Beyoncé sure knows how to make a re-entrance.
On January 21, the living legend staged her first headlining concert in four years at the new Atlantis The Royal Resort in Dubai. According to a report from Variety, the exclusive hour-long set celebrating the luxury hotel's grand opening was invite-only, with a star-studded audience including Chlöe and Halle Bailey, Nia Long, Kendall Jenner, Letitia Wright, and Rebel Wilson. Under a strict no-phones policy, guests were required to dress in formal attire and gained access to the event with “signature pins.”
Of course, Queen Bey pulled out all the stops for her first major live show since performing with Jay-Z at the Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100 event in 2018. Per Variety, “Violinists crowned with metallic gold headpieces and voluminous red skirts hit the stage first, and Beyoncé’s dancers and more musicians followed in matching garb, standing still with their hands folded in front of the Egyptian-themed backdrop.”
Fireworks reportedly went off as Beyoncé took the stage in a yellow corset dress and feathered backpiece to open the show with Etta James' classic, “At Last!” However, it was Beyoncé's 11-year-old daughter Blue Ivy Carter who truly lit up the venue when she joined her mom for a performance of “Brown Skin Girl.” Dressed in a sparkling red sequined jumpsuit with a dramatic peplum skirt, Blue Ivy reportedly “nailed” the dancers' choreography and blew a kiss to the crowd before leaving the stage.
Blue Ivy's younger siblings—five-year-old twins Rumi and Sir—were also in the audience, as well as her father Jay-Z, and grandmother Tina Knowles. Jay-Z did not join his wife when she performed “Crazy in Love,” but she did call him her “beautiful husband” in a sweet shoutout.
While one may believe this comeback show would celebrate her latest album “Renaissance," Variety reports that Beyoncé did not sing any of her new songs, instead opting to perform previous favorites including “Beautiful Liar,” "Naughty Girl,” “Freedom,” and more. While she started the show in her lemon-yellow gown, she ended the night in a sheer pink and crystal minidress.
The no-phones policy was lifted after the show. While we can't see what went down during the concert, Kendall Jenner and Halle Bailey shared a peek at the after-party, which featured yet another firework show, flowing Moet champagne, and a performance by Swedish House Mafia.
This article was originally published on Glamour US.
