Please note that these articles ONLY reflect the viewpoints of those who wrote the article. These articles do not reflect of the views of the newspaper advisor, The Pritzker Press, Pritzker College Prep, or the Noble Network.
By Whitney Jani ’18
Beyonce has shut down the Coachella main stage for two weekends in a row. On April 14 and April 21, Beyonce Knowles Carter reigned supreme with with her flashy and outstanding performance that blew Coachella goers and live streamers alike away. Her performance was highly anticipated since she had to cancel her performance last year due to her pregnancy.
Her performance started with her wearing a Cleopatra, Nubian queen esque outfit as she strutted down a runway. She quickly changed into a sweatshirt and shorts ensemble with sparkly boots. The part of the outfit that caught the attention of the crowd was her bright yellow sweatshirt. She paid a tribute to HBCUs (historically black colleges and universities) with an embroidery of her own sorority. Another tribute to HBCUs, Beyonce’s performance included a marching band and majorettes dancing all about the stage. She was fully displaying the idea of black excellence, and spectators were loving her message. According to The Washington Post, “It shows that our culture is appreciated,” she added. “I was happy to see black people unite to do great work. It has the power to inspire a lot of African-American students who want to go to an HBCU to experience that culture.”
Secondary to Beyonce showcasing black culture during her performance, she became the first black woman to headline Coachella. She also broke records by having the most live streamed video on YouTube. These are huge accomplishments that she should be very proud of. Although it is an amazing accomplishment that she was able to headline Coachella, there should have been a black woman to do so long before. The first Coachella was in 1999 and in 2018, Beyonce is only now the first and thus far the only black women to headline the show.
Beyonce’s performance was definitely a sight to see. She had guest appearances by her sister Solange, her husband Jay-Z, and Destiny’s Child.
The reunion of Destiny’s Child was very iconic and created great excitement throughout the whole crowd. It was good to see strong, independent black women come together for a killer performance.
Beyonce’s performances at Coachella should get us excited for what she and Jay-Z have in store for fans for their tour titled: On The Run II.
Beyonce’s overall performance was a source of great inspiration. Seeing all of the strong women on stage fully showcased the power and resilience of women. Through the countless songs and the intense dance sequences, they all showed fierceness and beauty, which is something all girls can look up to.
Beyonce continues to break through racial and gender barriers, and she does a fantastic job of doing so.
