Beyoncé gave a concert performance for the first time since 2018 at an exclusive event in Dubai.
The “Break My Soul” vocalist appeared at the Atlantis the Royal hotel on Saturday (21 January) for an exclusive show.
Originally teased by the hotel to be part of “a weekend where your dreams become your destination”, Beyoncé’s set consisted of 19 songs spanning her career, including a surprise duet of “Brown Skin Girl” with her 11-year-old daughter, Blue Ivy.
However, she did not perform any material from her highly acclaimed 2022 album Renaissance.
Beyoncé’s performance at the luxury Dubai resort has been deemed controversial by some, due to the United Arab Emirates having strict homosexuality laws.
Meanwhile, the artist’s latest work has been hailed as a tribute to queer Black and brown people. The Independent has contacted a representative for Beyoncé for comment.
The event was mainly attended by celebrities and select journalists, including Kendall Jenner, Liam Payne, Ronan Keating, Rochelle and Marvin Humes, Chloe and Halle Bailey and British Vogue editor Edward Enninful.
All in attendance were instructed to place their phones and possible recording devices in a pouch to prevent leaks, but footage from the concert has managed to spread across social media.
Some attendees even managed to livestream the concert on social media, to the delight of many supporters who couldn’t be in attendance.
Lizzo tweeted on Saturday: “I have seen Beyoncé perform live 10 times in my lifetime… and today the 11th time was on a IG live across a body of water of a hotel and I’m not ashamed.”
The multi-award-winning singer, 41, was accompanied by the Lebanese dance troupe, the Mayyas.
After the show, a publicist for Beyoncé shared professional footage of the opening moments of the show. A press release stated that there was “more to come”, which has fans hoping that the entire concert will be made available for online viewing.
