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Beyoncé 2024 NFL Halftime Show

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Beyoncé 2024 NFL Halftime Show
Netflix poster
DateDecember 25, 2024 (2024-12-25)
LocationHouston, Texas
VenueNRG Stadium
HeadlinerBeyoncé
Special guestsTanner Adell
Reyna Roberts
Tiera Kennedy
Brittney Spencer
Blue Ivy Carter
Shaboozey
Post Malone
DirectorBeyoncé
Alex Rudzinski
ProducersParkwood Entertainment
Jesse Collins Entertainment

The NFL 2024 Christmas Day Halftime Show, also dubbed the Beyoncé Bowl,[1] was the halftime entertainment for the Baltimore Ravens vs. Houston Texans game, which took place on December 25, 2024, at the NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas. The show was headlined by singer-songwriter Beyoncéand marked the first halftime show for an NFL Christmas Day game.[2]

Produced by Beyoncé's production company Parkwood Entertainment in collaboration with Jesse Collins Entertainment, the performance featured first-time performances of songs from Cowboy Carter (2024), with guest spots from collaborators Tanner Adell, Brittney Spencer, Tiera Kennedy, Reyna Roberts, Shaboozey, and Post Malone. The show was conceived as a tribute to Texan rodeo culture and Black Southern and Western history, and featured over 500 performers including Western cultural figures such as Melanie Rivera, Myrtis Dightman, Nikki Woodward, Ja'Dayia Kursh, and Texas Southern University's Ocean of Soul Marching Band.[3]

The show was met with widespread critical acclaim and broke several viewership records. Publications lauded the performance as a success for Netflix and the NFL, transforming Christmas Gameday into a new cultural event on par with the Super Bowl. The performance was released as a standalone special on Netflix with the title Beyoncé Bowl.[4] On February 2, 2025, it was updated with an addendum announcing the Cowboy Carter Tour.[5]

Background

[edit]
The performance took place at NRG Stadium in Beyoncé's hometown of Houston, Texas

On November 18, 2024, it was announced that American singer-songwriter Beyoncé would headline the first ever Christmas Gameday halftime show at the 2024 Christmas Day game between the Baltimore Ravens and Houston Texans, featuring songs from her most recent album, Cowboy Carter (2024).[6] The Christmas Gameday was the first NFL game to be broadcast on Netflix, with reports that Netflix enlisted Beyoncé to create a cultural event and boost audience ratings as it expands its advertising business.[7][8]

Some fans raised concerns about the potential for buffering issues during the halftime show, due to similar issues during Netflix's airing of Jake Paul and Mike Tyson's boxing match. Netflix told a CNN representative that they had optimized their technology to prevent this.[9] On December 4, Beyoncé's mother Tina Knowles stated that "[she had] no worries. God is going to be in control and everything is going to go smooth. No glitches. It's going to be great," and added that "[she] just left 25 meetings today. It's meeting after meeting. What goes into it is unbelievable".[10]

To announce the performance, Beyoncé released a teaser video showing her catching a football, standing atop a rose-covered car as a snippet of Cowboy Carter track "Ameriican Requiem" plays.[11] A second teaser was released on December 11, 2024, in which Beyoncé uses a finger gun to activate lights around a cactus decorated like a Christmas tree.[12] A third and final teaser was released on December 24, the day before the performance, in which Beyoncé mimics playing a banjo as "Texas Hold 'Em" plays, before a fake buffering icon appears and she giggles.[13]

Development

[edit]

Conception

[edit]
The performance featured 200 members of Texas Southern University's Ocean of Soul Marching Band

The spectacle was envisioned to pay tribute to Western and Rodeo culture displayed as a Christmas parade, with Beyoncé including several special guests such as Mexican cowgirl Melanie Rivera, bull-riding legend Myrtis Dightman, Miss Rodeo Texas Princess 2004 and Miss Rodeo Texas 2015 Nikki Woodward, and the first Black Rodeo Queen in Arkansas, Ja'Dayia Kursh. Joining them in the stage field during a rousing caravan were Houston Texans owner Cal McNair and his wife Hannah.[4]

Nearly 200 members of the Ocean of Soul Marching Band from Texas Southern University, a public historically black university (HBCU) in Houston, participated as the live musicians, with the Houston Texans Cheerleaders additionally performing as majorettes.[14] Charm La'Donna and Tyrik J. Patterson were the leading choreographers of the halftime performance, while Parris Goebel was in charge of the "Sweet Honey Buckin'" breakdown.[15]

Fashion

[edit]

Keeping with the Cowboy Carter thematic attire, the show featured Western-driven couture stylized by Shiona Turini, who was also the main wardrobe collaborator of the Renaissance World Tour.[16] Beyoncé wore a white Lindsey James Show Clothing bodysuit and matching chaps paired with an archival feather coat by Roberto Cavalli, Lorraine Schwartz jewelry and Christian Louboutin boots.[17][18] According to Business Insider, the look resembled "the pattern of a mariachi singer".[19]

A custom cowboy hat was designed by ASN, a Los Angeles-based brand founded by Mexican-American sisters Alejandra Georgevich and Ilsse Nevarez from Texas.[20] The piece was made using sustainable virgin wool cleaned, scoured, and dyed by hand.[21]

Beyoncé's daughter Blue Ivy Carter was dressed in Akira boots and a custom ensemble with sparkling details throughout by Ukrainian designer Ivan Frolov,[22] while additional prêt-à-porter garments by Dolce & Gabbana, boots by Italian shoes brand Paris Texas, and Stetson cowboy hats were worn by the female guest performers.[23]

Synopsis

[edit]
External videos
video icon Beyoncé's FULL Christmas Day Halftime Show – via the NFL's official channel on YouTube.

At the start of the halftime show, Beyoncé appeared on the stadium corridors riding atop a white horse, opening her set with "16 Carriages". She was then joined by Tanner Adell, Brittney Spencer, Tiera Kennedy and Reyna Roberts for their cover of the Beatles' "Blackbird".[24] Beyoncé entered the field stage through a three-star-shaped stadium hallway surrounded by white Cadillacs to sing a rendition of "Ya Ya" upon a stage platform resembling an open carriage, with dancers wearing sashes branded "Cowboy Carter".[25] She performed "My House" alongside the dancers including Blue Ivy and a full African-American marching band.[26]

The stage field formation became a "HBCU marching band holiday parade",[27] while Shaboozey joined Beyoncé to sing a choreographed mashup of "Spaghettii" and "Riiverdance" before performing "Sweet Honey Buckiin" (with "Honey" omitted).[28][29] Post Malone joined her on a denim-covered truck for a duet of "Levii's Jeans".[30] Beyoncé then sat atop the back seat of a moving Cadillac to sing her cover version of "Jolene".[31] "Texas Hold 'Em" was performed as the closing song accompanied by a honky tonk-inspired choreography with bandanas. Beyoncé was lifted into the air on a narrow platform above the midfield, and finished the set dropping a huge banner flag beneath the platform that read "bang".[32]

Critical reception

[edit]

The halftime show was met with rave reviews.[33] Billboard said that the show will go down as one of Beyoncé's greatest performances of her career, describing it as a "stunning, one-of-a-kind" tribute to her Texan roots, her community, and the legacy of Black Southerners in culture and music.[34][35] Rolling Stone's Larisha Paul described the performance as "electrifying" and "sensational",[36] while The Daily Telegraph's Ed Power called it an "eye-popping, mind-blowing" extravaganza.[37] Ben Beaumont-Thomas of The Guardian praised the all-white costumes worn by Beyoncé and her dancers and guests, characterizing them as "dazzling" and "theatrical".[38] In a review for CBS Sports, Shanna McCarriston called the performance "one to remember", writing that it captured both "the spirit of Texas" and "the spirit of Cowboy Carter".[39]

The show received praise for its production design, with its use of flower-covered carriages seen as an homage to early Juneteenth parades, as pictured above

In a rave review, The New York Times' Lindsay Zoladz lauded the "impressive" production design of the show, describing it as "magnificently artful in its staging, background details and composition" and reflective of its concept as a "big-tent reimagining of country music and Southern culture". Zoladz added that the show was a "stunning showcase" of a large number of musicians, dancers and extras "that rivaled a cinematic blockbuster", with Beyoncé being eager to share the spotlight with rising Black country artists and local performers. Praising Beyoncé's "onstage prowess" during the "expertly staged performance", Zoladz concluded: "Who but Beyoncé could pull off this sort of spectacle?".[40] Writing for Rolling Stone, Larisha Paul also praised the show's dynamic production design, highlighting the use of floating platforms, moving stages, cars, horses, dancers, special guests, a denim-covered pickup truck, and a marching band, as well as flower-covered carriages, which was an homage to those used in the earliest Juneteenth parades in Texas from 1895 to the early 1900s.[41]

Viewership

[edit]

The halftime show broke several viewership records. It helped the game become the most-watched NFL game on record since 2001, with U.S. live viewership peaking at 27 million during Beyoncé's performance.[42][43] Netflix's chief content officer Bela Bajaria called it a "record-breaking day" and "the best Christmas gift we could have delivered".[44] Within 10 days, a further 50 million people had watched the Beyoncé Bowl special on Netflix.[45]

Impact

[edit]

Beyoncé Bowl signalled "the future of concert streaming", according to live music industry publication IQ Magazine, with the show opening a new market for streaming platforms to provide long-term viewing opportunities for high-demand performances.[46]

Publications reported that Beyoncé's performance elevated NFL Christmas Gameday to a level of cultural relevance akin to the Super Bowl, creating a new holiday tradition and changing how viewers watch sports broadcasting.[47][48] The Hollywood Reporter said that the performance was "so electric" that it solidified another "sought-after spectacle" and "pop culture golden moment" for the NFL in addition to the Super Bowl halftime show,[49] while Inc. said that the performance also ensured success for Netflix's venture into live sports broadcasting, delivering the streaming platform a cultural moment that amounted to a "Christmas miracle".[8] Similarly, PRWeek commented:[50]

"Beyoncé Bowl redefined what a regular-season game can achieve in terms of viewership and advertising... A game that might have once gone unnoticed is now a case study because it capitalized on two of the most important advertising territories — sports entertainment and cultural events — and it created a new era of halftime show-style events."

The hashtag #BeyoncéBowl rose to the #1 worldwide trending topic on X/Twitter immediately as the performance commenced, above #Christmas. By the end of the performance, it occupied 10 of the top 12 trending topics in the U.S.[48] The performance also triggered conversations and analyses on the history of Black people in country music and Western culture, with news media such as The Guardian, The New York Times, and The Week publishing articles on the topic.[48]

Set list

[edit]

The following songs were performed during the halftime show.[a]

  1. "16 Carriages"
  2. "Blackbiird" (with Tanner Adell, Brittney Spencer, Tiera Kennedy, and Reyna Roberts)
  3. "Ya Ya" (contains elements of "Freedom")
  4. "My House"
  5. "Spaghettii" / "Riiverdance"
  6. "Sweet Honey Buckiin'" (with Shaboozey)
  7. "Levii's Jeans" (with Post Malone)
  8. "Jolene" (contains elements of "Tyrant")
  9. "Texas Hold 'Em" (contains elements of "Pony Up" remix and "Break My Soul")

See also

[edit]

Footnotes

[edit]
  1. ^ Per multiple sources:[29][51][52][53]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Rice, Lynette (December 25, 2024). "Beyoncé's Halftime Performance On Christmas Day To Become Standalone Special On Netflix". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on December 26, 2024. Retrieved December 26, 2024.
  2. ^ Dunn, Billie (December 23, 2024). "Beyoncé's Christmas Halftime Show: When Will It Air Around the World?". Newsweek. Retrieved December 23, 2024.
  3. ^ McClay, Caché (December 13, 2024). "Beyoncé will perform halftime during NFL Christmas Day Game: Here's what to know". USA Today. Archived from the original on December 13, 2024. Retrieved December 13, 2024.
  4. ^ a b "Beyoncé Delivers Epic Gift of a Halftime Performance + "Beyoncé Bowl" Is Coming to Netflix Soon!". Netflix. December 26, 2024. Archived from the original on December 27, 2024. Retrieved December 26, 2024.
  5. ^ McClay, Caché (February 2, 2025). "Beyoncé announces 'Cowboy Carter' tour, but questions remain". USA Today. Retrieved February 2, 2025.
  6. ^ Yee, Isaac (November 18, 2024). "Beyoncé to perform at halftime show of NFL Christmas Day game on Netflix". CNN. Archived from the original on November 18, 2024. Retrieved December 23, 2024.
  7. ^ "Why Beyoncé's Christmas NFL Performance is Netflix's Boldest Move Yet". The Times of India. December 26, 2024. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved June 12, 2025.
  8. ^ a b Aten, Jason (December 26, 2024). "Netflix, The NFL, and Beyoncé Just Pulled Off a Christmas Miracle". Inc. Archived from the original on January 30, 2025. Retrieved June 12, 2025.
  9. ^ Rosenbloom, Alli (December 23, 2024). "How to watch the NFL's Christmas Day games – and Beyoncé's halftime show, of course". CNN. Retrieved December 25, 2024.
  10. ^ Malkin, Mark (December 5, 2024). "Beyoncé's Mom Details 'Unbelievable' Prep for NFL Halftime Show, Has 'No Worries' About Possible Netflix Glitches: 'We Got Some Prayer Going on'". Variety. Archived from the original on December 13, 2024. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  11. ^ Propper, David (November 18, 2024). "Beyoncé to perform at halftime of Houston Texans vs. Baltimore Ravens Christmas Day game". New York Post. Archived from the original on December 12, 2024. Retrieved December 23, 2024.
  12. ^ Dailey, Hannah (December 11, 2024). "Beyoncé Gears Up for 'A Cowboy Carter Christmas' in Texas in New NFL Halftime Show Teaser: Watch". Billboard. Archived from the original on December 18, 2024. Retrieved December 23, 2024.
  13. ^ Guglielmi, Jodi (December 24, 2024). "Beyoncé Strums a Banjo, Pokes Fun at Netflix Buffering Issues in 'Cowboy Carter Christmas' Teaser". Rolling Stone. Retrieved December 25, 2024.
  14. ^ Rosenbloom, Alli (December 25, 2024). "Beyoncé turns NFL Christmas Halftime Show into a 'Cowboy Carter' party with Post Malone cameo". CNN. Archived from the original on December 29, 2024. Retrieved December 28, 2024.
  15. ^ Cafolla, Anna (April 18, 2025). "How Parris Goebel Became the Pop World's Favorite Choreographer". Vogue. Archived from the original on April 23, 2025. Retrieved April 23, 2025.
  16. ^ LeSavage, Halie (December 25, 2024). "Beyoncé Delivers a Christmas Cowgirl Look for Her NFL Halftime Show". Marie Claire. Archived from the original on December 27, 2024. Retrieved December 28, 2024.
  17. ^ Saunders, Angel; Phillipp, Charlotte (December 26, 2024). "Beyoncé's Rocks All-White 'Cowboy Carter'-Inspired Look for Christmas Day NFL Halftime Show Performance". People. Archived from the original on December 26, 2024. Retrieved December 26, 2024.
  18. ^ Grant, Shawn (December 27, 2024). "Beyoncé Iconic Wardrobe Takes Center Stage at NFL Christmas Gameday Halftime Show". The Source. Archived from the original on December 27, 2024. Retrieved December 28, 2024.
  19. ^ Guerrasio, Jason; McKenzie, Joi-Marie (December 26, 2024). "6 details you may have missed from Beyoncé's Christmas halftime show on Netflix". Business Insider. Archived from the original on December 26, 2024. Retrieved December 28, 2024.
  20. ^ Warren, Peter (December 27, 2024). "How to buy the white cowboy hat Beyoncé wore during her halftime show". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved December 28, 2024.
  21. ^ Gomez, Shirley (December 27, 2024). "Beyoncé's white cowboy hat at the Christmas halftime show was designed by Latina sisters". ¡Hola!. Archived from the original on December 27, 2024. Retrieved December 28, 2024.
  22. ^ Poliziani, Karli (December 27, 2024). "Blue Ivy Carter Shines in AKIRA Boots During NFL Christmas Halftime Show, Alongside Beyoncé — Shop the Look". Grazia. Archived from the original on December 28, 2024. Retrieved December 28, 2024.
  23. ^ Botelho, Renan (December 26, 2024). "Beyoncé's NFL Christmas Halftime Show: Blue Ivy in Frolov, Reyna Roberts in Dolce & Gabbana and More Looks [PHOTOS]". Women's Wear Daily. Archived from the original on December 28, 2024. Retrieved December 28, 2024.
  24. ^ Madani, Doha (December 25, 2024). "Beyoncé performs 'Cowboy Carter' hits during Christmas NFL halftime show on Netflix". NBC News. Archived from the original on December 26, 2024. Retrieved December 26, 2024.
  25. ^ Horowitz, Steven J. (December 25, 2024). "Beyoncé Enlists Post Malone, Shaboozey and Blue Ivy Carter for Live Debut of 'Cowboy Carter' Songs During NFL Halftime Show". Variety. Archived from the original on December 26, 2024. Retrieved December 26, 2024.
  26. ^ Miller, Brittany (December 26, 2024). "Blue Ivy performs with mom Beyoncé on stage at NFL halftime show". The Independent. Archived from the original on December 26, 2024. Retrieved December 26, 2024.
  27. ^ Mosley, Kyle T. (December 25, 2024). "Beyoncé Performs With Texas Southern's Marching Band At Halftime Of NFL Game". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on December 26, 2024. Retrieved December 26, 2024.
  28. ^ Liptak, Carena (December 26, 2024). "Shaboozey + More Join Beyoncé for Electric NFL Halftime Show". Taste of Country. Archived from the original on December 26, 2024. Retrieved December 26, 2024.
  29. ^ a b Singh, Surej (December 26, 2024). "Watch Beyoncé debut 'Cowboy Carter' setlist for hometown Christmas-day Halftime Show". NME. Archived from the original on December 28, 2024. Retrieved January 12, 2025.
  30. ^ Fekadu, Mesfin (December 25, 2024). "Beyoncé Sleighs at Netflix Christmas Day Halftime Show with Post Malone, Shaboozey and Blue Ivy". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on December 26, 2024. Retrieved December 26, 2024.
  31. ^ "Watch Beyoncé's 'Cowboy Carter' NFL Christmas Day Halftime Show Performance". Hypebeast. December 25, 2024. Archived from the original on December 26, 2024. Retrieved December 26, 2024.
  32. ^ Baqueiro, Valeria (December 25, 2024). "Beyoncé lleva Cowboy Carter al medio tiempo del juego Houston vs. Baltimore" [Beyoncé takes Cowboy Carter to the halftime show of Houston vs. Baltimore match game]. Elle México (in Spanish). Archived from the original on December 26, 2024. Retrieved December 26, 2024.
  33. ^ "Beyoncé's Christmas Halftime Show Earns Rave Reviews From Serena Williams & Reneé Rapp". Yahoo Entertainment. December 26, 2024. Retrieved June 12, 2025.
  34. ^ Johnson, Cat (December 27, 2024). "Inside Beyoncé's Christmas Day Halftime Show: The Queen Is Home for the Holiday". Billboard. Retrieved June 12, 2025.
  35. ^ Lipshutz, Jason (December 25, 2024). "Beyoncé Presents 'Cowboy Carter' at Stunning Christmas Day NFL Halftime Show". Billboard. Retrieved June 12, 2025.
  36. ^ Madarang, Larisha Paul,Charisma (December 25, 2024). "Beyoncé Brings Her 'Cowboy Carter' Christmas Rodeo to NFL Halftime Show". Rolling Stone. Retrieved June 12, 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  37. ^ Power, Ed (December 26, 2024). "Beyoncé half-time show, review: Mind-blowing, but about as 'Christmassy' as a Piña Colada on the beach". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved June 12, 2025.
  38. ^ Beaumont-Thomas, Ben (December 26, 2024). "Beyoncé NFL half-time show review – country ho-ho-ho-down is playful and infectious". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved June 12, 2025.
  39. ^ "Reviewing Beyoncé's NFL on Christmas Day halftime show: Full setlist, special guests, best moments and more". CBSSports.com. December 26, 2024. Retrieved June 12, 2025.
  40. ^ Zoladz, Lindsay (December 26, 2024). "Beyoncé's Netflix Halftime Set: A Stunning 'Cowboy Carter' Showcase". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 12, 2025.
  41. ^ Paul, Larisha (December 26, 2024). "Cowboy Collabs, Houston History, Blue Ivy, and 'Blackbiird': Best Moments of 'Beyoncé Bowl'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved June 12, 2025.
  42. ^ Campione, Katie (December 26, 2024). "Netflix Boasts Impressive Audiences For Christmas Day NFL Games; 27M Viewers Tune In For Beyoncé". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on December 27, 2024. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
  43. ^ Wagmeister, David Goldman, Elizabeth (December 27, 2024). "Netflix touts biggest-ever NFL streaming ratings, peaking with Beyoncé's halftime show | CNN Business". CNN. Retrieved June 11, 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  44. ^ Weekman, Kelsey (December 27, 2024). "'Beyoncé Bowl' defies 'Cowboy Carter' skeptics, drawing record NFL streaming numbers on Netflix". Yahoo!.
  45. ^ "Squid Game Season 2 Dominates Another Week, as Carry-On Flies Into Most Popular". Netflix. January 7, 2025. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
  46. ^ Ellington, Hanna (January 8, 2025). "Does Beyoncé Bowl signal the future of concert streaming?". IQ Magazine. Retrieved June 11, 2025.
  47. ^ Tinsley, Justin (December 23, 2024). "Beyoncé's NFL Christmas performance could change how we watch sports". Andscape. Retrieved June 12, 2025.
  48. ^ a b c "Why the Beyoncé Bowl Matters to Connected TV and Live Sports | HackerNoon". hackernoon.com. Retrieved June 11, 2025.
  49. ^ Fekadu, Mesfin (December 25, 2024). "Beyoncé Sleighs at Netflix Christmas Day Halftime Show with Post Malone, Shaboozey and Blue Ivy". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved June 12, 2025.
  50. ^ Salazar, Alejandra (December 30, 2024). "The Christmas Beyoncé Bowl: Turning fandom into advertising success". www.prweek.com. Retrieved June 11, 2025.
  51. ^ McClay, Caché (December 25, 2024). "Beyoncé Bowl: See the setlist of the Ravens-Texans game halftime performance on Christmas". USA Today. Archived from the original on December 26, 2024. Retrieved December 26, 2024.
  52. ^ Denis, Kyle (January 2, 2025). "6 Things You May Have Missed During Beyoncé Bowl". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 3, 2025. Retrieved January 12, 2025.
  53. ^ Joyelle, Zsana (December 28, 2024). "Beyoncé Bowl Showcases Black Cowboy & Black Southern Culture During Epic NFL Halftime Show Performance". SoulBounce. Archived from the original on January 1, 2025. Retrieved January 12, 2025.
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