The queen has returned. After a five-year hiatus, Beyoncé took to the stage on Jan. 21 for a concert that left everyone in the audience at the grand opening ceremony of Atlantis The Royal hotel in Dubai scream-crying into their champagne flutes.
The hour-long set, which marked Beyoncé’s first live show since her 2018 Coachella performance, was filled with a nostalgia-inducing set list, multiple outfit changes, and even a special guest appearance.
The guest list was stacked with stars like Liam Payne, Letitia Wright, Winston Duke, Rebel Wilson, Ellen Pompeo, Chlöe and Halle Bailey, and Kendall Jenner, whose 818 Tequila brand made its debut in the UAE the night before.
By the time she sang her first song of the evening, she was wearing a feathered dress reminiscent of the yellow gown she wore in her pre-recorded 2022 Oscars performance of “Be Alive.”
Similarly to Bey’s 2022 Oscars performance, her Dubai show included a special cameo by her daughter Blue Ivy Carter. Though they didn’t grace the stage, Jay-Z, twins Rumi and Sir, and Beyoncé’s parents, Tina and Mathew Knowles, also got shoutouts during the live debut of “Brown Skin Girl.”
Beyoncé went even bolder with her fashion for Act II, wearing a sequined red dress with gold cups, accentuated by a halo crown not unlike the one she wore at the 2017 Grammys.
Her final outfit of the event was a Barbiecore pink minidress and matching thigh-high boots that got completely drenched with (holy) water before a fireworks celebration. The perfect way to end a night that consisted of a beautiful set list filled with classics like “Halo,” “Beautiful Liar,” “Crazy in Love,” and “Naughty Girl.”
Interestingly, for Beyoncé’s first show since Renaissance, she did not perform a single song from the album. Perhaps she’s waiting to make those debuts during the Renaissance world tour? Whenever the time comes, it’s sure to break some souls.