American-Nigerian singer Collins Obinna Chibueze, better known as Shaboozey, is making headlines after receiving two nominations for the 2024 Country Music Awards (CMA). His success is particularly noteworthy, as he is nominated for New Artist of the Year and his hit single Tipsy (A Bar Song) is in the running for Single of the Year.
Shaboozey’s song Tipsy has become a huge sensation, equaling the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 record previously set by Beyoncé and has now officially become the most-streamed song in the U.S. in 2024. With over 700 million streams on Spotify alone, the song has surpassed other major hits like Kendrick Lamar’s Not Like Us and Benson Boone’s Beautiful Things to become the best-selling song in America this year.
In a heartfelt post on X (formerly Twitter), Shaboozey expressed his gratitude for the nominations and reflected on how he once dreamed of winning a CMA. “Wrote a song about winning a CMA in 2016, and now I’m nominated for 2! Thank you @CountryMusic and congrats to the other nominees. What an honor would be an understatement,” he said.
While celebrating his own success, Shaboozey also took a moment to recognize Beyoncé, who, despite the popularity of her country album Cowboy Cater, didn’t receive any CMA nominations. Shaboozey praised her for creating one of the most innovative country albums of all time and credited her with paving the way for Black artists in the country music scene.
“That goes without saying. Thank you @Beyonce for opening a door for us, starting a conversation, and giving us one of the most innovative country albums of all time!” Shaboozey wrote.
This marks a pivotal moment in Shaboozey’s career, and his nominations show that country music is continuing to diversify, with more space being created for new voices like his. Shaboozey’s recognition of Beyoncé’s influence highlights the growing intersection of genres and the importance of representation in country music. Fans are now eagerly awaiting the CMA ceremony to see if Shaboozey will take home one or both of these prestigious awards.
