Ya, ya, it’s true: fans turned up the sound on Christmas Day while Beyoncé took the stage during the halftime of the Houston Texans-Baltimore Raven game.
The show was the first time she had performed any of the music from her country album, “Cowboy Carter,” in front of a live audience.
Dressed in all white, Beyoncé entered NRG Stadium in her hometown, Houston, on a white horse performing “16 Carriages” before she transitioned into her cover of the Beatles’ “Blackbird.” She was joined by Tiera Kennedy, Tanner Adell, Brittney Spencer and Reyna Roberts, who all sang on the album with her.
Surprise appearances included those of Shaboozey, who joined Beyoncé for “Sweet Honey Buckiin,'” and Post Malone, who joined her for “Levii’s Jeans,” which they performed in front of a jeans-covered truck. Both men collaborated with Beyoncé on songs for “Cowboy Carter.”
Beyoncé also sang “Jolene,” “Ya-Ya” and a mashup of “Spaghetti” and “Riiverdance.” She treated audiences to an excerpt of “My House,” which is not off the country album.
Among the sea of back-up dancers was Beyoncé’s 12-year-old daughter, Blue Ivy, who eventually joined her mom in the front to help finish the show off with “Texas Hold ‘Em.” Beyoncé held hands with Blue as the song began but eventually ended her performance by ascending on a platform into the sky.
After the show wrapped, Beyoncé teased that something may be coming on Jan. 14 in an Instagram post that featured her on a white horse.
The performance was streamed on Netflix, which played host to the NFL’s two marquee games on the holiday. Mariah Carey kicked off Netflix’s Christmas NFL doubleheader with a recorded performance of her holiday hit, “All I Want for Christmas Is You.”
Netflix described the concert on X as the “Beyoncé Bowl.” Several people who appeared to be at the game posted photos on social media of light-up bands that they said were distributed before the game.
A replay of the show will be available for only a few hours, Variety has reported. In the United States, both Christmas games will expire on Netflix three hours after the livestreams end under terms of the agreement between Netflix and the NFL
In the month leading up to game day, Beyoncé teased her performance in various social media posts, which were cross-promoted by the streaming giant.
In one video posted Christmas Eve, she appeared to poke fun at the streaming issues Netflix has had during previous live events. The X account for Netflix subsequently temporarily changed its profile bio to read: “roasted by beyoncé 12.24.24”
“Cowboy Carter” was released March 29 and debuted at the top of the Billboard Hot 200 album chart, as well as the chart’s Top Country Albums. She’s the first Black woman to lead the country album list.
It’s also Beyoncé’s eighth straight studio album to reach No. 1 on the Hot 200 chart, according to Billboard. That means every solo record she has released since she left Destiny’s Child has topped the chart.
“Cowboy Carter’ garnered 11 Grammys nominations, including nods for the coveted album of the year and record of the year awards.
Billboard named Beyoncé the greatest pop star of the 21st century, followed closely by Taylor Swift. The two women both launched global tours last year and attended each other’s concert film premieres, but Billboard noted that Beyoncé has “exemplifying greatness in every form imaginable” since before Swift’s own music debut in 2006.
Beyoncé broke the record for the most certified titles for a female artist this month, according to the Recording Industry Association of America.
“Texas Hold ’Em,” the first single from her country album this year, went double platinum.
