Beyoncé first introduced her album “Cowboy Carter” to life throughout a halftime efficiency of an NFL recreation on Christmas Day in her hometown of Houston.
The present, which got here halfway by way of the Baltimore Ravens’ rout of the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium, was designed to lure viewers to Netflix because the streaming large ushered in a brand new pact with America’s hottest skilled sports activities league . It was additionally a manner to attract consideration to Beyoncé’s newest LP — an in depth tour into nation music that highlights the singer’s Southern roots — simply as members of the Recording Academy voted for February’s Grammy Awards, the place “Cowboy Carter” is nominated for album of the 12 months.
Immediately after her efficiency, Beyoncé posted a short video on
For all its cross-promotional synergy, although, Wednesday’s halftime present reminded us that no matter lures Beyoncé out of her celebrity cocoon is value celebrating: As common for pop music’s best dwell performer, this 13 minute manufacturing – a “ho ho ho-down”, as she known as it, was a thrill from prime to backside.
The present started with Beyoncé astride a white horse strolling down a hall within the bowels of NRG as she sang “16 Carriages,” her ballad a few youth spent on the street chasing showbiz goals. She was quickly joined by a quartet of black nation singers — Tanner Adell, Brittney Spencer, Tiera Kennedy and Reyna Roberts — for a transferring rendition of the Beatles’ “Blackbird.”
Beyoncé emerged onto the stadium discipline to sing a blistering “Ya Ya,” her model of a basic Tina Turner rave-up, accompanied by a small electrical rock band and an enormous horn part set out within the bleachers that recalled her presentation on the Coachella competition in 2018. Then she did the clubby “My House” earlier than welcoming Shaboozey to hitch her for “Sweet Honey Buckiin'” and Post Malone for his or her “Levii’s Jeans” (which they did in entrance of a pickup truck wrapped in denims).
Beyoncé sang her cowl of Dolly Parton’s “Jolene” as she drove down the sector — not in contrast to her Coachella tribute to HBCU custom, this was a loving embodiment of black rodeo tradition — and ended the present along with his chart-topping “Texas.” Hold ‘Em,” which he did on the 50-yard line whereas dancing subsequent to his 12-year-old daughter, Blue Ivy.
Throughout the present, Beyoncé’s voice was sturdy and exact, the choreography powerful and punchy, the costumes fantastically dazzling – a Christmas reward to her followers within the type of a advertising and marketing alternative.
