Beyoncé took the stage by storm at the NFL’s Christmas Day halftime show during the game between the Baltimore Ravens and the Houston Texans at Houston’s NRG Stadium. The event, dubbed the “Christmas Game Day Beyoncé Bowl,” featured her performing hits from her Cowboy Carter album with spectacular flair.
The 43-year-old Grammy winner made a dramatic entrance on horseback, galloping past vintage cars in a white oversized fur coat, a matching cowboy hat, and a diamond choker. She kicked off her performance with fan favorites like “16 Carriages” and “Black Bird.” Switching into a dazzling sequined bodysuit, she delivered a showstopping rendition of “Ya Ya” before performing “RIVERDANCE” with Shaboozey, “LEVII’S Jeans” with Post Malone, and “Texas Hold ‘Em” with her daughter Blue Ivy joining the dancers.
During the set, Beyoncé shared her excitement about performing “Texas Hold ‘Em” in her hometown, Houston, saying, “It’s only right that we do this for the first time here on Christmas. Merry Christmas, God bless y’all.”
While performing “Black Bird,” Beyoncé invited artists featured on the Cowboy Carter album, including Tanner Adell, Brittney Spencer, Tiera Kennedy, and Reyna Roberts, to share the stage. The halftime show, aired live on Netflix, was the first time she performed songs from her March-released album in a live setting. Beyoncé previously headlined the 2013 Super Bowl halftime show and made a memorable return in 2016 alongside Coldplay and Bruno Mars.
Cowboy Carter marked Beyoncé’s groundbreaking entry into country music. Her single “Texas Hold ‘Em” made history as the first song by a Black female artist to top the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. Additionally, Beyoncé became the first Black woman to top the Billboard Top Country Albums chart with this album.
Despite its record-breaking success, Cowboy Carter faced backlash, with some country radio stations ignoring fan requests, and the 2024 Country Music Association Awards snubbing the album entirely. Beyoncé addressed the issue during her Innovator Award acceptance speech at the iHeartRadio Music Awards in April.
Calling for change, she urged the music industry to embrace diverse artistry without bias, saying, “Innovation starts with a dream. Being an innovator means executing that dream, even when the road is bumpy.” She credited trailblazers like Tracy Chapman, Prince, Tina Turner, and Michael Jackson for paving the way for artistic freedom.
This spectacular halftime show was yet another example of Beyoncé’s undeniable ability to push boundaries and audiences worldwide.