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Beyoncé Makes Surprise Appearance at Kamala Harris Rally in Houston
Beyoncé is heading home to Texas.
ICYMI, Netflix announced that the 32-time Grammy winner will perform live at the NFL halftime show during the Houston Texans vs. Baltimore Ravens game on Christmas Day. The 43-year-old will return to the stage on her home turf at NRG Stadium.
Beyoncé teased the performance on a Nov. 17 Instagram post—shared on her account and the Netflix and NFL accounts—in a video set to an a cappella version of her Cowboy Carter track “American Requiem,” as she stands on top of a red corvette and catches a football, tossed from off-camera.
Still in her cowboy era, the “Crazy in Love” songstress dons a large cowboy hat and leather dress with the Texans’ colors—which is the which is the same red, white, and blue as the Lone Star State’s flag.
Beyoncé’s return to the public stage in Texas will come two months after she made a surprise appearance at the Kamala Harris rally in her hometown on Oct. 25. And the performance will mark the first time Beyoncé has taken the stage since she wrapped her Renaissance World Tour in October 2023, following a 56-show run, that spanned 39 cities across Europe and the United States.
Her major performance news has been announced two weeks after she made history following this year’s Grammy nominations. Cowboy Carter snagged 11 nominations—putting her in the lead over celebs including Charli XCX, Kendrick Lamar and Post Malone—with nods in the Record of the Year and Song of the Year.
With her fifth nomination in the Album of the Year category, Beyoncé has now become the most-nominated artist in history—surpassing her husband Jay-Z—with 99 total nominations.
In February, Jay-Z called out the Recording Academy at the 2024 Grammys for snubbing his wife in the aforementioned category.
"We want y'all to get it right—at least get it close to right," he noted on stage while accepting the Dr. Dre Global Award. "Obviously it's subjective, because it's music and it's opinion-based. But some things, you know, I don't want to embarrass this young lady—but she has more Grammys than everyone and never won Album of the Year."
And while fans eagerly await the singer’s next performance, keep reading for a glimpse at some of the standout tracks from Cowboy Carter…
Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Recording Academy
“Ameriican Requiem”
Within the first single on Cowboy Carter, Beyoncé lays it all out for her critics, seemingly referencing the backlash she faced after she performed at the CMA Awards in 2016.
“They used to say I spoke, ‘Too country’ / And the rejection came, said I wasn't, 'Country 'nough,'” she sings, “Said I wouldn't saddle up, but / If that ain't country, tell me, what is? / Plant my bare feet on solid ground for years / They don't, don't know how hard I had to fight for this.”
At the time, fans noted that the CMA Awards appeared to take down footage of her surprise performance alongside The Chicks. However, in a statement to E! News, the organization shared they took down a promotional clip instead.
Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Parkwood
“Dolly P” & “Jolene”
Not only did the Grammy winner take Dolly Parton’s hit “Jolene” and make it her own: “Jolene, I'm a woman too / Thе games you play are nothing new / So you don't want no hеat with me, Jolene,” but she also recruited the country star for an interlude that tipped its hat at another well-known character: Becky with the good hair.
“Hey miss Honey B, it's Dolly P,” Dolly says, “You know that hussy with the good hair you sing about? / Reminded me of someone I knew back when / Except she has flamin' locks of auburn hair / Bless her heart / Just a hair of a different color but it hurts just the same.”
Though Beyoncé made it clear that her take is more of a stern warning: “But you don't want this smoke, so shoot your shot with someone else (You heard me).”
Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Parkwood
“Sweet Honey Buckin”
On this track, the 32-time Grammy winner made note of one snub that stood out noticeably during the 2024 Grammys: Her not winning Album of the Year for Renaissance.
In fact, when her husband Jay-Z took the stage that night, he couldn’t help but call it out then and there—a moment that she doesn’t hesitate to highlight.
“A-O-T-Y, I ain't win (Let's go) / I ain't stuntin' 'bout them,” she sings, “Take that s--t on the chin/ Come back and fuck up the pen (Yeah).”
(Photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage for Parkwood)
“Protector”
One of her more melodic singles, “Protector” opens up with none other her daughter Rumi asking about a lullaby.
The singer—who is also mom to Rumi’s twin brother Sir and their oldest sibling Blue Ivy—reflects on her role as a mom. “Born to be a protector, mm-hmm / Even though I know someday you're gonna shine on your own.”
“I will be your projector, mm, mm-hmm / An apricot picked right off a given tree,” she notes. “I gave watеr to the soil / And now it feeds me, yeah, yеah (Yeah) / And there you are, shaded underneath it all / I feel proud of who I am /Because you need me.”
Kevin Mazur/WireImage for Parkwood
“Amen”
Rounding out her 27-song album is “Amen,” which leads fans right back to the opening declaration of starting anew and making an experience all her own.
“Say a prayer for what has been /We'll be the ones to purify our Fathers' sins,” she sings, “American Requiem / Them old ideas (Yeah) are buried here (Yeah).”
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