Beyoncé explains what it means to be an innovator during inspiring iHeartRadio Music Awards acceptance speech
Coming off the heels of an extraordinary month, Beyoncé was honored with the highly coveted Innovator Award at this year’s iHeartRadio Music Awards. She received the recognition from Stevie Wonder at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on Monday (April 1) night.
The accolade came shortly after the release of her new album, COWBOY CARTER. During her acceptance speech, Beyoncé expressed her gratitude to Wonder, who notably contributed to the 27-song offering by playing harmonica on "JOLENE." She also dedicated the award to a list of pioneers in music, including Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Tracy Chapman, Linda Martell, Prince, Stevie Wonder, André 3000, Tina Turner and Michael Jackson.
"I love you, and I honor you," Beyoncé told Wonder. "I want to thank you for making a way for all of us. I’m honored to receive this recognition from you, Stevie Wonder. Whenever anyone asks me if there’s anyone I can listen to for the rest of my life, it’s always you."
Elsewhere in her speech, Beyoncé elaborated on the nature of innovation: “Innovation starts with a dream, but then you have to execute that dream, and that road can be very bumpy. Being an innovator is seeing what everyone believes is impossible. Being an innovator often means being criticized, which often will test your mental strength. Being an innovator is leaning on faith, and trusting that God will catch you and guide you. So, to all the record labels, every radio station, every award show, my hope is that we’re more open to the joy and liberation that comes from enjoying art with no preconceived notions.”
As REVOLT reported over the weekend, Beyoncé’s COWBOY CARTER broke Spotify’s record for the most-streamed LP in a single day of this year. It was also declared the biggest on Amazon Music and garnered the most first-day streams for a female country album.
COWBOY CARTER itself featured a variety of songs, including covers and collaborations. Artists like Shaboozey, Willie Nelson, Post Malone and Linda Martell appeared on the project. Ahead of its release, the pop icon also clarified the body of work's genre by stating, “This ain’t a country album. This is a Beyoncé album,” highlighting her refusal to be pigeonholed into a single musical category.
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