Kenny Chesney Issues an Official Statement on Beyonce's CMA Awards Performance

Michelle Profis
Updated

From Country Living

In the wake of Beyoncé and the Dixie Chicks' controversial performance at the CMA Awards last week, Kenny Chesney is now speaking out.

Kenny, who was honored at the ceremony with the Pinnacle Award, found himself heavily criticized by Beyoncé's fans after he was shown looking unhappy during the singer's performance.

On Friday, he issued a statement on his blog addressing the controversy.

"I love Beyoncé… I loved her Super Bowl performance, her sense of how to make the music hit really hard – and give it drama when she's onstage. The idea her fans were so quick to judge me, or know what I was thinking doesn't feel like the woman I've always imagined Beyoncé to be – and honestly, the people who love her music, either."

The statement continues: "As someone who believes in the message of Spread the Love, we try to find the best in people – and in this case, that meant really watching the musicianship on that stage, as well as a guest in our format who'd written an incredible song. I am amazed and saddened this is the response my respect for her art gets."

Last week's CMA Awards received an enormous amount of backlash from country music fans for the Beyoncé and Dixie Chicks' performance. Though many viewers were outraged over the CMA's choice to ask the pop star to perform, the organization stood by its decision to invite the songstress to the ceremony. Kenny is one of the first country artists to come forward and defend the CMA's decision. (Travis Tritt was recently very vocal about not being a fan of the CMA's choice.)

"I believe music is great or not," Chesney ended his statement. "It has nothing to do with genre, gender or color. Just did you bring it, and how great are your songs? To me, there's no question about Beyoncé – or my response to their performance."

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