Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter tour kicked off strong with three hours of electrifying performances and one adorable surprise guest appearance. The “Texas Hold ‘Em” singer’s youngest daughter earned cheers from the audience making her shy debut on the concert stage.
On Monday night, Beyoncé launched her US tour in support of her eighth studio album, Cowboy Carter, at the SoFi Stadium in LA. The arena was packed as she ran through nearly 40 songs across her discography for a show celebrating the Black origins of country music.
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In order to manifest an album with deep roots in personal history, Beyoncé brought her own family onto the stage. Beyoncé’s 13-year-old daughter, Blue Ivy (an artist in her own right), has performed with her mother in the past. This time around, she slayed choreography for “America Has a Problem,” Sweet Honey Buckin,” “Ya Ya” and “Déjà Vu.”
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But the concert’s cutest moment has to go to the surprise appearance of Beyoncé’s 7-year-old daughter, Rumi. Dressed in shining gold, Rumi waved excitedly to the crowd while Beyoncé crooned the poignant lyrics to “Protector.” At the end of the song, the whole family embraced.
Beyoncé’s opening night wasn’t just personal, it was political (no surprise given current events). Her reclamation of country music, in spite of being sidelined by the country music industry, was itself a political act, and Queen Bey proved again and again that she does not need the industry’s approval.
Beyoncé took the stage in a white leather cowboy suit and opened the show with “American Requiem.” Throughout the concert, the screen behind her displayed phrases with particular resonance in our political landscape.
“Never ask permission for something that already belongs to you,” one such message read. Later, an image showed Beyoncé draped in a sash that read “Reclamation of America.” A darker video showed coffins draped in American flags over the words, “History cannot be erased.”
At one point, Beyoncé sang the national anthem against a backing track of Jimi Hendrix’s famous guitar rendition at Woodstock. From there, she transitioned into “Freedom,” the official soundtrack to the Kamala Harris campaign.
“I want to thank all of those who came before me,” Beyoncé told the crowd.
“I want to thank my fans for letting me make this album. Thank you for giving me the creative liberty to challenge myself.”
The Cowboy Carter tour will hit major cities in the US, with pit stops in London and Paris, before ending in Las Vegas on July 26.
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