BY: LBS STAFF
Published 7 years ago
We knew Beyoncé was going to give us a performance to remember at Coachella this year — but no one was prepared for what Bey brought to the stage last night.
via Essence :
Dressed in Balmain , Bey took America to an HBCU halftime show complete with a marching band, a drumline, a dance squad, a choir and a step team. Set on bleachers as if we were right back at an HBCU homecoming, Bey opened her set with a soulful rendition of “Lift Every Voice,” the Black National Anthem. Later, she had a probate. Lord, it was all too much!
The remainder of Bey’s set continued to raise the bar as the marching band interpreted hit after hit while rocking all the Beyoncé University merch we will surely be buying. Keeping with the theme of being super authentic to her experience as a Black woman, Beyoncé played the snippet of Malcolm X’s famous “Who Taught You to Hate Yourself” speech that she featured in Lemonade. “The most disrespected woman in America is the Black woman. The most unprotected person in America is the Black woman. The most neglected person in America, is the Black woman,” says the late leader.
Towards her final moments on stage, Beyoncé thanked Coachella for letting her be the first Black woman to headline the festival, which began in 1999. “Thank you Coachella for letting me be the first Black woman to headline… Ain’t that a bitch?” she said. And an epic Beyoncé set wouldn’t be complete without some guest appearances. On her first Coachella weekend (she’s also performing April 21), she brought out JAY-Z, Destiny’s Child and her little sis Solange. Fans were so right to rename weekend one of Coachella “Beychella” because the Queen came to make her mark.
You can watch the entire set below.
[Video Removed Per Request]