Last night in Dubai… Beyoncé’s first concert in four years

She hadn’t been on stage for four years… Saturday, January 21, at the foot of the new ultra-luxurious hotel in Dubai, Beyoncé offered a breathtaking performance. Atlantis The Royal’s ‘Grand Reveal’ opening party had started earlier in the evening with a blue carpet on which celebrities from all over the world paraded.

Some French personalities, who live part of the year in Dubai, were there: Nabilla and her husband Thomas, as well as Iris Mittenaere and her sister-in-law, blogger Kenza Sadoun. The French voices of influencer Valentin Lucas and comedian Renan Pacheco were heard in the middle of other discussions in English, German, Spanish…

In the middle of the dresses with sequins, feathers and colorful embroidery, these few French people were able to meet the twins Lady Eliza and Lady Amelia Spencer, the nieces of Lady Diana, or even Liam Payne and his new girlfriend Kate Cassidy.

“It’s incredible, this hotel is just crazy, we take our eyes off it,” says Iris Mittenaere to Paris Match, after posing for photographers, in her transparent sequined jumpsuit from the French brand Maison Marcel. “I can’t wait to see Beyoncé earlier, I revised the lyrics and the choreos, I’ve been waiting for that for several days now…” And she’s not the only one.

A very mysterious concert

It must be said that the announcement of the arrival of Beyoncé, for a one-hour concert, was hard to believe as the star is not used to this kind of private performance. Especially since the singer had not performed on stage since 2018. But a staggering fee of 24 million dollars would have been offered to her … An amount advanced by the American site “TMZ”, but that the teams on site are unable to confirm.

This private concert is definitely at the heart of all suspicions: videos published by a few curious neighbors Thursday evening on social networks suggest, at a good distance, Beyoncé’s rehearsals. Even before the launch of the evening on Saturday, the few hundred guests are asked to place their telephones in pockets provided for this purpose, given during the evening. Pins are also distributed, to each his own color, without anyone knowing exactly what this corresponds to: will the blue pin offer the best place at the foot of the stage? What about gold then? “What color do Iris and Nabilla have?”

After the photocall, then an express dinner at the very trendy Nobu restaurant located a few meters away, within the Atlantis The Palm, from 9.30 p.m., the guests crowd into the shuttles to reach the Royal. By group, the happy privileged people are led to the big stage set up at the foot of the hotel, where golden tables and dozens of bottles of champagne await them. Sequins, heels and tuxedos take their seats and wait, drink in hand… for a good hour. What to admire the aquatic staging, surmounted by a fresco directly echoed “Renaissance”, Beyoncé’s latest album released last year. Will she perform some of her new songs on stage for the very first time?

An exceptional show in many ways

Shortly before 11 p.m., the musicians in red sequined costumes and golden sun-shaped headbands take their places. Then the lights go out and finally, fireworks illuminate the sky and the hotel and the superstar appears in the middle of the stage, radiant in his yellow feather outfit. So it was true, Beyoncé is definitely here. She launches the concert gently and powerfully on the essential “At Last”, then continues with “XO”, “Flaws and All”, “Ave Maria”…

Between two titles, she says she came, not only with her orchestra and a large troupe of dancers, but also with her family, with her parents, her husband Jay-Z and of course, her eldest daughter Blue Ivy, who surprised to take the stage to sing a duet on “Brown Skin Girl”. Under the encouragement of the public, the 11-year-old girl let her voice be heard and hesitantly mimed some dance steps inherited from her famous mother.

Change of outfit for Beyoncé, who makes a second entrance in a red velvet outfit with golden details. Surrounded by her dancers in sequined jumpsuits, who parade in red and purple, some with golden masks on their faces, the 41-year-old star gives voice to “Spirit”, “Freedom”, “I Care” or even “Beautiful Liar ”, her duet with Shakira, which she had not resumed on stage for years.

Oriental music invites itself into the star’s repertoire

A few oriental revisits come to surprise the ears… and the eyes in front of the undulating dancers, with their golden face coverings and their iridescent gloves with large claws.

It is in a third and final pink outfit that Beyoncé ends her performance on some of her most sensual titles: “Naughty Girl” and
“Drunk in Love”. Feet in the water, it was in the middle of the fountains, perched in the air, that she closed this exceptional concert in many respects, before disappearing under the incredible fireworks launched on her last note.

Early fans vibrated with sometimes moist eyes, the few skeptics were won over once and for all. On the other hand, some Dubaiites in dishdasha, although in (very) good place, preferred to look at their telephone rather than to sing “Crazy in Love” version “Fifty Shades of Grey”… Beyoncé therefore reserved her last songs from the album “Renaissance” for a possible tour, which is long overdue.

Set list:
AtLast
XO
Flaws and All
Hail Mary
Halo
Brown Skin Girl
be alive
other side
bigger
Spirit
Freedom
Icarus
Beautiful Liar
Crazy in Love
Countdown
Naughty Girl
Drunk in Love