5 reasons why Beyoncé could surprise us and bring 'Cowboy Carter' to Stagecoach

Beyoncé's gone country, ya'll. So ... let's have her perform at Stagecoach.

I know, it sounds like a lofty dream. But think about it. Beyoncé's new album, "Cowboy Carter," is not only her first total plunge into the country pool (after dipping her toes in with "Daddy Lessons" on the 2016 album "Lemonade," but more on that later), it's her first time collaborating with some of the genre's biggest icons as well as brightest rising stars — five of whom are on the 2024 Stagecoach country music festival lineup.

Read on for the five reasons we believe it's not completely out of the realm of possibility for Queen B to show up at the Empire Polo Club during Stagecoach.

More: Beyoncé stuns in country chic on part II of W Magazine's first-ever digital cover

1. The timing of the 'Cowboy Carter' release is just too perfect

Think about it for a minute. Beyoncé put out a heavily country-rooted album (though, to give her credit, she specifically said it's a "Beyoncé album" and not a "country album," but two things can be true at the same time), and one of the biggest country music festivals in the world — that's known for hosting several surprise special guests every year — kicks off exactly a month after its release date.

This would be the perfect opportunity for Beyoncé to of course promote the album further (as if she needs more exposure, but hey, she's a hardworking businesswoman who deserves to expand her empire), and gain some fans who might not normally listen to her music.

2. Two of the four women on Beyoncé's 'Blackbiird' track are on the Stagecoach lineup

As we alluded to, Beyoncé has recently worked with several musicians who are already playing at Stagecoach 2024. Two of those artists are heard on the second track on "Cowboy Carter," "Blackbiird" (her take on The Beatles' beloved "Blackbird") and they're also two rising stars in the country genre. (Fun fact: The other two women on the song, Tiera Kennedy and Reyna Roberts, both performed at Stagecoach in the past two years.)

Tanner Adell is an emerging country music singer-songwriter whose album, "Buckle Bunny," was released last year. She's the first artist scheduled to perfom on the Mane Stage on the second day of Stagecoach 2024, Saturday, April 27, and her voice is heard on "Blackbiird" alongside three other talented Black women in country music. One of those women is rising country star Brittney Spencer, whose debut album, "My Stupid Life," was released earlier this year. She's performing on the Palomino Stage on the last day of Stagecoach 2024, Sunday, April 28.

Adell and Spencer are both playing far too early in the day for Beyoncé to show up for a surprise live rendition of "Blackbiird" during either of their sets (unless they really wanted to be low key and have only half the festivalgoers on the grounds when it's happening) but I don't think it's entirely impossible that she could pop up during a bigger artist like Post Malone or Willie Nelson's set and invite Adell and Spencer up with her.

Related: Paul McCartney gushes about Beyoncé’s version of 'Blackbird' on her new 'Cowboy Carter' album

3. Three Stagecoach men are also on 'Cowboy Carter' with Beyoncé

Speaking of Post Malone and Nelson, both have highly anticipated sets scheduled for Stagecoach 2024. Although Nelson is simply credited for his "Smoke Hour" interlude on "Cowboy Carter" rather than collaborating on an actual song, his Stagecoach set is billed as a "Willie Nelson & Family" performance, which makes me curious if he'd shock festivalgoers and have Beyoncé be the last guest he invites onstage with him.

Post Malone, whose Stagecoach set is being billed as "a special set of country covers," is another artist who Beyoncé could accompany onstage (and naturally steal the show from, in the best way possible). Malone has a full duet with Beyoncé on "Cowboy Carter" track 17, "Levii's Jeans," which is a super fun country-pop song that would undoubtedly win over the crowd, especially because anyone who doesn't like genre-crossing artists likely wouldn't be at Malone's Stagecoach set in the first place.

Beyoncé also has a song on "Cowboy Carter" with Willie Jones, a genre-bending artist (his website describes his signature sound as "traditional country soundscapes" laced with "Louisiana hip-hop gumbo") who is performing on the Mane Stage on the last day of Stagecoach 2024, Sunday, April 28. The song they have together, track 25, "Just For Fun," is an emotional ode to the Southern identity that could get the whole crowd swaying in the polo fields.

More: Beyoncé thanks Stevie Wonder, reveals he plays harmonica on 'Jolene' at iHeartRadio Music Awards

4. Beyoncé could make history at Stagecoach 2024

Within weeks of its release, Beyoncé made history as the first Black woman to top Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart when "Texas Hold 'Em" hit No. 1. Beyoncé also made history at Coachella 2018, another festival organized by Stagecoach organizer Goldenvoice, as the first Black woman to ever headline Coachella.

If she popped up on the Mane Stage at Stagecoach, regardless of whether she got her own set like Coachella's recent surprise Arcade Fire and Blink-182 sets or if she jumped onstage with an artist on the lineup, Beyoncé would become the first Black woman to ever perform in an evening time slot (other than background vocalists and musicians) on Stagecoach's Mane Stage.

Who better to make history than Beyoncé?

5. It would be the perfect way to make a statement in light of Beyoncé's 2016 CMA performance that's resurfaced recently

Beyoncé's first, and so far only, performance at the Country Music Association Awards was in 2016, when she was invited to perform her song "Daddy Lessons." What followed was what looks to me like a beautiful live collaboration with The Chicks, but in 2016, was quite a divisive performance.

Many country fans took to social media to express their disapproval of the performance — some going as far as being outright racist — and many country artists in the live CMA crowd appeared displeased by the performance as well. It was even rumored that one big-name country artist walked out of the theater during it, but that's since been contested. Many people think Beyoncé was referring to this experience when she took to social media to announce "Cowboy Carter":

“This album has been over five years in the making. It was born out of an experience that I had years ago where I did not feel welcomed…and it was very clear that I wasn’t,” she wrote in a March 19 Instagram post.

Regardless of whether she was referring to the CMA performance or not, performing at Stagecoach would be the perfect metaphorical middle finger to all the haters who couldn't handle her singing a single song on the CMA stage.

More: Stagecoach set times: Here's when the headliners — and everyone else — are playing

More: Miranda Lambert, Willie Nelson: A look at Stagecoach artists returning to the festival

More: Stagecoach 2024: Diplo's Honky Tonk lineup includes James Kennedy, Brandi Cyrus

This story includes reporting by Caché McClay, the USA TODAY Network's Beyoncé Knowles-Carter reporter.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Stagecoach 2024: 5 reasons why Beyoncé could show up at the festival