Beyonce Performs Cowboy Carter in NFL Christmas Day Halftime Present

Beyoncé introduced somewhat nation Christmas to her halftime present efficiency in the course of the NFL’s Houston Texans vs. Baltimore Ravens recreation, armed with many methods 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 through 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 sphere 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 isn’t her first rodeo in terms of 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 12 months, Beyoncé made historical past together 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 first track by a Black feminine artist to succeed in No. 1 on the Billboard Scorching Nation Songs chart, and she or he turned the first Black girl ever to succeed in No. 1 on the Billboard Prime Nation Albums chart.

Associated: Beyonce’s ‘Cowboy Carter’: All of the Cameos, Samples and Extra

It’s Beyoncé’s rodeo, and everybody’s invited! Beyoncé, 42, dropped Cowboy Carter on Friday, March 29, the second installment within the trilogy that started with Renaissance in 2022. The country-flavored album lassoed in stars from all throughout the music world to assist make it one of many 12 months’s largest popular culture occasions. From Dolly Parton to […]

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 known as out “all of the document 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 need to execute that dream, and that street will be very bumpy. Being an innovator is saying what everybody believes is inconceivable.”

“Being an innovator typically means being criticized, which regularly 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.”