I guess you could say Reba is keeping things interesting.
We need to talk about what went down at the Florida Strawberry Festival in Plant City, Florida last night. Our queen of country music, the red-headed legend herself, Reba McEntire, took the stage at 7:30pm to do what she does best… sing some damn good country music.
For decades she has always put on a wonderful show that has clearly stood the test of time. Fans packed in expecting classic Reba, you know, the “Fancy” they’d been waiting for, “The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia,” or “Turn On the Radio.”
And of course they got that, but they also got something we haven’t seen from her before, a full on cover of Dua Lipa’s “Don’t Start Now” right in the middle of the set:
@gigimakesmagic this was honestly everything!!! i’ve always loved reba and this was such a fun surprise at her show❤️❤️ took a quick break from my disney life and had so much fun!! @Reba McEntire #reba #rebamcentire #strawberry #strawberryfestival #floridastrawberryfestival #plantcityflorida #rebaconcert #orlandolife ♬ original sound – gigi✨
You heard that right, the 68-year-old icon who we are used to for the old style ballads and anthems, surprised the crowd with some Dua Lipa. Of course, she never fails to sound amazing, but let’s just say not everyone was thrilled that Reba covered a pop star.
It seems like no one at the show was openly expressing disproval of this moment, but you can leave it to the internet to hear that:
“I love Reba so much but……..”
“Reba is so talented. I can’t believe I’m saying this but Reba never do that again.”
“Stick to country music honey!”
“Nooo stop”
“Oh No Reba sit down”
“Lord. Help. Us. Dua Reba?!? Good try, but…nah.”
“What is this song? Reba is great! But not this song”
“Y’all paying for karaoke?”
“Sorry Reba, you cannot be Cher.”
“Love Reba, but this song does not suit her voice.”
“Noooooo”
“Maybe it’s the audio of the recording but this sounds like drunk karaoke at 1 am. WOW.”
“Lady Reba lose the melody and the beat?”
“Reba, you’re better than a song that takes no talent or skill to sing.”
“I love Reba but this would make a great meme”
“Why is this giving Caitlin Jenner on The Voice? lol love you Reba!”
“Is she awake?”
But of course, many were pleasantly surprised, and a lot of country music fans defended Reba from the haters in the comments, saying to let her do what she wants and that she’s clearly having fun out there.
And here’s the thing… Reba didn’t care.
Say what you want, but if anyone is a professional it’s Reba. She’s earned the right to mix it up a little. Her take on the Dua Lipa song even had a little twang to it. And it’s fair that country music fans are a little on edge about country singers dipping into pop territory, especially after Beyonce won a Grammy. But at the end of the day, I would pay money to hear Reba McEntire sing any song, any day. I don’t think she’s gonna start releasing pop songs anytime soon…
Love it or hate it, Reba’s still got it. And if you’re down to see the legend herself, here’s when you can catch her again, and maybe brush up on your Dua Lipa lyrics just in case:
March 4, 2025 – Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo @ 6:45 PM – Houston, TX, USA
March 7, 2025 – Choctaw Casino & Resort @ 8:00 PM – Durant, OK, USA
March 20, 2025– Yaamava’ Theater @ 8:00 PM – Highland, CA, USA
March 21, 2025 – The Venue at Thunder Valley @ 8:00 PM – Placer County, CA, USA
March 27, 2025 – OLG Stage at Fallsview Casino @ 8:30 PM – Niagara Falls, ON, Canada
March 28, 2025 – Mohegan Sun Arena @ 8:00 PM – Uncasville, CT, USA
Oh, and here’s Dua Lipa’s original… if you need a refresher:
