As we say farewell to the RENAISSANCE World Tour, it’s clear that over the span of a year, Beyoncé has made history, bringing together so many people from all walks of life into an unforgettable celebration of music, culture, and Ballroom excellence.
I can remember the moment her first single, Break My Soul, dropped in 2022 when I immediately got a phone call from my mother, claiming she wanted to go to her tour. Naturally, I brushed it off as my mother isn’t into ‘over the top events’, however, as soon as the tour dates were announced, my mother and I were planning to make sure we got our tickets. AND MY MOTHER SAID FLOOR seats. Okay mom, we see you!
Ms. Tina Knowles said it best in a recent Instagram post, “What I find fascinating at the Renaissance Tour is how diverse the audience is. I have seen people of all age groups, from the very youngest to someone probably 74, jamming to the music and enjoying themselves.”
And I can surely attest to this.. My mother, Althea, a 51-year-old woman, and I, a 27-year-old woman attended the second show on August 6th, in Washington DC at FedEx Field. What was most fascinating is that we weren’t the only mom-daughter duo, and we would pass so many others gliding in with elegance, as they were dressed to F*** UP THE NIGHT.
On the day of the concert, what started out as a beautiful afternoon, ended in rain, wind and on and off lightning. Beyoncé’s show was supposed to begin promptly around 8:30, but she didn’t hit the stage until almost 10 pm. The rain would stop, start, stop, and then start again during the interim, but my mother and I never left our seats.
Even through the rain and downpour, I saw my mother enjoy every single moment. We arrived two hours early, per TikTok recommendations, to get merch and drinks and just people-watch, and I could see my mother looking off to the side just smiling in awe of everyone’s outfits. Some were wearing pure metallic, others were wearing outfits inspired by Beyoncé’s previous shows, but all and all, there was an essence of power that radiated off of every person in the stadium.
Althea gazed in awe of the uniqueness of everyone she had come across, turned to me and said, “I’m so glad I got to see this in my lifetime.”
As the production crew swept ounces of water from the stage and the rainbow set lights flickered, everyone worried if she would even still perform. Writing on the stage screen over the next hour would pop up saying, “Please evacuate the floor,” and then, “All clear. Please return to your seats.”
Nevertheless, we persisted with our bright red ponchos, now drenched, but it didn’t matter because we were experiencing everything for what it was. My mother would be dancing along to the music in the background, with no care in the world, repeating to me as the raindrops would fall, “It’s all a part of the experience.”
And when the words in bright metallic finally appeared, “RENAISSANCE,” we had never screamed so loud.
Over the next two hours, we sang along to her album, which my mother had only listened to two maybe three times the week prior, so Althea would sing what she knew, of course.
The best part of this whole experience is that I would look to the left of me, and all I would see was my mother smiling. She would be dancing one minute, on her iPhone (which she barely knows how to use) taking photos and videos, and then holding my hand and hugging me as we sang along to Beyoncé through the rest of the night.
We have seen some of the greatest celebrities come out and support Beyoncé. There were artists like Zendaya, Issa Rae, Keke Palmer, Kelly Rowland, Kerry Washington and more who attended her LA show on her birthday show on September 4th.
The Soul Queen, Diana Ross, graced the show by giving Beyoncé her flowers and singing her happy birthday. The world got to experience a Queen to Queen celebration.
Beyoncé, decades into her career, continues to give us experiences that top the previous ones. This tour was specifically special because it gave women of all ages, shapes, and backgrounds the ENERGY to claim their fierceness. – to claim their power because we’re forever changing and growing. And RENAISSANCE gave us a spotlight to tap into that.
The Renaissance tour was a fellowship amongst strangers, a stage for the LGBTQ+ community, and a gift that keeps on giving. Being able to be alive during this time will always be something to cherish, whether you attended the tour or not. Mother Tina Knowles said it best, “The tour is about spreading love and celebrating differences!!! It is a love fest and a beautiful thing to see.”
