Beyoncé closed the first night of her tour in London, telling her fans that she was ‘blessed’ to be doing what she loves, performing on stage.
She performed at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, treating the audience to a show that lasted just over three hours, the BBC reported.
But although this was the first opportunity for fans to enjoy the country singer in person, slow ticket sales and high prices were the hot topic surrounding the tour.
Promoters reduced the prices of some tickets on the eve of the concerts in an attempt to fill the stadium, which left some of those who had bought tickets in advance feeling cheated.
Beyoncé's rodeo arrived in London with all the clichés you can think of — cowboy hats, horseshoes, sequins and even a golden mechanical bull.
The 40-song setlist relied heavily on tracks from the 2024 album Cowboy Carter, which was met with critical acclaim, including winning the award for Best Album at this year's Grammy Awards.
Every element of the performance was flawless, from the 43-year-old superstar's stunning array of costume changes to the smooth transitions between songs and musical themes.
Much of the buzz surrounding the American leg of the tour, which took place in April and May, was about the inclusion of Beyoncé and Jay-Z's 13-year-old daughter, Blue Ivy, who reportedly begged her parents to let her dance on the Renaissance tour in 2023, but was denied the opportunity.
She appeared several times during the show, earning thunderous applause as she danced to an instrumental rendition of her mother's 2006 hit Deja Vu.
The teenager certainly seemed to be enjoying her moment in the spotlight, unlike her younger sister Rumi.
The show is called The Cowboy Carter and the Rodeo Chitlin' Circuit Tour, a reference to the black performers who were segregated from the country music scene.
Beyoncé herself has hinted that she was rejected by the country music world in the past, and during the performance, it felt like she was struggling with that idea.
She mixed some of her biggest hits with Cowboy Carter's songs, such as Freedom and Diva, almost as if to prove that she belongs in this space. | BGNES