21 pop culture moments from 2018 we’re celebrating
By Amy Woolsey
INDIO, CA – APRIL 14: Beyonce Knowles performs onstage during 2018 Coachella Valley Music And Arts Festival Weekend 1 at the Empire Polo Field on April 14, 2018 in Indio, California. (Photo by Larry Busacca/Getty Images for Coachella )
Beyoncé performs at Coachella
In an era when many celebrities communicate directly with fans through social media and strive to cultivate an illusion of modesty, Beyoncé stands apart. Over the course of her decades-long career, the former Destiny’s Child singer has ascended to the stratosphere of stardom thanks to a number of acclaimed albums and savvy PR moves. She occupies the enviable position of having total control of her image, making her both one of the world’s most visible figures and one of its most enigmatic.
When she decides to grace the public with her presence, it’s practically a holiday. Such was the reception to her historic headlining performance at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. Boasting roughly 100 back-up dancers, singers, and musicians, the epic, two-hour set consisted of 26 songs and featured guest turns by Jay-Z, Solange, and fellow Destiny’s Child singers Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams. In between spiced-up arrangements of her own hits, such as “Formation” and “Irreplaceable,” Beyoncé wove iconic and deep-cut references to black history, from Nina Simone’s “Lilac Wine” and James Weldon Johnson’s “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing” to Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche’s TED talk.
The result was not only a grand showcase for an artist in her prime, but also a vibrant celebration of black culture and a testament to the enduring power of live performance. Along with record-breaking viewership numbers, the concert garnered rapturous reviews that described it as “death-defying,” “radical,” and a rift in the “music space-time continuum.” By paying tribute to history, it turns out, Beyoncé made history herself.