100 artists to see before you die: Beyoncé

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First introduced to the world via Destiny’s Child, Beyoncé has remained consistently relevant as an artist and performer for almost three decades. She’s moulded the music industry around her, popularising the surprise drop, perfecting the visual album and partially inventing the concept of ‘New Music Friday’, all while releasing hit after hit.

Her latest foray into country music, via the acclaimed ‘COWBOY CARTER’ is a testament to her versatility as an artist, demonstrating her ability to deconstruct our ideas of genre to deliver an album that simultaneously exists as a collection of impeccable songs and a pivotal cultural moment.

With her pristine vocals, dynamic stage presence and a repertoire that boasts some of the greatest pop songs of the past thirty years, any Beyoncé performance is sure to be unforgettable.

What to expect

Undoubtedly peerless, Beyoncé is the live performer of her generation. One to consistently over-deliver, she’s pushed the boundary of what a live show can and should be — from the water features of the Formation Tour to the flying, sequined horse that graced the stage of the Renaissance World Tour. When it comes to visuals she proves no idea is too ambitious or outlandish to work, constantly pulling out the theatrics to deliver a fully immersive musical experience, and enlisting some of the worlds’ greatest dancers and costume designers along the way in her pursuit of musical greatness.

It’s been a while since she’s played a small venue — understandable given the immense demand for tickets — but that doesn’t mean any intimacy is lost. The Renaissance World Tour was acclaimed for transforming the worlds’ largest stadiums and football pitches into superclubs, forging an atmosphere of closeness and togetherness through an impeccable setlist, flawless choreography and meticulously crafted visuals projected onto giant screens. Meaning that even if you’re in the nosebleeds, you’re guaranteed a good time.

If you don’t believe us, just think about the fact that according to viagogo, fans from 90 countries came to see Queen Bey during her five-night Renaissance run at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last year.

Her best moments

Coachella, 2018

A pop culture moment now forever immortalised in the award-winning Homecoming documentary, Beyoncé’s headline Coachella performance was so iconic they almost had to rechristen the festival ‘Beychella’. Somehow squeezing in a Destiny’s Child reunion, a Solange cameo, five costume changes and a full marching band into one two hour slot, it’s arguably the apex of Beyoncé’s live performances — one that will live on in pop history.

Super Bowl XLVII Halftime Show, 2013

Some of the worlds’ biggest artists have tried their hand at the highly-coveted Super Bowl halftime slot, yet Beyoncé’s powerful 13-minute set reinvented ideas on what the show should be. Through a whirlwind performance of her greatest hits, including ‘Love On Top’, ‘Baby Boy’ and ‘Single Ladies’, she firmly asserted herself as the new Queen of Pop. Apparently there was a game on after?

MTV Video Music Awards, 2011

It’s difficult to select just one of Beyoncé’s VMA performances, but her 2011 live rendition of ‘Love On Top’ is among the most memorable. From the four live key changes to the literal mic-drop before revealing her pregnancy, it’s a performance that solidified her status as a musical legend, and one of the greatest vocalists of her generation.

Her biggest bangers

‘Crazy In Love’, 2003

The first single of her solo career, ‘Crazy In Love’ marked a bombastic entrance to a new era — one defined on her own terms. From the initial belt of the, now distinctly recognisable, horns to Jay-Z’s proclamation that this was “history in the making” the message was undeniable: Beyoncé had arrived and pop music was forever, irreversibly, changed.

‘Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)’, 2008

Delivering perhaps her most widely recognisable choreography and a stark message of female empowerment, upon its 2008 release ‘Single Ladies’ instantly became one of Beyoncé’s most iconic hits. With its endlessly catchy hooks and mechanical beat that only she could turn into greatness, it’s a track guaranteed to get everyone on their feet.

‘Break My Soul’, 2022

Dusting off the lethargy of lockdown via a ‘Show Me Love’ sample and an urgent call for you to quit your job and head to the club, ‘Break My Soul’ was the cathartic house anthem we needed post-pandemic. Here, Beyoncé marked a historic re-opening of the dancefloor and an ushering in of the Renaissance era.

Setlist study

With eight solo studio albums spanning 21 years (and that’s not to mention her records with Destiny’s Child, her collaborative album with Jay-Z or any soundtracks or live albums) there’s no shortage of hits to draw from. Yet despite the drastic musical evolutions between albums, she still regularly highlights her earliest songs, with ‘Dangerously In Love’ and ‘Baby Boy’ among her most performed.

Beyoncé’s known to surprise though, so nothing’s off the table. She regularly weaves snippets of old tracks with new ones, or reworks them entirely — take a listen to her adding Arabic scales onto ‘Drunk In Love’.

Where to see them next

Following the literal economy-boosting Renaissance World Tour, fans are awaiting a potential part two to celebrate the recent release of ‘COWBOY CARTER’. And, given Beyoncé’s penchant for the surprise drop, we’ll be gathering our coins to be ready at a moment’s notice.

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