Beyoncé introduced slightly nation Christmas to her halftime present efficiency in the course of the NFL’s Houston Texans vs. Baltimore Ravens recreation, armed with many tips up her sleeve.
The Grammy winner, 43, carried out songs from her Cowboy Carter album throughout her set at NRG Stadium in her hometown of Houston on Wednesday, December 25, in what was dubbed the “Christmas Sport Day Beyoncé Bowl.”
Beyoncé arrived on the stage by way of horseback, galloping previous a storage of classic automobiles whereas carrying a white outsized fur coat with a coordinating cowboy hat and a diamond choker necklace. After renditions of “16 Carriages” and “Black Chicken,” the singing icon strutted onto the sector for a showstopping efficiency of “Ya Ya,” turning into a sequined bodysuit. Beyoncé additionally sang “RIIVERDANCE” with Shaboozey, “LEVII’S Denims” with Put up Malone (sitting in a denim-covered truck), “Jolene” and “Texas Maintain ‘Em” that includes 12-year-old daughter Blue Ivy becoming a member of the backing dancers.
“It’s solely proper that we do ‘Texas Maintain ‘Em’ for the primary time in Houston, Texas on Christmas,” Beyoncé quipped in her introduction earlier than concluding, “Merry Christmas, God bless y’all.”
Whereas singing “Black Chicken,” Beyoncé was joined by Tanner Adell, Brittney Spencer, Tiera Kennedy and Reyna Roberts, all of whom had been featured on the LP.
The Christmas Day halftime present, which aired on Netflix, marks the primary time Beyoncé sang Cowboy Carter songs reside for the reason that album’s March launch. Nonetheless, it’s not her first rodeo relating to the NFL as she beforehand headlined the 2013 Tremendous Bowl halftime present in New Orleans and returned to carry out alongside Coldplay and Bruno Mars in the course of the 2016 Tremendous Bowl halftime present.
Earlier this yr, Beyoncé made historical past along with her Cowboy Carter album, venturing into the nation music style for the primary time in her profession after beforehand dominating the pop and R&B fields. Her single “Texas Maintain ‘Em” was the primary music by a Black feminine artist to achieve No. 1 on the Billboard Sizzling Nation Songs chart, and she or he turned the primary Black girl ever to achieve No. 1 on the Billboard High Nation Albums chart.
Regardless of its success, the undertaking nonetheless drew controversy, with some nation music radio stations ignoring fan requests to play the songs on air and the 2024 Nation Music Affiliation Awards fully snubbing the album.
Whereas accepting the Innovator Award from Stevie Marvel on the iHeartRadio Music Awards in April, Beyoncé referred to as out “all of the report labels, each radio station [and] each awards present,” emphasizing that the music business must grow to be “extra open to the enjoyment and liberation that comes from having fun with artwork with no preconceived notions.”
In her speech, Beyoncé defined, “Innovation begins with a dream. However then you must execute that dream, and that highway could be very bumpy. Being an innovator is saying what everybody believes is unattainable.”
“Being an innovator usually means being criticized, which frequently will check your psychological energy,” she added. “Being an innovator is leaning on religion and trusting that God will catch you and information you.”
Beyoncé additionally talked about a number of artists who’ve “devoted their lives and their artwork to creating shifts,” together with Tracy Chapman, Prince, Tina Turner and Michael Jackson.
She famous, “[They] defied any label positioned upon them, thanks for executing your dream so we may all comply with.”