diff --git a/beets/metadata_plugins.py b/beets/metadata_plugins.py
index 7e333a783..be858bdef 100644
--- a/beets/metadata_plugins.py
+++ b/beets/metadata_plugins.py
@@ -348,13 +348,13 @@ class SearchApiMetadataSourcePlugin(
         self,
         query_type: Literal["album", "track"],
         filters: SearchFilter,
-        keywords: str = "",
+        query_string: str = "",
     ) -> Sequence[R]:
         """Perform a search on the API.
 
         :param query_type: The type of query to perform.
         :param filters: A dictionary of filters to apply to the search.
-        :param keywords: Additional keywords to include in the search.
+        :param query_string: Additional query to include in the search.
 
         Should return a list of identifiers for the requested type (album or track).
         """
@@ -382,7 +382,9 @@ class SearchApiMetadataSourcePlugin(
     def item_candidates(
         self, item: Item, artist: str, title: str
     ) -> Iterable[TrackInfo]:
-        results = self._search_api("track", {"artist": artist}, keywords=title)
+        results = self._search_api(
+            "track", {"artist": artist}, query_string=title
+        )
         if not results:
             return []
 
@@ -392,7 +394,7 @@ class SearchApiMetadataSourcePlugin(
         )
 
     def _construct_search_query(
-        self, filters: SearchFilter, keywords: str = ""
+        self, filters: SearchFilter, query_string: str
     ) -> str:
         """Construct a query string with the specified filters and keywords to
         be provided to the Spotify (or similar) Search API.
@@ -402,17 +404,12 @@ class SearchApiMetadataSourcePlugin(
         - Deezer (https://developers.deezer.com/api/search).
 
         :param filters: Field filters to apply.
-        :param keywords: Query keywords to use.
+        :param query_string: Query keywords to use.
         :return: Query string to be provided to the Search API.
         """
 
-        query_components = [
-            keywords,
-            " ".join(f'{k}:"{v}"' for k, v in filters.items()),
-        ]
-        query = " ".join([q for q in query_components if q])
-        if not isinstance(query, str):
-            query = query.decode("utf8")
+        components = [query_string, *(f'{k}:"{v}"' for k, v in filters.items())]
+        query = " ".join(filter(None, components))
 
         if self.config["search_query_ascii"].get():
             query = unidecode.unidecode(query)
diff --git a/beetsplug/deezer.py b/beetsplug/deezer.py
index abb7d80c4..c8602b5e8 100644
--- a/beetsplug/deezer.py
+++ b/beetsplug/deezer.py
@@ -228,17 +228,19 @@ class DeezerPlugin(SearchApiMetadataSourcePlugin[IDResponse]):
             "user",
         ],
         filters: SearchFilter,
-        keywords="",
+        query_string: str = "",
     ) -> Sequence[IDResponse]:
-        """Query the Deezer Search API for the specified ``keywords``, applying
+        """Query the Deezer Search API for the specified ``query_string``, applying
         the provided ``filters``.
 
         :param filters: Field filters to apply.
-        :param keywords: Query keywords to use.
+        :param query_string: Additional query to include in the search.
         :return: JSON data for the class:`Response <Response>` object or None
             if no search results are returned.
         """
-        query = self._construct_search_query(keywords=keywords, filters=filters)
+        query = self._construct_search_query(
+            query_string=query_string, filters=filters
+        )
         self._log.debug(f"Searching {self.data_source} for '{query}'")
         try:
             response = requests.get(
diff --git a/beetsplug/spotify.py b/beetsplug/spotify.py
index cdbed655e..f45ed158b 100644
--- a/beetsplug/spotify.py
+++ b/beetsplug/spotify.py
@@ -424,17 +424,19 @@ class SpotifyPlugin(
         self,
         query_type: Literal["album", "track"],
         filters: SearchFilter,
-        keywords: str = "",
+        query_string: str = "",
     ) -> Sequence[SearchResponseAlbums | SearchResponseTracks]:
-        """Query the Spotify Search API for the specified ``keywords``,
+        """Query the Spotify Search API for the specified ``query_string``,
         applying the provided ``filters``.
 
         :param query_type: Item type to search across. Valid types are:
             'album', 'artist', 'playlist', and 'track'.
-        :param filters: (Optional) Field filters to apply.
-        :param keywords: (Optional) Query keywords to use.
+        :param filters: Field filters to apply.
+        :param query_string: Additional query to include in the search.
         """
-        query = self._construct_search_query(keywords=keywords, filters=filters)
+        query = self._construct_search_query(
+            filters=filters, query_string=query_string
+        )
 
         self._log.debug(f"Searching {self.data_source} for '{query}'")
         try:
@@ -561,16 +563,18 @@ class SpotifyPlugin(
             # Custom values can be passed in the config (just in case)
             artist = item[self.config["artist_field"].get()]
             album = item[self.config["album_field"].get()]
-            keywords = item[self.config["track_field"].get()]
+            query_string = item[self.config["track_field"].get()]
 
             # Query the Web API for each track, look for the items' JSON data
             query_filters: SearchFilter = {"artist": artist, "album": album}
             response_data_tracks = self._search_api(
-                query_type="track", keywords=keywords, filters=query_filters
+                query_type="track",
+                query_string=query_string,
+                filters=query_filters,
             )
             if not response_data_tracks:
                 query = self._construct_search_query(
-                    keywords=keywords, filters=query_filters
+                    query_string=query_string, filters=query_filters
                 )
 
                 failures.append(query)