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The NFL 2024 Christmas Day Halftime Show, also dubbed the Beyoncé Bowl, took place on December 25, 2024, at the NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas during the Baltimore Ravens vs. Houston Texans game. It was headlined by Beyoncé and marked the first NFL Christmas Gameday halftime performance and the first day of live NFL football on Netflix. The performance became its own Netflix special in the following days.

The show was produced by Beyoncé's production company Parkwood Entertainment in collaboration with Jesse Collins Entertainment. It featured first-time performances of songs from her most recent album, Cowboy Carter, as well as previous songs from her discography interspersed in.

Background

On November 18, 2024, it was announced Beyoncé would headline the first ever Christmas Gameday halftime show at the 2024 Christmas Day game between the Baltimore Ravens and Houston Texans, and that she was "expected to feature some special guests" who appeared on her most recent album, Cowboy Carter. Beyoncé released a teaser video with the announcement showing her catching a football, standing atop a rose-covered car as a snippet of Cowboy Carter track "Ameriican Requiem" plays.

The two-game NFL Christmas Gameday broadcast was the first to be streamed live on Netflix. Many raised concerns about buffering and image issues possibly occurring during the halftime show after Netflix's airing of Jake Paul and Mike Tyson's boxing match had said issues. Netflix told a CNN representative that " optimized their technology to assure a smooth viewing experience after the reportedly glitchy Jake Paul-Mike Tyson fight". On December 4, Beyoncé's mother Tina Knowles stated that " no worries. God is going to be in control and everything is going to go smooth. No glitches. It's going to be great," and added that " just left 25 meetings today. It's meeting after meeting. What goes into it is unbelievable".

Beyoncé released a second teaser on December 11, 2024, in which she uses a finger gun to activate lights around a cactus decorated like a Christmas tree. A third and final teaser was released on December 24, the day before the performance, in which Beyoncé mimics playing a banjo as "Texas Hold 'Em" plays, before a fake buffering icon appears and she giggles.

Development

Conception

The spectacle paid tribute to Western and Rodeo culture displayed as a Christmas parade, with Beyoncé including several special guests such as Mexican cowgirl Melanie Rivera, bull-riding legend Myrtis Dightman, Miss Rodeo Texas Princess 2004 and Miss Rodeo Texas 2015 Nikki Woodward, and the first Black Rodeo Queen in Arkansas, Ja'Dayia Kursh. Joining them in the stage field during a rousing caravan were Houston Texans owner Cal McNair and his wife Hannah.

Nearly 200 members of the Ocean of Soul Marching Band from Texas Southern University, a public historically black university (HBCU) in Houston, participated as the live musicians, with the Houston Texans Cheerleaders additionally performing as majorettes.

Fashion

Keeping with the Cowboy Carter thematic attire, the show featured western-driven couture stylized by Shiona Turini, who was also the main wardrobe collaborator of the Renaissance World Tour. Beyoncé wore a white Lindsey James Show Clothing bodysuit and matching chaps paired with an archival feather coat by Roberto Cavalli, Lorraine Schwartz jewelry and Christian Louboutin boots. According to Business Insider, the look resembled "the pattern of a mariachi singer".

A custom cowboy hat was designed by ASN, a Los Angeles-based brand founded by Mexican-American sisters Alejandra Georgevich and Ilsse Nevarez from Texas. The piece was made using sustainable virgin wool cleaned, scoured, and dyed by hand.

Beyoncé's daughter Blue Ivy Carter was dressed in Akira boots and a custom ensemble with sparkling details throughout by Ukrainian designer Ivan Frolov, while additional prêt-à-porter garments by Dolce & Gabbana, boots by Italian shoes brand Paris Texas, and Stetson cowboy hats were worn by the female guest performers.

Synopsis

External videos
Beyoncé's FULL Christmas Day Halftime Show – via the NFL's official channel on YouTube.

At the start of the halftime show, Beyoncé appeared on the stadium corridors riding atop a Lipizzan, opening her set with "16 Carriages". She was then joined by Tanner Adell, Brittney Spencer, Tiera Kennedy and Reyna Roberts for their cover of The Beatles' "Blackbiird". Beyoncé entered the field stage through a three-star-shaped stadium hallway surrounded by white Cadillacs to sing a rendition of "Ya Ya" upon a stage platform resembling an open carriage, with dancers wearing sashes branded "Cowboy Carter". She performed "My House" alongside the dancers including Blue Ivy and a full African-American marching band.

The stage field formation became a "HBCU marching band holiday parade", while Shaboozey joined Beyoncé to sing a choreographed mashup of "Spaghettii" and "Riiverdance" before performing "Sweet Honey Buckiin" (with "Honey" omitted). Post Malone joined her on a denim-covered truck for a duet of "Levii's Jeans". Beyoncé then sat atop the back seat of a moving Cadillac to sing her cover version of "Jolene". "Texas Hold 'Em" was performed as the closing song accompanied by a honky tonk-inspired choreography with bandanas. Beyoncé was lifted into the air on a narrow platform above the midfield, and finished the set dropping a huge banner flag beneath the platform that read "bang".

Reception

Live viewers in the United States peaked at 27 million during Beyoncé's halftime show, becoming the most-watched Christmas Day NFL game on record since 2001. This preliminary figure and does not include worldwide, out-of-home, mobile and web viewing and CBS local market viewing. Netflix's chief content officer Bela Bajaria called it a "record-breaking day".

Set list

The following songs were performed during the halftime show.

1. "16 Carriages" (contains elements of "Still Tippin'" and "William Tell Overture")
2. "Blackbiird" (with Tanner Adell, Brittney Spencer, Tiera Kennedy, and Reyna Roberts)
3. "Freedom" (instrumental interlude)
4. "Ya Ya"
5. "My House"
6. "Spaghettii" / "Riiverdance"
7. "Sweet Honey Buckiin'" (with Shaboozey; "Honey" part omitted)
8. "Levii's Jeans" (with Post Malone; contains elements of "My House")
9. "Jolene" (contains elements of "Tyrant")
10. "Texas Hold 'Em" (contains elements of the "Pony Up" remix and "Break My Soul")

Notes

According to a press release, "Ameriican Requiem" was originally slated for the performance but was ultimately replaced by the "Freedom" interlude.

See also

• Super Bowl XLVII halftime show
• Super Bowl 50 halftime show

References

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