History was made at Bank of America Stadium as Beyoncé brought her acclaimed Renaissance World Tour to the Queen City. She’s the first Black female to headline the stadium. And tens of thousands of fans from the Carolinas and beyond showed up to see Queen Bey perform her greatest hits and songs from her latest album.
Here are ten moments we won’t forget from the RENAISSANCE World Tour in the Queen City.
1. The opening number
The “opening act” for the Renaissance World Tour was truly curated for the hardcore “BeyHive” fans, featuring ballads that showed off Beyoncé’s impeccable vocal ability. The opening song, “Dangerously in Love,” was a standout hit from the 2003 album of the same name, built from a fiery passionate bridge. More importantly, the song begins with the lyrics “I love you,” which is an easy allusion to her love for her early fans.
2. Tina Turner tribute
Beyoncé once said that when she thinks of her inspiration, the “two Tinas” in her life — her mother, Tina Knowles, and icon Tina Turner — come to mind. That said, she was expected to acknowledge Tina Turner on tour following the singer’s death earlier this year. The song “River Deep, Mountain High” is a staple in pop and R&B, and Beyonce seamlessly blended it into her setlist through a tribute to Tina Turner.
3. New tour fashions debuted
The fashions of the Renaissance World Tour have been a point of interest for fans since it began in May. The tour’s style is emphasized by the constant changing of outfits throughout different stops––most notably when Beyonce’ wore a pink gown she designed for her Ivy Park label. While in Charlotte, Beyoncé debuted three new ensembles, including a jet black hooded leotard for the opening number, a hot pink latex-esque look with a matching boa worn during the “CUFF IT” and “BREAK MY SOUL” performances, and an off-white gown shielded in crystals for “CHURCH GIRL.”
4. Blue Ivy’s appearance
One big question among concertgoers was whether Blue Ivy Carter — Beyonce and Jay Z’s daughter — would appear at the Charlotte stop, considering she hadn’t performed at every show on the world tour. To fans’ delight, the young performer took the stage alongside her mother during “MY POWER” and “BLACK PARADE.” Her high-energy performance left many fans in a frenzy, chanting her name by the time she exited the stage.
5. Charlotte can actually mute
One of the most anticipated parts of the show, and a hot topic online, is when Beyoncé says, “look around, everybody on mute.” The goal is for the entire stadium to silence for 8-count before the music resumes. Fortunately, the Queen City earned Beyoncé’s stamp of approval as she asked the audience to mute not once but twice. It’s safe to say she was impressed.
6. The Mary J. Blige cover
Mary J. Blige’s “I’m Goin’ Down” is a song of sorrow, longing and pain that fit snugly into the show’s opening act. The 1994 torch ballad allowed Beyoncé to show her range during the selection of songs. It’s one of the few songs by other artists she covered during the three-hour performance.
7. Commitment to honor ballroom culture
It’s well-known that the “RENAISSANCE” album is a love letter to disco and LGBTQ ballroom culture through elements that were introduced to Beyoncé by her late uncle. The tour is packed with vibrant dance numbers that celebrate ballroom and Black queer culture, specifically with the ballroom performance between “PURE/HONEY” and “SUMMER RENAISSANCE” that captures the album’s essence.
8. The background singers
Of the many unforgettable moments from the tour thus far, one of the most underrated is the performance of Diana Ross’s “Love Hangover” by the four female background vocalists, Tiffany Ryan, Karyn Porter, Natalie Imani and Tayler Green. While the moment was an intermission from the main show, the vocals showcased during the song could easily stand alone. This element made many people wish for more from the four talented women.
9. The relentlessly talent dancers
Dance has always been a significant part of the Beyoncé experience, and the energy the entire dance crew put forth helped make the show what it was. Fans online had doubts about the new dance squad after a complete overall of the well-known team Beyoncé has used for other tours, but it’s safe to say their performance was stellar. From seeing Les Twins, a dance duo, drying the odds on stilts to the splits and flips by Aliya Jennell, the dancers proved they are here to stay during the Queen City stop.
10. A ‘Say My Name’ callback
At the end of the show as the singer floated back to the stage on a harness, she referenced a fan who she first met on the Beyoncé Experience tour in 2007.
In the now-viral video, the fan told her his name was Anthony Cosby-Knowles and produced an ID to prove it. Beyonce’ asked, “are you my cousin,” to which he replied “I’m your husband.” Not long after, Beyonce’ allowed him to sing the chorus of Destiny’s Child’s “Say My Name” in to the microphone.
The mention of the lyric in the way Cosby-Knowles sang it was a full-circle moment to help close the show and reference her decades-long love for her fans.
Nice & insightful recap, thank you!
Excellent review, the show was spectacular ??