Rising from the stage dressed like a sunburst, Beyonce made sure we knew that her first live gig in four years would be hot.
In her fabulous feathery yellow costume, a fireworks display welcomed her to the stage in Dubai as she burst into Etta James hit At Last.
Then 41-year-old Beyonce showed the 1,500-strong crowd what they had been missing in the last four years.
Her hour-long set at the opening of the Atlantis The Royal hotel had a 48-piece orchestra that was all-female, like her dance troupe, The Mayyas, who won America’s Got Talent last year.
Beyonce made three costume changes, each outfit more extraordinary than the last, and sang hits such as Crazy in Love, Drunk in Love, XO and Bigger.
But the standout moment was when she was joined by her 11-year-old daughter Blue Ivy Carter on stage to sing a duet of Brown Skin Girl.
Beyonce appeared to walk on water at the end, to the delight of the crowd, who by now expected nothing less.
Saturdays star Rochelle Humes, 33, posted yesterday: “Last night is a memory that will stay with me for LIFE.”
Beyonce and husband Jay Z celebrated her comeback gig – for which she earned a reported £19million – with a bash at Nobu restaurant, which went on until 8am yesterday.
Beyonce had an entourage of 140 people with her in Dubai, and a source said: “Bey wanted to treat her team, who helped make her first gig back go so smoothly.”
