Beyoncé delivered a highly anticipated NFL halftime performance during the Baltimore Ravens vs. Houston Texans game on Christmas Day, marking her first live televised show in four years. Dubbed the “Beyoncé Bowl,” the meticulously crafted performance featured collaborations with Post Malone, Shaboozey, and her daughter Blue Ivy Carter, as they debuted tracks from Cowboy Carter live for the first time.
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As always, a signature Beyoncé performance comes wrapped in secrecy. Rumors swirled that her NFL halftime show would be an epic 20-minute spectacle, while fan accounts shared old photos of Miley Cyrus, speculating she was in Houston for the game. Beyoncé even joked about potential buffering issues, referencing last month’s Jake Paul-Mike Tyson Netflix fight.
Instead, what unfolded was a masterful showcase of select tracks from her expansive Cowboy Carter album, released earlier this year. Outdoing her own legendary performances is no easy feat, yet Beyoncé managed to raise the bar once again.
The show opened with a pre-recorded segment featuring Beyoncé, draped in a white fur coat and matching cowboy hat, arriving on a white horse to the tune of “16 Carriages.” She made her way through the stadium before dismounting to launch into “Blackbiird,” where she was joined by rising stars Tanner Adell, Tiera Kennedy, Reyna Roberts, and Brittney Spencer.
The transition to the live stage was seamless as she delivered a powerful performance of “Ya Ya,” followed by a high-energy rendition of “My House” on bleachers packed with dancers, a marching band, and her daughter, Blue Ivy Carter. As she strutted down the runway, a medley of “Spaghettii,” “Riiverdance,” and “Sweet Honey Buckiin’” filled the air, with Shaboozey joining her for his verse. Post Malone then appeared for a duet on “Levii’s Jeans,” performed next to a denim-clad truck.
In a breathtaking moment of pageantry, Beyoncé perched on the back of a car seat to sing “Jolene” before pausing to address the crowd. “I’m so honored to be in Texas right now,” she said. “It’s only right that we debut ‘Texas Hold ‘Em’ here in Houston on Christmas. Y’all help me sing!” The performance culminated in an electrifying hoedown, complete with line dancing and a show-stopping finale featuring Blue Ivy.
As Beyoncé ascended into the air on a platform for the show’s grand finale, she shared heartfelt parting words with the crowd. “Merry Christmas, God bless y’all, thank you so much,” she said. With a dramatic gesture, she pointed downward as a banner unfurled beneath her, bearing a single bold word: “Bang.” Bang, indeed.
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