United News of Bangladesh

Coke Studio Bangla has released the second track for its ongoing third season on Friday titled "Ma Lo Ma" featuring the dynamic Pritom Hasan, Shagor Dewan, Arif Dewan and rapper Aly Hasan. The newest song is intended to take the audience on a profound exploration of the journey of life and self-discovery, according to the music platform. Pritom Hasan is the music producer of this brand new track, infusing his twist alongside the duo from the musically acclaimed Dewan family: Shagor Dewan and Arif Dewan, whose ancestor is the original writer of the song "Ma Lo Ma Jhilojhi." The song "Ma Lo Ma" encapsulates the realization that life is a journey where the inevitability of adulting and nostalgia work as two sides of a coin. This song serves as a conversation acknowledging this inevitable shift, using the metaphor of a broken boat symbolizing life and a river symbolizing the world. Adding depth to the song is the infusion of 'Chhaad Petano Gan’, a form of ’Shaari Gaan’ from the folk genre tracing back to the Mughal Era. An urban version of this was found among building masons around the 80's and 90's, who migrated to cities for livelihood and sang these verses while working to construct concrete roofs. The combination of beats from the paddles along with the verses breaks monotony, while creating a festive atmosphere around their work. According to Coke Studio Bangla, "Ma Lo Ma" is more than just a song; it's an experience that resonates with audiences of all ages, reminding them of the beauty of self-acceptance and the journey of growth. Curated and Produced by Shayan Chowdhury Arnob & Pritom Hasan, "Ma Lo Ma"s music is composed and arranged by Pritom while the song is written by Md Khalek Dewan (Another version of the song was penned by Baul Rashid Uddin, named Ma Go Ma). The Rap part is written by Aly Hasan and "Kalir Noyon Jole" is a collected folk song. With Faizan R Ahmad (Buno) as the Chief Sound Engineer, the song features Pritom Hasan (Station, Guitar), Shorfuddin Dewan Sagor (Vocal), Md Arif Dewan (Vocal, Violin), and Aly Hasan (Rap). The 'Chhaad Petano Team' for the song includes Sanda Rani Sarker, Md Sokir Sheikh, Asa Rani, Sima Rani Kormoker, Padma Rani Sarker, and Mukti Rani Sarker, while Jannatul Firdous Akbar, Shanta Islam and Samsan Rayna Ahmed performed as the back vocalists. The song is available across the official YouTube and Spotify channels of Coke Studio Bangla.

A new documentary delves into the life and legacy of the eminent photographer Nasir Ali Mamun, renowned for his unique approach to portrait photography and dubbed the "Poet of the Camera" - and is scheduled to be screened next Friday. Titled "Nasir Ali Mamun: In Praise of Shadows” (Chhayabandana), the 65-minute long documentary is crafted by the British expatriate Bangladeshi filmmaker Makbul Chowdhury. Set to be premiered on May 10 at 4 pm at the National Art Gallery auditorium of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, the documentary spans the extensive career of Mamun, focusing on his contributions to developing portrait photography in Bangladesh. His portraits, often of significant personalities and celebrities, showcase a distinct mastery of light and shadow—a technique he passionately advocates. "I prefer using natural light," Mamun has famously stated, emphasizing the artistic control this element provides. The film explores these themes, portraying the dedication and meditative process that define his artistic practice. Regarding the documentary, director Makbul Chowdhury said: “For the last five years, I have lived with this film - and finally, all the arrangements for showing the film have been completed. This documentary is a detailed work on the life and work of Nasir Ali Mamun, a photographer who captured my interest since I was a teenager. The photographic journey of Nasir Ali Mamun, a creator of his own identity in portrait photography, is a journey of labor, struggle and meditation of a tireless artist. You are all invited to the screening of the film.” Known as one of the pioneering photographers in Bangladesh, Mamun took many portraits of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in the early seventies and recorded his rare moments from close up. Right after the Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971, Mamun's camera defined portraiture in Bangladesh that eventually ushered in and changed the landscape of portrait photography in the country. Being ‘the poet with the camera’, Mamun has taken some of the most iconic portraits Bangladesh has ever seen. His black and white images display a beautiful yet enigmatic and equivocal coalescence of light and shadow. The screening of the film is open to all.

Shark Tank Bangladesh, the Bangladeshi version of the reality show Shark Tank, made its debut on Friday and was highly anticipated to entertain, impart  knowledge, ignite innovation and investment opportunities across the nation. Viewers can catch the action-packed episodes on Bongo and Deepto TV, every Friday at 10pm. If missed viewers will be able to stream on OTT Platform Bongo anytime anywhere, said a media release. "Shark Tank" offers aspiring entrepreneurs a chance to pitch their groundbreaking business ideas to a panel of seasoned investors, known as "Sharks." With the potential for on-the-spot investments, the stakes are high as contestants vie for the support and expertise of the esteemed Sharks. Since its inception in Japan as "Money Tigers" in 2001, the format has achieved global acclaim, spawning adaptations across continents, from "Dragon's Den" to "Lion's Den." With nearly $1 billion invested by the Sharks themselves, the show has propelled countless businesses to unprecedented success, fostering growth and innovation on a massive scale. Over Tk 1 crore was invested in the premiere episode of "Shark Tank Bangladesh” where four promising entrepreneurs stepped into the spotlight, each showcasing their visionary ideas in front of the Sharks. The Sharks present were Sami Ahmed, Nazim Farhan Chowhdury, Navin Ahmed, Ahmed Ali (Leon) and Golam Murshed. Booktionary: founder Mehedi Hasan Nayon introduced a revolutionary platform that merges the love for books with cutting-edge technology. With "Booktionary," users can buy, sell, and exchange university books seamlessly, ushering in a new era of a book recycling programme for students at universities. Sharks Nazim Farhan Choudhury and Sami Ahmed were quick to recognize its potential, investing Tk 30 lakh for a 15 percent equity stake. Cookoly: female entrepreneur Shayla Sharmin captivated the Sharks with her innovative approach to cooking. With her brand "Cookoly," she offers ready-to-cook mixes made from organic ingredients, free from preservatives and chemicals. The sugar free masala chai mix is the signature product that all tea takers will look to try as she ensures the sweetness through her special mix of ingredients. Impressed by the concept, Sharks Golam Murshed, Nazim Farhan Choudhury, and Ahmed Ali secured a 40 percent equity stake with a Tk 30 lakh investment. EcoCutler: Md. Azizul Haque presented "EcoCutler," a venture dedicated to eco-friendly wood and bamboo cutlery and straws. While the Sharks resonated with the mission, no deal was reached in this round. They are determined to be back in another season with better market traction. Beauty Solutions: Female entrepreneur Naznin Akhtar Dalia from Narayanganj showcased her skincare brand "Beauty Solutions," emphasizing the use of organic ingredients. Her impressive revenue and profitability numbers not only won over Sharks Ghulam Murshed, Sami Ahmed, and Ahmed Ali, who collectively invested Tk 50 lakh for eight percent equity stake, but it was the toughest negotiation on this episode. With each episode promising new innovations and investment opportunities, "Shark Tank Bangladesh" is set to create new ways for entrepreneurs to access capital. Shark Tank Bangladesh has Robi as the "Title Sponsor", Startup Bangladesh as "Powered by Sponsor", Tally Solutions as "Co-Sponsor", Prime Bank as "Banking Partner", Olympic Foodie Instant Noodles as "Snacks Partner", Sunquick as "Beverage Partner", Yellow by Beximco as “Wardrobe Partner”, Kloth Studio as “Style Partner”, Miniso as “Gift Partner”, Holiday Inn as “Hospitality Partner”, Euro Vigil Security Service as “Security Partner”, Raw Exposure as “Photography Partner”, Live2web as “Backstory Partner”, Chows as “Restaurant Partner” and Concito as “PR Partner”. The production of the programme was done by Red Dot Communications.

New York’s highest court on Thursday overturned Harvey Weinstein ’s 2020 rape conviction, finding the judge at the landmark #MeToo trial prejudiced the ex-movie mogul with “egregious” improper rulings, including a decision to let women testify about allegations that weren’t part of the case. “We conclude that the trial court erroneously admitted testimony of uncharged, alleged prior sexual acts against persons other than the complainants of the underlying crimes," the court's 4-3 decision said. “The remedy for these egregious errors is a new trial.” The state Court of Appeals ruling reopens a painful chapter in America’s reckoning with sexual misconduct by powerful figures — an era that began in 2017 with a flood of allegations against Weinstein. His accusers could again be forced to retell their stories on the witness stand. The court's majority said “it is an abuse of judicial discretion to permit untested allegations of nothing more than bad behavior that destroys a defendant’s character but sheds no light on their credibility as related to the criminal charges lodged against them.” In a stinging dissent, Judge Madeline Singas wrote that the majority was “whitewashing the facts to conform to a he-said/she-said narrative,” and said the Court of Appeals was continuing a “disturbing trend of overturning juries’ guilty verdicts in cases involving sexual violence.” “The majority’s determination perpetuates outdated notions of sexual violence and allows predators to escape accountability,” Singas wrote. Weinstein, 72, has been serving a 23-year sentence in a New York prison following his conviction on charges of criminal sex act for forcibly performing oral sex on a TV and film production assistant in 2006 and rape in the third degree for an attack on an aspiring actress in 2013. He will remain imprisoned because he was convicted in Los Angeles in 2022 of another rape and sentenced to 16 years in prison. Weinstein was acquitted in Los Angeles on charges involving one of the women who testified in New York. Weinstein lawyer Arthur Aidala said immediately after the ruling came out: “We all worked very hard and this is a tremendous victory for every criminal defendant in the state of New York.” Lawyers for the women who accused Weinstein in the New York case did not immediately return messages Thursday. Weinstein’s lawyers argued Judge James Burke’s rulings in favor of the prosecution turned the trial into “1-800-GET-HARVEY.” The reversal of Weinstein’s conviction is the second major #MeToo setback in the last two years, after the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal of a Pennsylvania court decision to throw out Bill Cosby’s sexual assault conviction. Weinstein’s conviction stood for more than four years, heralded by activists and advocates as a milestone achievement, but dissected just as quickly by his lawyers and, later, the Court of Appeals when it heard arguments on the matter in February. Allegations against Weinstein, the once powerful and feared studio boss behind such Oscar winners as “Pulp Fiction” and “Shakespeare in Love,” ushered in the #MeToo movement. Dozens of women came forward to accuse Weinstein, including famous actresses such as Ashley Judd and Uma Thurman. His New York trial drew intense publicity, with protesters chanting “rapist” outside the courthouse. Weinstein is incarcerated in New York at the Mohawk Correctional Facility, about 100 miles (160 kilometers) northwest of Albany. He maintains his innocence. He contends any sexual activity was consensual. Aidala argued before the appeals court in February that Burke swayed the trial by allowing three women to testify about allegations that weren’t part of the case and by giving prosecutors permission to confront Weinstein, if he had testified, about his long history of brutish behavior. Aidala argued the extra testimony went beyond the normally allowable details about motive, opportunity, intent or a common scheme or plan, and essentially put Weinstein on trial for crimes he wasn’t charged with. Weinstein wanted to testify, but opted not to because Burke’s ruling would’ve meant answering questions about more than two-dozen alleged acts of misbehavior dating back four decades, Aidala said. They included fighting with his movie producer brother, flipping over a table in anger and snapping at waiters and yelling at his assistants. “We had a defendant who was begging to tell his side of the story. It’s a he said, she said case, and he’s saying ‘that’s not how it happened. Let me tell you how I did it,’” Aidala argued. Instead, the jurors heard evidence of Weinstein’s prior bad behavior that “had nothing to do with truth and veracity. It was all ‘he’s a bad guy.’” Aidala also took issue with Burke’s refusal to remove a juror who had written a novel involving predatory older men, a topic the defense lawyer argued too closely resembled the issues in Weinstein’s case. A lawyer for the Manhattan district attorney’s office, which prosecuted the case, argued that the judge‘s rulings were proper and that the extra evidence and testimony he allowed was important to provide jurors context about Weinstein’s behavior and the way he interacted with women. “Defendant’s argument was that they had a consensual and loving relationship both before and after the charged incidents,” Appellate Chief Steven Wu argued, referring to one of the women Weinstein was charged with assaulting. The additional testimony “just rebutted that characterization completely.” Wu said Weinstein’s acquittal on the most serious charges — two counts of predatory sexual assault and a first-degree rape charge involving actor Annabella Sciorra’s allegations of a mid-1990s rape — showed jurors were paying attention and they were not confused or overwhelmed by the additional testimony. The Associated Press does not generally identify people alleging sexual assault unless they consent to be named; Sciorra has spoken publicly about her allegations. The Court of Appeals agreed last year to take Weinstein’s case after an intermediate appeals court upheld his conviction. Prior to their ruling, judges on the lower appellate court had raised doubts about Burke’s conduct during oral arguments. One observed that Burke had let prosecutors pile on with “incredibly prejudicial testimony” from additional witnesses. Burke’s term expired at the end of 2022. He was not reappointed and is no longer a judge. In appealing, Weinstein’s lawyers sought a new trial, but only for the criminal sexual act charge. They argued the rape charge could not be retried because it involves alleged conduct outside the statute of limitations.

In keeping with the previous years, Bangladesh is participating in the prestigious Venice International Art Biennale. Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy under the guidance of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is taking  part in this event. The overarching theme of this year’s biennale is ‘Foreigners Everywhere’, according to press release received here. The Bangladesh pavilion under the caption ‘Yearning for Harmony: In the Crisis of the Civilization’ has been formally inaugurated in the touristic city of Venice on 18 April 2024 in presence of a huge number of artists, art lovers and critics, journalists, member of expatriate Bangladeshi community, educationist, and high officials. A 6-member Bangladeshi delegation led by the Director General of Shilpakala Academy Mr. Liaquat Ali Lucky attended the inauguration ceremony. Consul General of Bangladesh in Milan Mr. M J H Jabed, Honorary Consul of Bangladesh in Venice Avv. Fabrizio Ippolito D'Avino, Curator of Bangladesh pavilion Ms. Viviana Vannucci also attended the ceremony. In his address to the foreign audience, the Director General of Shilpakala Academy said that Bangladesh is a proud participant at the Venice Biennale which is the world's premiere art event. The artworks displayed at the Bangladesh pavilion are done by both celebrated and promising artists of the country. He informed that Bangladesh also hosts Asian Art Biennale which has drawn attention of art connoisseurs from across the world. He invited the Italian artists and art critics to attend the future art events to be organized in Bangladesh. Consul General of Bangladesh in Milan noted that during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s last visit to Italy a cultural Cooperation Agreement was signed between Bangladesh and Italy under which two friendly countries are expected to broaden cooperation in the cultural domain. He also noted that Bangladesh has a rich history in art which needs to be showcased before the global community. Mr. Jabed also stated that Cultural Diplomacy is one of the priority areas in the Public Diplomacy endeavour of the present government. From the Bangladesh delegation Ms. Nafriza Shayma, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Cultural Affairs and Ekushey Padak awardee artist Professor Shahjahan Ahmed Bikash spoke on the occasion. This is the 5th consecutive time that Bangladesh has been participating at the Venice Biennale.The 6-month long event will continue till end November-2024.

The solo art exhibition by Suranjana Bhattacharja titled ‘Stitched Collage’ has begun at La Galerie, Alliance Française de Dhaka (AFD), inaugurated on Friday evening. Renowned art critic Moinuddin Khaled, eminent artist Syed Iqbal, DU Faculty of Fine Art Professor Shishir Bhattacharjee, popular author, physicist, academic, activist Prof Dr Muhammed Zafar Iqbal and eminent artist Monirul Islam attended the opening ceremony of the exhibition as the special guests.  Collage as a technique or form of art would be about two thousand years old. After the invention of paper, it started in China and continued through the Middle Ages, in Japan as well as in Europe, before and after the Renaissance, in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, along with the Surrealist and Dada movements followed by Modern art. Great artists like Pablo Picasso, Georges Braque, Henri Matisse and Wassily Kandinsky among many others did each collage in their own way. Among these maestros, particularly Kandinsky’s work has always been one of the principal sources of surprise, love and inspiration for Suranjana. Born in Narayanganj but brought up in Chittagong and then in Narsingdi, Bangladesh, Suranjana had always a penchant for sewing and got training in a technical school run by the Bangladesh Government in Narshingdi in the late eighties. About a decade ago, the artist was stricken by Dystrophy, a rare, chronic disease which caused her left hand to be partly disabled. To fight against the disease, Suranjana started ‘stitched collage,’ a new form of art inspired by Kandinsky among others. There was a copy of a collage hanging in one of the walls of her Montreal apartment, the famous blue nude by Matisse who also did this when he was almost visually impaired, a mere coincidence, as the artist says. She was immensely motivated by that coincidence and this exhibition is a brainchild of that inspiration. The exhibition will be open to all till Saturday, April 27, Monday to Saturday from 3 pm to 9 pm.

Renowned Bangladeshi film critic, screenwriter and journalist Sadia Khalid Reeti has been invited to the Fipresci (International Federation of Film Critics) jury at the upcoming 77th Cannes Film Festival, one of the most prestigious film festivals in the world in which she was a jury member before in 2019 when she became the second Bangladeshi to receive this honour. A Screenwriting graduate from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Reeti has served as a jury member at different international film festivals in Italy, India, England, Nepal, France, Russia, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. She also served as a Fipresci jury at the Bengaluru International Film Festival, International Film Festival of Kerala and Dhaka International Film Festival (DIFF), and is currently serving as the Co-Convenor of the West Meets East Screenplay Lab at DIFF, one of the leading script development labs in the country. With 'Tati', Coke Studio Bangla launches season 3 paying homage to Jamdani Reeti became Bangladesh's first international voter for the Golden Globe Awards in 2022. A Berlinale Talents alumna, she attended prestigious mentorship programs with Film Independent and Locarno Open Doors. Alongside her responsibilities as the Cultural Editor of Dhaka Tribune, one of the leading English dailies in the country, Reeti teaches film studies at different universities and institutions. She is a recipient of the Charles Wallace Fellowship from the British Council, as a part of which she trained in surreal filmmaking at the British Film Institute in 2023. Regarding her return to Cannes, Reeti said: “Cannes is the biggest and most prestigious film festival in the world. It’s an incredible honour to be invited back. Having our film critics on the jury board more often will enable us to convey our cultural point of view and help world cinema move away from its Eurocentric lens.” “The invitation always arrives so late that it’s difficult to arrange the visa and other necessities with a green passport,” she said about her travel preparations. “The festival has grown so much over the years that it’s now a logistical nightmare trying to find suitable lodging. Hopefully, when more of us participate in such festivals, the authorities will keep provisions to reduce the stress.” From Bangladesh, Ahmed Muztaba Zamal was the first Fipresci jury at Cannes in 2002, 2005, and 2009. Reeti came next in 2019, followed by Bidhan Rebeiro in 2022. They joined as members of the IFCAB (International Film Critics Association of Bangladesh). ‘Adyontor’ to release their first song ‘Opekkhar Chithi’ tomorrow The 77th annual Cannes Film Festival is due to take place from 14 to 25 May 2024. American filmmaker and actress Greta Gerwig will serve as jury president for the main competition, and the main competition at Cannes will include veteran filmmakers like Coppola, Audiard, Cronenberg, Arnold, Lanthimos, Sorrentino, Abbasi and so on this year.

Showcasing a festive tribute to the nation's woven treasure Jamdani, which UNESCO has designated as an intangible cultural heritage, as well as the legacy of handloom (Taat) and the exquisite craftsmanship behind the textile artistry, popular music platform Coke Studio Bangla’s third season returned on April 13 with the song "Tati." Performed by Bangladeshi singer and weaver Md Gonjer Ali, Nigerian rapper Louis Anthony who is better known by his stage name Oli Boy and featuring renowned Bangladeshi actress Jaya Ahsan, the song has been trending during the festive occasion of Eid and Pahela Baishakh, garnering over a million views on YouTube within two days. The maiden track of the third season is an amalgamation of three songs - “Gayer Bodhu” written by Md Gonjer Ali, “Hana di Reshomer Bone” written by Shatarupa Thakurta Roy, and “Time to Giger” written by Oli Boy. Chandra Shekhar Shaha, a researcher and one of the pathfinders in modern crafting and textile design in Bangladesh, collected Jamdani Weaving verses used in the song, while Faizan R Ahmad (Buno) worked on the track as its Chief Sound Engineer, mixed and mastered by Saadul Islam. The song not only showcased a harmonious tapestry of the country’s traditional handloom through its melodic presentation; but the Steadicam-operated music video itself, produced by Runout Films under the direction of Adnan Al Rajeev, also portrayed a majestic set with a tantalizing display of Jamdani everywhere, and through the classy attires of the performers as well. Describing the song, Coke Studio Bangla Curator and Producer Shayan Chowdhury Arnob said: “Jamdani is our heritage, identity and pride - however, the rhythmic verses and tunes of our handlooms were unknown to me.” “After discovering those hidden gems and our weaver brother Gonjer Ali, creator of many of these types of songs, we blended the track with my old song “Tati,” (Hana di Reshomer Bone), written by Shatarupa didi. To set the song on Afrobeat (African tunes), we found Oli Boy, who has been working in our garments industry for the past three years - and speaks and sings in Bengali.” Popular actress Jaya Ahsan's appearance in this song was a surprising addition, and Arnob commented, "Jaya Ahsan is a friend of mine, and I enjoy her wearing Jamdani saree on all occasions at home and abroad. Not everyone knows that she is also an excellent singer.” Jaya also shared her association with the track, saying: “All of Bangladesh's traditional sarees, such as the Jamdani and Muslin styles, are my favourites - and because of my passion for sarees and Arnob's earnest request, I became associated with this song and gained valuable experience working with an amazing team. I have represented the Jamdani sarees of Bangladesh on a global scale several times, and I'm confident this song will appeal to music lovers who appreciate sarees and the tradition of our magnificent handlooms.” Syeda Sadia Afrina, the owner of Thread Bangladesh which provided the Jamdani wardrobe for the performers, stated: “For the first time, someone took a major initiative in the music industry which will help this generation and the next to know more about our weaving heritage and the history behind it - and this is perfectly aligned with our core values in Team Thread. Thanks to the entire Coke management Abeer Rajbeen, Adnan Al Rajeev, Jaya Ahsan and the whole team of “Tati,” and a sincere thanks to Shayan Chowdhury Arnob bhai for making this beautiful composition about our weavers.” The lineup for the background vocal of the song featured Md Ariful Haque (also with dotara as well), Jannatul Ferdous Akbar, Sheikh Mumtahina Mehzabin, Baby Akter, Karishma Sanu Shovvota, Shanta Islam, Nishat Ara Khaled, and Md Makhon Miah. DotBirth Limited is associated with season 3 as its creative agency, and the new season will feature 11 new songs with more than 180 musicians and artists from across Bangladesh and the world, including Arnob, Pritom, Emon Chowdhury and Meghdol. In addition to that, new artists will be making their Coke Studio Bangla debut this season, including the iconic Habib Wahid.

Emerging band ‘Adyontor’ is going to release their debut song ‘Opekkhar Chithi’ tomorrow (Tuesday) on the occasion of Eid-Al-Fitr via G-Series YouTube Channel. Sponsored by “Leeds Skill Development Centre”, a formal deal was signed between the country’s top music label G-Series and Adyontor earlier. The band members, G-Series CEO Khademul Jahan, its Managing Director Nazmul Haque Bhuiyan Khaled, renowned band photographer Imtiaz Alam Beg were present during the signing ceremony, said a press release recently. Imtiaz Beg has posed for a photoshoot for the song. Through this, he did a band photoshoot after a long break. The song was mixed or mastered and recorded by Kazi Anan with his own S. A. L. studio. Popular attire brand ‘Heavy Metal T-Shirt’ provided T-shirts for the song Opekkhar Chithi, it reads. The song Opekkhar Chithi features Adyontor Lineup – Tamal Roy (Vocal), Sakif Alam (Lead Guitar), Afif Zarif Turno (Rhythm Guitar), Zahid Arham (Bass Guitar), Aruf Bin Hussain (Drums). This song was scripted and tuned by Sakif Alam and Tamal Roy respectively. It may be mentioned that a group of youths aging from 18 to 19 formed the band in May 2023. It also secured the second position in the "Battle of The Band Contest" organised by the Notre Dame College Culture Club in the same year. Since then, their demand for various concerts has increased. It also created a Facebook fanbase in a short time.

“Nothin’ really ends / For things to stay the same they have to change again,” Beyoncé sings on “Act ll: Cowboy Carter,” the opening lines of the opening track, “Ameriican Requiem.” “Them big ideas, yeah, are buried here / Amen.” In some ways, it is a mission statement for the epic 78-minute, 27-track release — or at the very least, functions like a film’s title card to introduce yet another blockbuster album. In the days leading up to “Cowboy Carter,” the superstar said this “ain’t a Country album” but “a ‘Beyoncé’ album” — positioning herself in opposition to country music’s rigid power structures and emphasizing her ability to work with the style with her latest genre-defying opus. A capital-C country album it is not — and of course it isn’t. Beyoncé is an eclecticist, known for her elastic vocal performances: in a moment, choosing to belt close to godliness and, in another, moving with marked ease into a fractured run, inheriting histories through the vowels she stresses, the handclaps she introduces and the genres she utilizes. (That’s evident in the instruments as well, which range from washboard, pedal steel, banjo, mandolin, Vibraslap, bass ukulele and mandolin, to name a few.) If the album, five years in the making, was inspired by the racist backlash she faced after performing at the 2016 CMAs with The Chicks, as many fans have theorized, she’s eclipsed it and then some. Tell Beyoncé she isn’t welcomed in your space; she’ll carve out a bigger one. “Ameriican Requiem” bleeds into a reimagination of a Beatles ’ classic, “Blackbiird.” It was originally written by Paul McCartney about desegregation in American schools with particular emphasis on the Little Rock Nine, the first group of Black students to desegregate an Arkansas high school in 1957. In Beyoncé’s rendition, harmonies are stacked. She’s joined by Tanner Adell, Brittney Spencer, Reyna Roberts and Tiera Kennedy — some of the most exciting voices in contemporary country — who are also Black women. They aren’t the only next generation highlighted on “Cowboy Carter”: Willie Jones’ rich Louisiana tone turns “Just for Fun,” into trail-riding gospel country. Shaboozey’s country-rap marks a pivot in the album’s trajectory on “Spaghettii,” setting the listener up for the singular listening experience of the Patsy Cline-channeling “Sweet Honey Buckiin’,” with its Jersey club beats. Country veterans, too, appear: Willie Nelson is a rough-around-the-edges radio DJ on the fictional station KNTRY — the resulting effect is an alternative America where terrestrial country radio does not overwhelmingly prefer playing white performers; snippets of Sister Rosetta Tharpe’s “Down by the River Side,” Chuck Berry’s “Maybellene” and Roy Hamilton’s 1957 “Don’t Let Go” bled into Nelson’s smoky voice. The ’50s cuts are an inspired choice; Beyoncé has chosen to reference the decade in which format-based radio emerged and, as a result, country music’s racial lines were all but codified. The effects are still felt. One frequently referenced study, conducted by University of Ottawa professor Jada Watson, examined over 11,000 songs played on country radio from 2002 to 2020 and found that artists of color made up only 3% of all airplay, two-thirds of which were men. In even her interludes, Beyoncé has taken her listeners to school. “Jolene” is a reimagined take on the 1973 Dolly Parton original; it’s preceded by “Dolly P,” a spoken-word interlude from Parton. “Remember that hussy with the good hair you sang about?” she says, referencing “Becky with the good hair” from “Sorry” off 2016’s “Lemonade.” “Reminded me of someone I knew back when, except she has flaming locks of auburn hair. Bless her heart! Just a hair of a different color, but it hurts just the same.” Beyoncé’s version, of course, is very Beyoncé — there’s no shrinking and begging for this woman to step off; it’s a warning. Perhaps Beyoncé’s clearest predecessor on this album is Linda Martell, the first Black woman to play the Grand Ole Opry. Martell’s 1970 landmark record “Color Me Country” should be considered country canon; she offered Black women rare visibility in a genre stereotypically associated with whiteness. She also appears twice on “Cowboy Carter,” first providing clarity on the complicated origins of country in “Spaghettii.” “Genres are a funny little concept, aren’t they?” she says, laughing. “In theory, they have a simple definition that’s easy to understand. But in practice, well, some may feel confined.” Shared histories and families are abundant on Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter”: “Protector” begins with Beyoncé’s daughter Rumi Carter asking for “the lullaby, please,” leading into a tear-jerker of an acoustic ballad centering motherhood. If listeners position “Act ll: Cowboy Carter” next to “Act l: Renaissance,” they might view the record as a continued dialogue in the Beyoncé mythos: “Lemonade” established Beyoncé’s dedication to Black empowerment. “Renaissance” reclaimed House music for its Black progenitors in a sprawling release that placed techno, Chicago and Detroit house, New Orleans bounce, Afrobeats, queer dance culture and beyond on the same dance floor — and highlighted the frequent invisibility of Black performance in music history books. “Cowboy Carter” does something similar with country music — and, in true Beyoncé fashion, extends well beyond it, as vessel, captain and crew on this journey. “Bodyguard” borders on soft rock; “Ya Ya” interpolates Nancy Sinatra’s “These Boots Were Made for Walkin’” and The Beach Boys’ “Good Vibrations”; “Riiverdance” and “II Hands II Heaven” bring back the electronica of “Renaissance.” “ll Most Wanted” features the raspy-rich Miley Cyrus, and interpolates Fleetwood Mac’s “Landslide.” “Levii’s Jeans” modernizes the timeless combination of R&B and country ballads, amplified by a surprising collaborator in a crooning Post Malone — lest we forget he also hails from Texas. “Oh Louisiana” is helium-injected blues and funk; the classic guitars on “Daughter” lead into Beyoncé singing the famous Italian aria “Caro Mio Ben” in the original language. If you’ve been waiting for her opera moment, here it is. When she’s back to English in the refrain, she declares, “If you cross me, I’m just like my father / I am colder than Titanic water,” reminiscent of outlaw country’s murder ballads and a successor to Bey’s first ever country song, “Daddy Lessons” from “Lemonade.” Effortlessly — and momentously — “Cowboy Carter” weaves canonized classics into the same breath as Beyoncé's country music evolutions and Black music history preservations. If the Beatles and the Beach Boys are unimpeachable, so is Martell, so is Beyoncé, and Adell, and so on. The magic here, of course, is Beyoncé’s mastery of art and message. And at the center of everything is her larger-than-life performance — serious and jubilant, like when she plays her nails as percussion, an ode to Parton doing the same on “9 to 5.” (That’s on “Riiverdance,” a club song that also references country’s Celtic folk origins.) On “Cowboy Carter,” historical course-correcting and evolution go down with honey. Lessons are learned on the dance floor, on the radio, at the imagined honky-tonk, in headphones. It’s a massive album that will require close examination for full enjoyment — but Beyoncé fans have long learned to be great students.