“I gained a lot from being with her,” Spencer shares with PEOPLE, noting that she observed “how things operate in her realm.”
Brittney Spencer had been anticipating this moment to come.
The 36-year-old country star known for “Bigger Than the Song” is reflecting on the “truly defining moment” of her recent performance with her “all-time favorite artist,” Beyoncé, on Christmas Day for Netflix’s Beyoncé Bowl.
“Oh my gosh, the main thought in my mind was, ‘Girl, don’t screw up next to Beyoncé,’ ” Spencer shares with PEOPLE about performing “BLACKBIIRD,” a reimagined version of The Beatles’ classic “Blackbird” from 1968, alongside Beyoncé, Tanner Adell, Reyna Roberts, and Tiera Kennedy. “That was the initial idea in my mind, and it didn’t truly fade until we finished.”
Beyoncé, 43, enlisted four Black female country singers to perform on “BLACKBIIRD” for her Cowboy Carter initiative, which took home the album of the year award at the 2025 Grammy Awards on Sunday, Feb. 2.
They sang the song together live for the first time on December 25 during Beyoncé’s halftime show medley at NRG Stadium in Houston.
“I gained a lot of knowledge from being with [Beyoncé], spending time with her team and getting a glimpse into how her world operates,” Spencer states. “Wow, that was truly a pivotal moment in my life.”
The Baltimore native, currently residing in Nashville, wishes that the performance was equally memorable for those watching at the stadium and at home.
“I sensed that as we were singing, my hope was for anyone watching to recognize a piece of themselves in everything happening and to feel some inspiration because that’s precisely what I felt standing alongside those extraordinarily talented and beautiful women,” Spencer elaborates.
“It seemed like a moment we could all experience together, and it will stay in my memory forever,” she adds. “However, I understand it was significant for many, particularly for numerous Black girls who are now aware of the song’s story due to Beyoncé.”
Paul McCartney frequently talks about how “Blackbird,” a song he co-wrote with John Lennon in the ’60s, was influenced by the American Civil Rights Movement — particularly the Little Rock Nine, nine Black teens who encountered discrimination after enrolling in a previously all-white high school in 1957 following the Brown vs. Board of Education decision.
“I was lounging with my acoustic guitar and had learned about the civil rights issues occurring in the ’60s, especially in Alabama, Mississippi, and Little Rock,” McCartney shared with GQ in 2018.
“I simply believed it would be beneficial to write something that, if it ever reached anyone facing those issues, it could offer them a touch of hope,” he went on. “I composed ‘Blackbird.'”
The 82-year-old singer mentioned that in England, a “bird” refers to a “girl,” so he employed “Blackbird” as a metaphor for “Black girl.”
Spencer feels “glad and privileged” to participate in Beyoncé’s latest rendition.
“She brings a wonderful opportunity by introducing numerous new Black country artists to join this legendary album,” she shares with PEOPLE about Cowboy Carter. “It was incredibly brilliant and immensely generous, and I feel privileged to be involved in the narrative of that album because I genuinely believe it leaves a significant cultural impact.”
“It’s not only this amazing chance to perform with my favorite artists,” Spencer stresses. “This involved a cultural mission, and I feel privileged to have been included in that.”