t enough, the music sensation’s backlash continued after her second album win of the night. It should have been a celebration when Beyoncé won Album of the Year for Cowboy Carter. This was her first time receiving the award, despite five previous well deserved album nominations.

Rather, a reaction broke out, with many people claiming that Billie Eilish was far more deserving. Despite being a gifted young musician, Eilish has not yet dabbled in other genres like Beyoncé, or other nominees like Charli XCX, had done with their album releases of that year. When cameras captured Eilish getting teary-eyed, fans infantilized her while demonizing Beyoncé, backing it with racist remarks deeming her unworthy of the award.

“Something ‘bout those tears of yours, how does it feel to be adored? You, and your alligator tears”

–Beyoncé, ALLIIGATOR TEARS

Doechii has honed her technique and accumulated a genuine audience over the years, through her vulnerable YouTube videos and songs that created a unique blend of alternative, R&B, house, and rap sounds. There was an instant response after she won a Grammy for Best Rap Album for her mixtape Alligator Bites Never Heal. People on social media said they had “never heard of her” and implied she was an “industry plant,” a term used to disparage musicians who are not self-made but are instead artificially supported by record firms.

What happened with Doechii was the exact opposite: In a video posted to her YouTube channel in 2020, the aspiring artist proclaimed that she was fired from her job. As a result, she dedicated her life to finding a record label willing to sign her and finally make her dreams into a reality. “I literally have nothing to lose. I have no place, I have no job, I have no children,” she continued. “Who cares? I’ll let you know how that goes.”

Despite this, many music fans denied the Florida artist’s credibility. Compare this to Chappell Roan, who became a household name in just a year and took home the Grammy for Best New Artist. Even though she achieved her success, few people asked her whereabouts or how she became so well-known so fast. Conversely, Doechii was compelled to justify her validity despite outstanding performances and her musical journey being thoroughly documented throughout the years.

Beyoncé and Doechii are not the first Black women to face this kind of dismissal. The same happened to Whitney Houston when critics questioned whether she was “too pop” to be a true R&B artist. Nicki Minaj, despite being one of the most successful female rappers in history, has been repeatedly overlooked at the Grammys. Even Megan Thee Stallion’s Grammy win in 2021 was met with murmurs of her being an “industry favorite” rather than an organically successful artist.

The problem is twofold: Black women’s achievements are constantly doubted, forcing them to work twice as hard for half the credit. When they step outside the genres they are “assigned” to, they are met with hostility, while their peers are given the freedom to experiment without backlash. The harsh reality, even in 2025, is that Black women can’t just win; they have to prove they deserve it.