On April 14, 2018 Beyoncé once again broke barriers, becoming the first Black woman to headline The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, since it’s 1999 debut.  In a performance dedicated to Black culture and excellence, Queen Bey, returned to the stage after a nearly two-year hiatus. The 36-year old was originally scheduled to headline the festival in 2017, but decided to postpone during her pregnancy with twins, Rumi and Sir, whom made their debut in June 2017.The current mother of three, at what seems to be a pivotal moment in her career, came back with a vengeance, providing festival-goers and fans with an experience that will be talked about for years to come. 

Just when people think she can’t outdo herself, Beyonce’ does it again. She is in constant competition with herself, making the changes she deems necessary to take her work to the next level. This was the singer’s first time using a marching band, which many soon realized was an ode to Historical Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) around the nation. The queen even held her own personal probate in which her line “The Bugaboos” paid homage to Greek life and step that is a major part of African-American culture. With a fresh set of dancers (except for 3 veterans), who showcased exceptional talent through their synchronization and explosive moves, Beyoncé’ reminded us as to why her performances are always highly anticipated…the world never knows what they’ll get next. 

Beyoncé’s faithful “Beyhive” even renamed the festival “Beychella” and she lived up to it as she shattered records during her 105-minute performance. Her performance attracted 458,000 global viewers and according to a YouTube spokeswoman- it was the most viewed Coachella performance ever. Beyoncé paid close attention to the wants of her followers and listened to her fans, giving a Destiny’s Child reunion after nearly 20 years. The entertainer also gave the world Deja-Vu by bringing out her hubby Jay-Z, who she plans to kick off a joint tour with at the start of the summer. And if those cameos weren’t enough, Queen Bey brought out her sister Solange to perform a high-energy dance number to the extended version of Get Me Bodied.  

From the Nefertiti reference to tributes to Nina Simone and Malcolm X, Beyoncé’s Coachella performance was more than just an ode to HBCUs but to Black culture as a whole. She used her philanthropy attributes to whip those watching and those attending into “Formation.” With a stellar rendition of “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” which is often referred to as the Black National Anthem, Beyoncé’ came to remind America that no matter how many times the world tries to undermine our capabilities, we come back and show them that we cannot and we will not be silenced. Black excellence is here to stay!

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