Beyonce’s long-awaited Renaissance World Tour got underway on Wednesday May 10, with a dazzling opening show at Friends Arena in Stockholm. Her brilliant trajectory was greatly represented in the uplifting 37-song set that lasted around three hours, being one of Queen B’s longest concerts.
Her latest work behind this new solo tour (the first one Bey does since the Formation outing in 2017), ‘Renaissance’ pays tribute to Black queer dance music; the 16 tracks on the album incorporate elements of house, disco and bounce, all of which come from the underground ballroom and voguing culture of 1970s.
Beyoncé succesfully conveys the meaning of her latest work in the aesthetics, sound and staging of her show, incorporating futuristic elements, disco aesthetic and multiple outfits featuring holographic and reflective treatments.
Beyonce’s Renaissance World Tour Debut / Kevin Mazur / Getty Images for Parkwood
Renaissance Tour Opening Night: Highlights
During the three-hour show, Beyoncé delivered some iconic moments that will be remembered forever, such as her performance of ‘Cozy’ with two swinging robot arms that perfectly framed her dance moves. She presented a dynamic mash-up of old and new favorite hits, like ‘Sweet Dreams’ from 2008’s I Am… Sasha Fierce with ‘Alien Superstar’ from Renaissance. She even performed ‘Dangerously In Love’ for the first time in over a decade.
Other of the biggest moments of the night was when she nodded to Britney Spears by sampling the legendary ‘Toxic’ while singing ‘Thique’. The crowd naturally exploded in shouts of excitement as Beyoncé paid homage to her fellow pop queen.
Overall, the show was perceived by her fans as less physical than the superstar’s previous performances (in fact, there are rumors circulating through social media that she may have had foot surgery). Nonetheless, Beyoncé put on a very dynamic show, incorporating several innovative elements. One of these was holding the camera that projected her image on the stadium’s big screen, adding more movement and energy to the staging. This element may have been inspired by Rosalía’s use of it on her Motomami Tour, very present in her viral performances.
Here’s the setlist that Queen B performed last night in the Friends Arena:
Dangerously in Love
Flaws and All
‘I Care’
‘1+1’/ Etta James’ ‘I’d Rather Go Blind’ / Mary J. Blige’s ‘I’m Goin’ Down’
‘I’m That Girl’
‘Cozy’
‘Alien Superstars’ / ‘Sweet Dreams’
‘Lift Off’
‘7/11’
‘Cuff It’
‘Energy’
‘Break My Soul’
‘Formation’
‘Diva’
‘Run the World (Girls)’
‘My Power’
‘Black Parade’
‘Savage’ (Remix)’
‘Church Girl’
‘Get Me Bodied’
‘Before I Let Go’
‘Rather Die Young’
‘Love On Top’
‘Crazy in Love’
‘Green Light’
‘Freedom’
‘Plastic Off the Sofa’
‘Virgo’s Groove’
‘Naughty Girl’ / ‘Say My Name’ / ‘Rocket’
‘Move’
‘Heated’
‘Thique’
‘All Up Your Mind’
‘Drunk In Love’
‘America Has a Problem’
‘Pure/Honey’
‘Summer Renaissance’
A Runway On Stage
Beyoncé’s stunning outfits were among the most highly praised elements of her first solo tour show.
Styled by the iconic stylist Shiona Turini, some of Beyoncé’s looks included custom-designed outfits by iconic haute couture brands like Alexander McQueen, Balmain, and Thierry Mugler (her bee suit has already gone viral). Some of the most popular looks were a colorful David Koma dress from the Spring 2023 collection, a bejeweled bodysuit designed by Jonathan Anderson to accentuate strategic areas of the body, and a custom-designed outfit by Coperni, created by Sébastien Meyen and Arnaud Vaillant.
every custom outfit worn by beyoncé for renaissance world tour in stockholm last night, styled by shiona turini (thread): pic.twitter.com/hJd6SuLkfv
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