The Beyonce is the most Beyonce to ever Beyonce in the history of Beyonce. The Beyonce is all about Beyonce. Beyonce! Beyonce began her Formation world tour last night in Miami, and these are some photos from the first show, courtesy of Beyonce’s website. These are Beyonce-approved photos of Beyonce hard at work being Beyonce. And the Beyhive has already gotten into Formation. Are you kidding? She could have started her tour two hours after the premiere of Lemonade and people would have known the words to every song already. Such is the power of the Beyonce! And guess who attended the kick-off show? None other than Beyonce’s husband, Jay-Z. He didn’t perform with her, but he was in the audience and she dedicated “Halo” to him.
No lemons here! Beyonce took to the stage on Wednesday, April 27, to kick off her Formation world tour in Miami, and after performing a load of songs off her controversial new album, Lemonade, (including “Sorry” and her now infamous lyrics about “Becky with the good hair”) Beyonce did her best to calm reports of marital discord. After playing the same adorable family videos from the headline-hitting Lemonade mini-film, the 34-year-old singer then closed the show with the song “Halo,” and gave it a special dedication.
“I want to dedicate this song to my family, thank you guys for supporting me,” she said to Jay Z, who was watching his wife from the audience. Then, in case there was any doubt, she added. “I want to dedicate this song to my beautiful husband, I love you so much.”
Jay Z’s presence, and Beyonce’s dedication, went part way to cooling gossip. But while the rapper was in the audience, supporting his wife on the opening night of her huge new tour, he did not take the stage for any of their duets, like “Crazy in Love” and “Drunk in Love.”
Basically, the Formation Tour is not going to be like Beyonce’s last tour, the On the Run Tour in 2014, which was a joint “our marriage is fine” tour for Bey and Jay (and various guest stars). The Formation Tour is ALL BEYONCE. And if Jay wants to sit in the audience, fine. I hope she charges him for the ticket. But yeah, Jay and Bey are fine. They’re not getting a divorce. They’re getting that $$$$$.
Bey posted this before her show:
Photos courtesy of Beyonce’s site.
i like beyonce’s music, and as a white european woman i’m not the target audience for her latest album (although it’s a great album, i’m really enjoying it). this thing with jay z is ridiculous and seems fabricated though.
Why arent you her target audience? Her album is about relationships’ ups and downs. Aren’t white women involved in relationships too?
Or is it because the majority of the videos from that album based around black imagery? Can’t that be celebrated by a wider audience like how majority of magazines and movies etc are celebrated by all audiences even though they are mostly covered by white cultural imagery?
I’m also a white woman and love the album, and Ell’s comment does ring true with my experience that we weren’t the intended audience. I’m in a feminist group on Facebook connected to my university, and so many of the posts after the release were about how white people shouldn’t critique the album, white people shouldn’t cover the songs, white people should accept this is a ‘love letter to black womanhood and everyone else is a spectator’. There was even a post about whether white people should dance to ‘Formation’ if it came on in the club.
Did they also say that white people shouldn’t *buy* the album?
no, sorry i didn’t explain myself well. of course i can celebrate that imagery/culture, and i do enjoy it very much. i bought the album and been listening non-stop. i just meant it in a way that i feel too ignorant to comment.
@Rachel: exactly. i think saying that one can’t dance to music is silly tbh, but everything else i get.
@Sloaney: i didn’t read anything about not buying it, or that you can’t enjoy the musical aspect, just to approach it as something meant specifically for black women.
The album is for everyone. What is NOT for you is deciding what the pro-black message is about and whether Beyonce has the right to her feelings. I have friends (white, black, asian, etc) using Formation and now Lemonade as think pieces for class. Absorb the message because that’s the entire point. But don’t be Piers Morgan and lament how “militant” she is because she’s no longer singing about whatever.
That’s a great comment, Alex. I was struggling yesterday with trying to explain to a friend how I felt like I wasn’t the target audience as a white woman but I was really trying to say what you posted.
Thank you for explaining it on a way I couldn’t. I can take bits and pieces from the album, and identify with the theme of fidelity and family and cycles of abuse, and I can learn from the perspective of a woman of color. It’s not my job to police or decide how she should celebrate her heritage. The album isn’t for me, but that doesn’t mean I can’t learn from it and enjoy it.
I was told just yesterday, in the friendliest way possible, that Lemonade “wasn’t meant” for me and if I attempted to make sense of it I would be doing so at an impossible to overcome disadvantage. This was said after I suggested that the Becky fiasco was perhaps at least somewhat staged for publicity. Point taken! And I backed off respectfully. I do fear the opposite side of that coin though.
@Alex, that’s what I was trying to say, but you said it better.
@Alex – Everything you said rings true for me. I’m a white woman and I didn’t live the story of a black woman. I related so well to the album overall, as a female who has been through some serious situations in my life (I’m LOVING Daddy lessons.) I liked Lemonade a lot – and this is the album that made me an official fan of Beyonce. I considered the movie experience to be an education.. and frankly, reading the threads that have happened here on this site since Formation came out has also been an education.
For everyone else here who has spoken up and given your story, thank you. I read, I almost never comment, but I soak in all of it and appreciate your candor and honestly.
I don’t actually think it’s meant to be just for black women. I think it’s about what all women struggle with in relationships and life. I could be wrong. I’m not a part of the Beyhive so take my assessment with a grain of salt.
I agree. I feel as though Beyonce wanted infuse her personal perspective as a black woman in a world that has been noticeably hard on women in general and people of color in general, which means it’s been twice as hard on women of color (all colors). It’s nice that lots of white women are open to looking at this often shunned perspective, and I think that’s apart of the hope for personal angle on Lemonade. But I am a dude so maybe I don’t get it, but it’s a little crazy that some of the black fans think it’s impossible for a nonblack person to comprehend these human emotions (not all of course there are plenty here who don’t feel that way).
I know there is such a thing as white privilege, but the idea of a certain song coming on and a racial group needing to “go sit down” and not dance to certain songs feels totally backwards and ludicrous, especially when it’s a song about rising up in the face of racism, being told not to do something because of the color of your skin.
Sorry I moved the theory comment so it was actually in response to an appropriate comment!! It’s down thread 😁
Good theory !
Wrong section for comment.
Dagdag:
I know dude. Already got it 😉👉
I think any time we can actively discourage white people from dancing, it’s a good thing.
Or maybe I’m just thinking about myself.
Kitten won’t be dancing to Formation, or any song for that matter.
Because none of you deserve that.
Maddie from Dance Moms is white and she goes alright.
Heck after reading about the album, reading a breakdown of each song’s visuals, etc…….I was intrigued, I was considering buying it, But if there is any conversation about whether or no the album is “for me”…….afte reading I basically am not entitled to an opinion about it……well hell–I’ll keep my money and spend it on things I am entitled to have an opinion about. Oh I know Beh and Jay are rich enough and won’t miss my $17.00–but I’ll be damned if I can spend money on it but not offer up an opinion or review. Eff that.
So does this mean her fans are going to stop attacking every woman they think is “Becky”..
I like Bey.. and enjoy some of her music.. but her silence and the way no one came out in a very public way to ask her fans to STOP these rants and such is just wrong.
Am I alone in thinking that perhaps this Becky business is not real? More just a story for a song?
I have a theory:
Jay cheats, elevator thing with solange blows up, and Beyonce is embarrassed and ashamed.
So she says to Jay, “look bud. You humiliated me and our marriage. You will be forgiven and we will work on it under these conditions: I feel inspired to write about it. You produce this album. You stream this album. You own your shit. You feel publicly humiliated just like I felt. And then we can move forward.”
I feel like it’s both real and calculated. They were both in on it, but it was more his penance than cash cow idea, you know?
I will never ever understand why a wife would feel embarrassed, ashamed or humiliated when a spouse cheats on her.
He is the one who should have those feelings, he is the one who lied and cheated. My first husband was a reckless cheater; I felt betrayed and hurt and I was happy when he was gone. I don´t need a man I can´t trust.
Just because you can’t understand how a person might feel a certain way doesn’t mean they don’t feel that way. I know plenty of people who have felt humiliation as a result of their spouse/partner’s indiscretions. By wandering in such a manner, that person is making your private life the subject of public scrutiny, thus leaving you open to humiliation.
@Grant,
most spouses that cheat, lie and deny, how would there be public scrunity? Not many are as shameless as my first husband. He, an adult person, did me, purposely and without respect, wrong, he broke the word, I really don´t understand about the humiliation and I am serious .
Yes, especially when her songs are written by too many people. God knows who came with that specific line or the Becky thing.
No you’re not alone. I don’t understand how people think this is completely autobiographical. Beyonce as we know her is not a real person. The performer we see is the image, the creation if you will, the actual woman has put forward for us to know. There is very little we have seen about her life that she has not specifically wanted us to see. Lemonade is no different.
When an artist paints a powerful and moving painting, do we automatically assume that the subject matter is true to life and has happened, in its entirety, to the artist? No. Does that diminish the power of the work? Also no. Same with a novel, or a sculpture or any other work of art. Why assume Beyonce (and those she worked with) is not capable of telling such a moving story if it didn’t happen to her as detailed on the album? That’s actually kind of patronizing.
Of course Beyonce is not going to explain the Becky comment, she’s famous for never explaining anything. She just puts the finished product out there and says nothing. It’s nice, actually, because it lets the audience take the work and make it their own. She’s not telling us how to feel about it, what it really “means”. What ruins a good book, a moving painting or a fascinating sculpture faster than the artist droning on about what you’re supposed to be thinking? I’m not actually a big fan of Beyonce, but I do respect her style here.
Dagdag- I think I could understand it, in that some women are embarrassed they fell for the lie. They feel like a fool for spouting about a happy marriage and how they were in love, when they were oblivious to the fact it was only one sided. It’s having to admit, “i was wrong. This didn’t work like planned.” Admitting that is hard!
The cheater *usually doesn’t feel the shame and humiliation because they are narcissistic enough to think they are above monogamy anyway.
Many like you are strong, and don’t take it as a refection on themselves and I applaud that resilience. I think for most it would be hard NOT to internalize it, though, you know?
@Wiffie,
I believe a failed marriage, especially with children, is hard to swallow.
You sit down and think, what went wrong and you realize, you married the wrong man. Or what you did went wrong and that is what it is and you have to work on yourself.
But we are talking about cheaters. How can a cheater humiliate you? You can only humilate yourself. And when you are out powered by others, how can they humiliate you in public? Of course, others can humiliate you in public or in private but does this make you guilty? Only as long as you tolerate it.
I feel like it’s ALL just a story for profit. ALL OF IT.
The elevator, the songs about infidelity, Becky – all of it.
All for profit. All marketing and all fiction.
Becky is bringing the cash, so she is very ok with that.
@Wren,
yes to everything you wrote.
She should have stepped in when they were insulting and cyberbullying that little girl.
I agree. I don’t think either of them are vey nice people based on the way that they have continued to allow people’s lives to be negatively impacted because of these stupid games.
They don’t care. It’s all about money.
Part of me is like yaaaaas woman you rock so hard, go on with it. Another part of me is like good lord, you take yourself way too seriously. But if she’s able to inspire people the way she does, she’s earned it. I guess most serious artists do take themselves pretty seriously.
^^^^ this is mostly in response to the Instagram video she posted.
I feel the same way. I’ve been to see her in concert (though I am not a member of the Beyhive, lol) and she is a spectacular performer and puts on an amazing show. I also really like this new album but yeah, sometimes she’s just a wee bit…extra. At least for me.
Please update this with the “boycott Beyonce” shirts she’s selling in her merch booths! Ugh the dig at the Miami police was soo good and a little reminiscent of NWA (but of course not as direct). I thought it was amazing and hilarious, oh you wanna boycott me over something non existent, OK. I’ll make some money and fun out of you. Get that paper Beyonce.
I really don’t get this.
If you really loved your husband you wouldn’t put out music that explains how he cheated on you and let the world go down the rabbit hole of your relationship and give a free ticket to speculation and humiliation.
it feels like she had her revenge emasculating Jay Z. I don’t feel sorry for him but she wants support for something that is wrong.
If you love him and you have decided there is too much to lose to break up with him and you decide to stay together, you don’t put it out there and make money out of it.
It is not genuine and it is all done in name of money. This behavior speaks volumes.
I am sorry but I do not see this as empowering or something to look up to, I just see it as a stupid revenge and a way of making money out of something so personal.
I had already very little respect for Beyoncè and now i have even less.
He’s in on it. No worries that he feels emasculated. They’ve been more interesting from this than they’ve been in years. He’s still got the beautiful woman who stuck with him after he banged a lot of side chicks. He’s probably being high-fived by a lot of guys in the music industry as “the man.” And Tidal got a boost.
It’s all win-win for Team Jayonce.
Because it was all planned and Bey is so good at convincing her die hard fans that the drama is real. Hook, line and sink every time. Like I said Bey and Jay are a brand and they know how to create a buzz.
Yeah I agree with you. Being overly private was not working for her. She needed to do something else and this was it. Being vague enough to keep people guessing and talking without really letting us know the real deal on their marriage. This woman took years to show ONE pic of her wedding gown…you think she’s going to tell the whole world her husband cheated on her and they are having marriage problems? I think it’s all to sell records.
This. I just wrote this exact thing a few comments up.
It’s ALL fiction.
Women and men have been singing about love, cheating, being betrayed since ever .Sometimes it is authentic and sometimes not. It is basically a feeling most people experience.
Rich and successful men are a favorite target. My sister in law is married to a very successful man and she said, women are shameless, they approach her husband even in her presence. Mine is not so popular and mostly at home, his temptations are easier to handle, I guess.
Lemonde did not make me loose respect for Beyonce, she is a fantastic entertainer and singer. I listen to different music and I don´t like her lyrics or singing. She made an album for sale and I have no idea about her personal life nor do I care. As long as people enjoy and love it, fine.
This so much though.
She’s not the first and she won’t be the last to sing about heartache and betrayal. Nobody lamented “Jolene”, you know?
It was a powerful and beautiful song.
To be fair, people sh*t on Swift (whom I’ve defended) for doing the same thing. I still don’t get why people freak out about that. I would personally be pumped if someone wrote a song about me, even if it was negative, just knowing that I impacted their life that much would be kind of cool.
*shrugs*
Yes to every part of your post. The way people are going on about this is very telling. On themselves.
She’s just doing it just for publicity. Oh so did we miss her enormous last album where she also revealed parts of her personal life? Where the song Mine hints at pnd? Or the other 46435 songs in her catalogue that talks about heartbreak and love? Irreplaceable? Best thing I never had? Disappear? Broken hearted girl?
Then there’s the glee in taking every lyric literally as long as it paints her in some sort of negative light. I guess we should also take literally the lyric about her father being dead? Or she walked into a club and witnessed a murder?
People are really doing the most with the least. Even the Becky nonsense is so simplistic. Bey never called out the other woman. If we are taking things at face value the sons are viciously attacking cheating emotionally abusive men. And expecting her to call out people who are running with it on social media is silly. Beyonce never responds in that way. People have been dragged her daughters hair and facial features, the police have called for boycotts on her, her husband gets mocked for his looks, she gets dragged for showing her but cheeks and on and on and she never deigns to respond. That’s clearly the way she has made peace in dealing with it so I truly don’t get what people expect of her. What a shame that so many can’t just enjoy this amazing piece of work and leave the rest alone.
If the album had anything to do with her personal experiences, her mother’s personal experiences, every woman’s personal experiences, how is her putting it out there any different from Adele writing an entire album about the heartache she felt when someone she loved decided she wasn’t good enough?
“Beyonce is the most Beyonce to ever Beyonce in the history of Beyonce. The Beyonce is all about Beyonce. Beyonce!”
Lmao.
“Beyonce doesn’t do what Beyonce does for Beyonce. Beyonce does what Beyonce does because Beyonce is Beyonce!” – Beyonce
Blues getting big!! My take on the situation is that, they’re fine now. I think they hit a really rough patch in their marriage, but have come through the other side. She wrote about it but it’s not happening now.
Every single marriage has difficult times at one point. Marriage is hard even if both people are in it 100%.
Would seriously kill to be able to afford go to this tour- looks like a great time.
Same, totally regretted not getting tickets after hearing the new album.
Anyone who believes these two have a real relationship….c’mon. It’s totally business.
Beyonce is selling “boycott Beyonce” t-shirt, that’s shade master-class.
That kid is freaking adorable.
That’s what I came here for, too. I have little interest in Beyonce or her music, but that shot of her daughter is a ray of sunshine.
I went!, IT WAS SOOOOO Good, Trash sound due probably to the venue being a stadium, but I came out with a new understanding and admiration of what a work horse she is and the magic she is making onstage, even in nosebleeds you can see this chick beating every step singing so good without running out of breath, changing into the next little thing in minutes, DJ Khaled looked like sizzurp Barney but he brought out like Future, Trck daddy, Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, that was fun!
Only criticism is that there was really barely any Lemonade tracks ( a Lot from prior work, I was ready for the ugly cry if she did more Lemonade stuff cause it was so affecting?! but I assume these songs are gonna change. ) also Amazing onesies costumes galore, I really don’t understand how she does that!, the show seemed also very.. spare, I thought more songs would get longer musical arrangements or back up vocals on stage IDK?
But Honestly it was a feat, her stage, this big ass light projection moving cube she had, the way the lights hit her, the projection, her stamina… at some point in time she covered Sweet dreams and she hit a note that just like a hush came over the whole stadium. Also a Lot of new personal vids at the end with Blue freshly born and cute stuff with herself as a Kid
Bey is a phenomenal performer. A tour in support of a new album and not many Lemonade tracks? I’m confused. Even older performers U2 and Madonna start off their tour with a lot of new tracks in support of a new album,
look Jayna went like
Formation
Sorry
Flawless
Run The World
Mine
Baby Boy
Hold Up
Countdown
Me Myself and I
Running ( Naughty Boy)
All Night
Let It Be
Ring The ALarm
Naughty Girl/Independent woman/Diva meddle
Flawless Remix
Feeling myself ( for both of those her Parts)
Yonce
7/11
Drunk in love
Rocket
Daddy Lessons
Single Ladies
Purple Rain (played by itself to a purple screen)
Crazy in Love Bootilicious medley
Naughty Girl ( a Part again)
Party
Dont Hurt Yourself a bit then Blow
Sweet dreams hers and the Eurythmics cover
Freedom
Survivor
End of time bled into a liiiitle bit of grown woman
Halo
(the visuals were purely entirely the ones from Lemonade though)
That’s pretty standard for her. The Mrs Carter tour was meant to be in support of album that came a year or so later, so it ended up being all old material, and the On The Run tour was a bit random really, it wasn’t really in support of self titled. I feel like her tours are the one thing she never has a real cohesive vision for, they always just end up being a greatest hits kind of thing with a little new thrown in. The costumes have been pretty samey for the last 4 tours, the choreography is variations on the same thing…Lemonade was a chance to do something totally different on tour, but from what I’ve seen so far it’s business as usual.
I think it’s that she doesn’t want to play smaller venues, and if she doesn’t do Crazy and Single Ladies and Halo and all that then selling out stadiums isn’t possible. It’s a shame, a smaller tour where she just did Lemonade and maybe a handful of older tracks that tie in with it would be amazing.
Oh see Kate? That I was not aware of, but Again I’m Not in the Beyhive or have been in attendance to prior ones, But yes, that took me by surprise, I just assumed the set list will be changed based on feedback or you know, as it goes on
I saw the setlist on LA. Only 6 Lemonade out of 25. That’s not a lot! Thought there’d be more. What did you think about Don’t Hurt Yourself, live?
FANTASTIC! she had a Girl doing a guitar solo and it kinda then went into Blow? I mean she was spectacular, my main thing is that im not a huge Beyonce person excepting for her past cd and this one so I was like not amused at not more Lemonade stuff
This whole lemonade and Becky thing ..smh..the album is good i would give 7.7 without the visuals and 8.5 with visuals..i bought and have watched at least three times now..I only have one thing say..they know drama sells..go for then that is Bey and Jay..
I am on the exercise bike in my bedroom and reading this and ugly-crying with excitement for you/jealousy from me. But quietly, because it is midnight here and The Man is in bed and Baby Girl has already tip-toed in to join us.
Omg. Like CharlotteCharlotte I to am jealoussssss. The last Bey concert I went to was the Mrs. Carter tour. Give us more details I need to know everything!!
More details; Fresh baby pics like when she was having the fresh baby wrapped up
The Outfits, Honestly I wanted more screens to appreciate them better, Like the Orange two piece one and the one she wore during Daddy lessons were my faves cause you could see the detail best,… her body was flaw free, Also she grabbed two girls from the side of the stage to do Single ladies and she let them do the whole choreo with her and it seemed prearranged cause they were FANTASTIC and over of them finished with a Vogue dramatic fall we all hollered to God!
Also Freedom had the front part of the stage get splashing water and splash they did, but this became a thing that then killed her Mike and she was waving it like WHAT!?!?!? when she wanted to start Survivor, so she lagged behind maybe a minute or two til they handed her another one but she sorta just went into it like nothing
Also Noteworthy: Refreshing that the rap game guys were her openers and they all got a LOT of love
It all sounds very delicious… saw those girls from the audience on ig and I hollered as well! It was too perfect
I was there too! I’ve never been a huge Beyonce fan, but my whole family went, and we had a blast. I have to say, as visual and sound art performance, I was totally blown away. One part of the stage moved like a treadmill, and another part had WATER in it – basically a biathlon stage!! Really one of the most magnificent shows I’ve ever been to.
The sound was THX certified and amazing. There was this huge, almost building-sized, cube that was basically giant screens on all four sides and rotated, showing the graphics, which were incredible. Beyonce sounded amazing, she had at least 7 costume changes that I counted. She can DANCE. Really, I have a lot of respect for her as a performer after last night. She may be a diva, but she puts on a hella good show for it.
I always cherry picked her albums before but I f-cking love this one. I would definitely go to a show!!!
How is it that Blue Ivy is so tall already???
She looks so tall in that picture!
Is this tour sponsored by Smart Water?
Tour looks amazing! I never miss a Beyonce concert but I’ll be out of the country when she comes to New York. My only issue is that if she can sell out stadiums so easily, then she’s gonna start charging ridiculous prices or she won’t go to regular arenas where there’s better sound and views. Gotta wait till next tour I guess T.T
She couldn’t book the AmericanAirlines Arena in Miami because of the NBA Playoffs.
I periscoped it and she sounded great…I love that her work & the team around her is always top notch. The visuals were great, love the choreo, and seamless transitions between songs. Good setlist too. Going to see her in PGH and I can’t wait
I thought the picture with the hat was Prince for a nanosecond. Need coffee.
OK, I know this is shallow but… that hat, WTF????
Beyonce is like Rhianna for me song wise. Some I love & others get on my last nerve. Performance wise I think she has more than proved herself. She’s got it vocally & a great woman to see. As for her personal life? Not a clue what’s going on. Hype for the album? Truth to it? or maybe both? Either way I think she is a great pop r&b star with real talent.
Blue’s Vans are awesome! That’s all I’ve got for this 💙
Blue seems such a cutie !
I know right. It’s a sweet photo.
So I’m looking at the artwork that come with the album and the page that has the song credits…each and every “S” is a F*CKING DOLLAR SIGN!
I like Beyonce very much, but I also equally think she’s full of sh*t and I think the $$$$ are proof that she took advantage of people being so obsessed with the personal lives of celebrities to make herself some money. (I’m not ‘mad at her’ for doing this, either, its just an observation)
Not saying she didn’t do it artistically, I think the album and film are really great, and I spent 15 minutes today looking at videos from her live show because I know her production value is incredible, just sayin’ I’m starting to believe more and more that this album comes from partly true life things she’s gone through and a master plan to make made money by using the pop culture/celeb obsession the general public has.
Can someone do me a solid and tell me why this new Beyoncé album is so important and what it’s all about? I don’t have the time or inclination to research it myself.
In the Iggy post under Marty and Josefina’s comments, you said that Lemonade didn’t change your life. So did you watch it? Or did you not watch it? Just wondering.
It’s been discussed extensively here for the past few days. There are some really good comments on the Lemondade threads. Gotta check them out! If you have the time (or inclination).
Quick summary: it’s not important, and it’s about a man cheating on his wife and this may or may not be autobiographical
Deeeeeep sigh.
It’s not important TO YOU. What a way to diminish something that’s about so much more than just cheating.
I swear I feel like a broken record on this topic.
These comments remind of my pre-schooler trying to wind up his toddler sister by saying something really pathetic and annoying. He knows he’s being ridiculous, but he enjoys the reaction.
His excuse is he’s four.