(CNN) Beyoncé performed for throngs of screaming fans Saturday night at Coachella after a year's wait.
"Y'all ready Coachella?," she asked the crowd as she opened her set, becoming the first woman of color to headline the music festival in Indio, California.
Excited fans had a new nickname for this year's festival: Beychella. Other headliners included the Weeknd and Eminem.
"Coachella, thank you for allowing me to be the first black woman to headline," Beyoncé said, before singing "Run the World (Girls)."
A post shared by Beyoncé (@beyonce) on Apr 14, 2018 at 11:17pm PDT
Surprise reunion
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Queen Bey is about to storm the desert.
On Saturday, Beyonce posted a message to her fans on Facebook, promising a “special” headlining set at the Coachella Music and Arts Festival in Indio, CA.
Luckily, you can watch the performance online for free.
One of the rumors is that Destiny’s Child will reunite with Bey, marking the former R&B group’s first major concert since the Super Bowl Halftime show in 2013. Jay-Z is also one of the many strong possibilities to cameo.
Beyonce hits the main stage at 11:05 p.m. PT.
Watch the live performance here:
She does macro, too — she was joined onstage by approximately 100 dancers, singers and musicians, a stunning tableau that included fraternity pledges and drumlines and rows of female violinists in addition to the usual crackerjack backup dancers (which here included bone breakers and also dancers performing elaborate routines with cymbals).
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Some superstars prize effortlessness, but Beyoncé shows her work — the cameras captured the force and determination in her dancing, and also her sweat. She performed for almost two hours, with only a few breaks, and her voice rarely flagged. Occasionally her set was punctuated with fireworks that, compared with what was happening onstage, seemed dull.
Beyoncé was originally meant to perform at Coachella last year, but rescheduled for this April after becoming pregnant; her Coachella performances this weekend and next are her only solo U.S. dates this year. “Thank you for allowing me to be the first black woman to headline Coachella,” she said midset, then added an aside that was, in fact, the main point: “Ain’t that ’bout a bitch.”
Big-tent festivals, generally speaking, are blithe spaces — they don’t invite much scrutiny, because they can’t stand up to it. But Beyoncé’s simple recitation of fact was searing, especially on the same night that, in Cleveland, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame finally inducted Nina Simone and Sister Rosetta Tharpe, 15 and 45 years after their deaths, and also Bon Jovi, a band in which everyone is very much alive.
She was arguing not in defense of herself, but of her forebears. And her performance was as much ancestral tribute and cultural continuum — an uplifting of black womanhood — as contemporary concert. She sang “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” often referred to as the black national anthem, incorporated vocal snippets of Malcolm X and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, and nodded at Ms. Simone’s “Strange Fruit.”
And she rendered her personal history as well. During the second half of the show, she unfurled a kind of This Is Your Life in reverse. First came her husband, Jay-Z, on “Déjà Vu” — with him, she was affectionate while easily outshining him. Then, a true surprise: a reunion with her former Destiny’s Child groupmates Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams, during which she happily ceded the main spotlight. After that came a playful dance routine with her sister, Solange, on “Get Me Bodied.” (Sadly, there was no “Ring Off” with her mother, nor a rendition of “Daddy Issues” with her father.)
As Beyoncé has gotten older, she’s been making music that’s increasingly visceral, both emotionally and historically. She is one of the only working pop stars who need not preoccupy herself with prevailing trends, or the work of her peers. She is an institution now, and that has allowed her freedom. “Lemonade” is her most accomplished album, and also a wild and risky one — thematically but also musically.
That may be one reason that last year, Beyoncé lost the Grammy for album of the year to Adele, the sort of upset that triggered a storm of criticism about the Grammys’ relevance, and, effectively, an almost-apology from Adele. In time, though, that moment will feel like a glitch. That space on the mantel will be filled by a National Medal of the Arts, or a Presidential Medal of Freedom. Like no other musician of her generation apart from Kanye West, Beyoncé is performing musicology in real time. It is bigger than any tribute she might receive. History is her stage.
Beyoncé became the first black woman to headline Coachella in a breathtaking set that featured her best material from a staggering back catalogue... and set a near-impossible standard for every headliner that will follow her.
Appearing at the festival in Indio, California, Beyoncé performed one incredible dance routine after another – those rumoured 10-hour day rehearsals ahead of the show certainly paid off, as she didn’t put a foot wrong.
Beginning with her 2003 debut solo single, “Crazy in Love”, she then transitioned into “Freedom”, “Formation” and “Sorry” from her 2016 visual album Lemonade. During “Sorry”, she mixed in verses from two fan favourites: “Me, Myself and I” and “Kitty Kat”.
Beyonce's history-making set at Coachella 2018 - in pictures
20 show all Beyonce's history-making set at Coachella 2018 - in pictures
1/20 Beyonce headlined Saturday night at Coachella Getty/Coachella
2/20 She became the first black woman to headline Coachella in a breathtaking set that featured her best material from a staggering back catalogue Getty/Coachella
3/20 Husband Jay Z joined Beyonce for a rendition of "Deja Vu" ahead of their On The Run 2 tour AFP/Getty
4/20 Destiny's Child reunited in an incredible moment, for a flawless renditions of "Lose My Breath", "Say My Name" and "Soldier" AFP/Getty
5/20 Jay-Z made sure the spotlight was focused on his wife with a no-frills rap cameo AFP/Getty
6/20 Dancers and musicians surrounded Beyonce throughout to add to the impressive performance Getty/Coachella
7/20 Beyonce wore several outfits in her history-making set Getty/Coachella
8/20 Beyonce reunited with with Kelly Rowland, and Michelle Williams AFP/Getty
9/20 Beyonce enters the stage AFP/Getty
10/20 Fans go wild for her AFP/Getty
11/20 Beyonce performed one incredible dance routine after another AFP/Getty
12/20 Those rumoured 10 hour a day rehearsals ahead of the show certainly paid off, as she didn't put a foot wrong. Getty/Coachella
13/20 Beyonce performs with Destiny's Child AFP/Getty Images
14/20 She then transitioned into “Freedom", “Formation” and “Sorry” from her 2016 visual album Lemonade. During “Sorry,” she mixed in verses from two fan favourites: “Me, Myself and I” and “Kitty Kat” Getty/Coachella
15/20 Thousands watched Beyonce perform at the at the Empire Polo Field AFP/Getty
16/20 Beyonce began her set with her 2003 debut solo single, “Crazy in Love" Rex
17/20 DJ Khaled's voice was heard on the speakers at one point to announce: “After tonight, Coachella gotta rename Coachella the Beychella. New name alert: Beychella!” Getty/Coachella
18/20 Fans watch Beyonce perform AFP/Getty
19/20 Beychella became the top trend on Twitter for the rest of the performance Rex
20/20 Beyonce performs on stage at the Empire Polo Field Getty/Coachella
She returned to the stage after a sultry rendition of “Drunk In Love” for tracks including “Diva”, “Flawless” and “7/11”. DJ Khaled’s voice was heard on the speakers at one point to announce: “After tonight, Coachella gotta rename Coachella the Beychella. New name alert: Beychella!” Beychella became the top trend on Twitter for the rest of the performance.
Husband Jay Z joined her for a rendition of “Deja Vu” ahead of their On The Run 2 tour, making sure the spotlight was focused on his wife with a no-frills rap cameo, while Destiny’s Child reunited in an incredible moment, for a flawless renditions of “Lose My Breath”, “Say My Name” and “Soldier”.
Beyoncé performs with Destiny’s Child (AFP/Getty)
Performing with husband Jay-Z (AFP/Getty)
Fans watch as Beyoncé enters the stage (AFP/Getty)
Her sister Solange joined her for a dance on stage, then Beyoncé took to the runway for “Single Ladies”, where she and two backing dancers performed the famous routines. “Run the World (Girls)” was a powerful salute to feminism where Beyonce shouted out to every woman present and thanked those who had paved the way before her.
A post shared by Beyoncé (@beyonce) on Apr 15, 2018 at 12:49am PDT
On Twitter, the mood was fairly unanimous:
And now a moment of silence for the other two artists who had to perform on the other stages at the same time as Beyoncé... #Beychella — Travon Free (@Travon) April 15, 2018
beyoncé performed for 2 hours straight with full choreo, looks, and sang the entire thing live in PERFECT PITCH. she is the greatest performer of all time, there is literally not one person that can argue otherwise #Beychella — Dylan (@scholaurship) April 15, 2018
Pausing for a moment ahead of the show’s conclusion, apparently having barely broken a sweat, she addressed the crowds: “I was supposed to perform last year but I got pregnant, thank God,” she said. “I had time to dream with two beautiful souls in my belly and this is everything and more I had in my dream, so thank you for sharing this with me. I want to sing this last song to all my incredible, beautiful fans. Loyal fans. Ride or dies. I love y’all.”
Closing with an a capella “Love On Top”, the stage was filled with her band and a troupe of dancers who played her out to an instrumental of “Shining”, everyone was left wondering, really, if it wasn’t worth ending the festival right as she walked off stage. No one was going to top that.
Coachella 2018: in pictures
47 show all Coachella 2018: in pictures
1/47 Beyonce reunited with Destiny's Child for a history-making set at Coachella AFP/Getty
2/47 Festival goers arrive Rex
3/47 Beyonce became the first black woman to headline Coachella in a breathtaking set that featured her best material from a staggering back catalogue Rex
4/47 Bella Hadid and Snoop Dogg at Levis Coachella brunch Rex
5/47 Nicki Minaj posted this photo from Coachella Nicki Minaj/Instagram
6/47 Street Style at Coachella Getty/Coachella
7/47 David Osokow, Jamie Foxx and Nicole Scherzinger at the Neon Carnival Rex
8/47 Beyonce became the first black woman to headline Coachella in a breathtaking set that featured her best material from a staggering back catalogue Getty/Coachella
9/47 A concertgoer poses Reuters
10/47 Beyonce headlined Saturday night at Coachella Getty/Coachella
11/47 Cardi B at the Moschino party Rex
12/47 Beyonce performs with her husband Jay-Z AFP/Getty
13/47 Mÿ and Charli XCX perform Getty/Coachella
14/47 Rita Ora stops by the Absolut Openhouse Tent Getty/Absolut
15/47 A concertgoer is wearing a feather headpiece Reuters
16/47 Dancers and musicians surrounded Beyonce throughout to add to the impressive performance Getty/Coachella
17/47 Haim performs AFP/Getty
18/47 Little Mix's Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Jade Thirlwall at the Moschino party Rex
19/47 Nile Rodgers performs Reuters
20/47 Beyonce began her set with her 2003 debut solo single, “Crazy in Love" Getty/Coachella
21/47 Hudson Thames, Maty Noyes and Stephan Moccio attend Republic Records and Dream Hotels Present "The Estate" at Zenyara Getty/Republic Record
22/47 Beyonce performs to thousands of excited fans AFP/Getty
23/47 Fans watch as Beyonce enters the stage AFP/Getty
24/47 Tyler, The Creator performs AFP/Getty
25/47 David Byrne performs Reuters
26/47 MO performs Reuters
27/47 SZA and Kendrick Lamar perform onstage during the 2018 Coachella Valley Music And Arts Festival at the Empire Polo Field on 13 April, 2018 in Indio, California. Getty/Coachella
28/47 SuperDuperKyle performs on stage at the Empire Polo Field Getty/Coachella
29/47 Snoop Dogg performs with Jamiroquai Getty/Coachella
30/47 Whitney Port, Olivia Culpo, Paris Hilton, Victoria Justice, Rachel Zoe, Sara Foster and Erin Foster at the The Zoe Report's 4th Annual ZOEasis at Coachella Rex
31/47 The Weeknd performs Reuters
32/47 Alessandra Ambrosio seen wearing jacket from Inspiresmi GC Images/Getty
33/47 St. Vincent performs Reuters
34/47 Festivalgoers attend Coachella Getty/Coachella
35/47 Recording Artist Kelela performs Getty/Coachella
36/47 Jean-Michel Jarre performs Getty/Coachella
37/47 Rihanna at Puma x Fenty pool party Rex
38/47 Rita Ora performs at the Empire Polo Field Getty/Coachella
39/47 Street Style at Coachella Getty/Coachella
40/47 SZA performing Getty/Coachella
41/47 Street Style at Coachella Getty/Coachella
42/47 The Weeknd performs Getty/Coachella
43/47 A general view at Coachella Reuters
44/47 People walk inside an installation called "Etherea" by Edoardo Tresoldi at Coachella Reuters
45/47 People watch a performance by St. Vincent Reuters
46/47 Kygo performs Reuters
47/47 People walk by an installation called "Etherea" by Edoardo Tresoldi Reuters
If you failed to get your hands on a Coachella ticket this year, don’t worry.
Instead of waiting in neverending lines in the scorching desert heat, you can kick back on your couch and livestream the whole festival. Find out how here.
