Did y’all pay attention to the internet this weekend?! Whew, chile! After five years, Beyoncé returned to the stage live for an invite-only grand opening of the ultra-luxurious resort, Atlantis The Royal Dubai, this past Saturday. Sadly, the performance was under a social media/phone embargo, but if you invite a few thousand queers, influencers, and A-Listers, who is keeping that secret?! Thankfully for us, streaming around the world is a click away, and everyone in attendance seemed to have their phone, so we were able to watch live! Since it’s the Queen B, the internet has been scrubbed of live footage, but let’s get into the best takeaways, funniest tweets, and mind-blowing moments from the performance.
Relatively quiet after releasing her chart-topping 7th album Renaissance, many fans were foaming at the mouth for the previously announced second and third acts of the three-part project. During the performance, we learned the reason for her absence. Beyoncé underwent foot surgery and is still in recovery, so much the dedicated perfectionist wore kitten heels!
Once learned, hilarious fans were remorseful and apologetic,
we dragging beyonce for not releasing them dates when she had foot surgery. i’m going to HELL pic.twitter.com/TBoOZGYmsK
— connor. ♒️ (@connornotconnie) January 21, 2023
I been in by bedroom dragging Beyoncé for months and whole time she was recovering from foot surgery pic.twitter.com/aPf4uKnrlP
— Solyrical (@TonyMatrimony) January 21, 2023
Beyoncé probably had to get foot surgery after rehearsing for the Renaissance Tour which means the choreo on this tour is about to EAT!!! WE WON!!!
— #1 Cuff It Stan (@MykeYonce) January 21, 2023
Though in recovery, when that check calls even Beyoncé answers… Mother Beyoncé was paid a whooping 24 mil for the performance.
Atlantis hotel: wyd next weekend?
Beyoncé: recovering from foot surgery
Atlantis hotel: $24m#Beyoncé: pic.twitter.com/kw5nwOoh1F
— animalfriespls (@danielyrix) January 22, 2023
The setlist was surprisingly absent of her Renaissance album. In front of a reimagined “The School of Athens” by the Italian Renaissance artist Raphael, Beyoncé (styled by KJ Moody) opened resembling the Sun accompanied by Firdaus, a 48-person all-female orchestra and Lebanese dance trope The Mayyas, and performed a ballad focused setlist.
Wow! This was my first Live performance!! Styled by Me! I have watched this woman tear down the house since I was 5 years old. Going to destiny’s child concerts, screaming and dreaming of one day being apart of a moment like this. We DID IT TEAM! #StyledByKj #Beyonce #Dubai pic.twitter.com/SDCE661a18
— Kj Moody (@TheKjMoody) January 22, 2023
She also performed Brown Skin Girl with 11 year old daughter, Blue Ivy.
Blue Ivy performing Brown Skin Girl with Beyoncé. i’m still stuck here pic.twitter.com/Jn1fEzAbDa
— ᴀʀᴛʜ (@arthfobic) January 22, 2023
Beyoncé and Blue Ivy after successfully taking down these leaked videos
pic.twitter.com/GNfAfiVY2K— Sine (@99Perspective_) January 24, 2023
Hand screaming “Not what we rehearsed” pic.twitter.com/6xGoenSgVb
— this cat believes in god? (@screwyoumegn) January 22, 2023
While the choreography was not what we were used to from Queen Mother, she delivered some of the best vocal performances of her career. Immediately after, the performance made its way online and on social media, most importantly, the BEYHIVE focused on one clip in particular. Closing out the show with Drunk in Love, Beyoncé slayed a unique riff of the outdo of the song that has taken the internet by storm and spawned the “Drunk In Love Riff” Challenge which as someone who cannot sing… yes, I tried.
beyhive 48 hours ago: “we will never see that performance”
also the beyhive pic.twitter.com/ZcDIWf9Vx6
— virgo’s grooviest. (@virgosgrooviest) January 22, 2023
Once again, she has proven it does not take much for her to stop the world from moving to pay attention to her. Though it wasn’t Renaissance there are definitely two things for certain:
- Take your time Queen B and rest.
- We will wait as long as you need.
Editor's Note: While some LGBTQ+ fans felt betrayed by Queen B for performing for such a controversial country, trans icon TS Madison shut it down with a Tweet.
“So y’all gone be mad at @Beyonce when she perform on her tour in those US states that have anti-LGBTQ laws in place? Or are you gone still get your tickets? The selective outrage is workin my #cozy nerves.”
So y’all gone be mad At @Beyonce when she Perform on her tour in those US States that have anti LGBTQ laws in place?
Or are you gone still get your tickets?
The selective outrage is workin my #cozy nerves
— Ts Madison (@TsMadisonatl1) January 24, 2023
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