Beyonce looked every inch the proud mother as she invited 11-year-old daughter Blue Ivy Carter to join her on stage in Dubai on Saturday night for her first live show since 2018.
The singer, 41, placed a reassuring hand on the clearly nervous youngster’s back as she joined her for a rendition of their 2019 Grammy Award-winning song Brown Skin Girl.
While this marked Blue Ivy’s debut performance on a public stage, the future superstar has performed with her mum in pre-recorded situations.
The moment proved one highlight of many as Beyonce headlined the opening of new hotel Atlantis The Royal in Dubai.
The ultra luxurious resort - which took eight years to build - spans 63 hectares, boasts 795 rooms and suites, countless hospitality venues and no fewer than 90 swimming pools.
The Standard was among select VIPS and media invited to experience the awe-inspiring new hotel and watch the one-hour outdoor spectacular for which Beyonce was reportedly paid $24m (£19m).
The Break My Soul hit-maker’s set involved no less than three costume changes and was accompanied by Firdaus, a 48-person all-female orchestra, mentored by Oscar-winning composer A.R Rahman.
She was also joined by America’s Got Talent winners The Mayyas and an all-female precision dance group from Lebanon with choreography by Emmy-nominated Fatima Robinson.
Security was tight for the highly anticipated gig with those invited instructed to wear a special magnetic pin and a “sculpted” bracelet designed by Pichulik, a women run, handmade jewellery atelier based in South Africa.
There was also a strict “no phones” policy for which attendees were asked to place their mobiles inside specially provided bags which featured the name of the hotel and date of the three-day long launch activities.
Guests were treated to free-flowing Moet and Chandon and provided with black cashmere shawls as the night turned chilly.
There was a strict no-smoking policy as part of the terms and conditions of Beyonce’s contract.
While Beyonce didn’t perform any tracks from latest album Renaissance, she delivered some of her biggest hits from Crazy In Love to Halo and Beautiful Liar, along with her take on the Etta James classic At Last.
She brought her masterclass to a close by belting out fan-favourite Dunk In Love, as she was raised sixteen feet into the air amidst one of the world’s unique performance fountains, Skyblaze.
As her final note finished, a fireworks and drone extravaganza literally lit up the hotel.
It was then over to supergroup Swedish House Mafia for the ultimate DJ set including their hits One and Don’t You Worry Child.
At the start of the concert, Beyonce excitedly told the crowd that her husband Jay-Z, 53, and their children Blue and five-year-old twins Rumi and Sir Carter were in the crowd watching.
Her mother Tina Knowles, father Mathew Knowles and step-mother Gena Avery were also present.
Among the other VIP guests were model Kendall Jenner, actress Rebel Wilson, singers Chloe x Halle, actress Letitia Wright and actor Winston Dukes.
Former One Direction star Liam Payne also attended along with celebrity couples Millie Mackintosh and Hugo Taylor, Rochelle and Marvin Humes, Mark Wright and Michelle Keegan, plus, Ronan and Storm Keating.
Israeli model Bar Refaeli, actress Ellen Pompeo and Kim Kardashian’s best friend Jonathan Cheban also scored themselves an invite.
Atlantis The Royal is officially open for bookings from next month, for more information visit: https://www.atlantis.com/atlantis-the-royal
