Re-writing the Script

From the moment Beyoncé took the stage, she commanded the stadium with the poise, stamina, and vocal prowess that have defined her 25-year career. Rain may have drenched North London, but it did nothing to dampen the energy inside. She gamely writhed on her platform floor, long blond tresses getting soaked, launching into a set that traversed her new country-inspired material and beloved classics with seamless ease. The show’s production was grandiose—think giant trucks, a gold mechanical bull, and illuminated horseshoes that allowed her to fly across her audience— yet for me, it was the films broadcast on huge videoscreen backdrops in between her costume changes that anchored the night, eclipsing even the moments she would bring her daughters Blue Ivy and a youngest, Rumi, onstage to adoring fans who have watched in particular the 13 year old Blue Ivy grow up in Tik Tok videos, from awkward dancer in her first concert appearance alongside her mother to over 12 months later, assimilating easily with smooth moves with the rest of the dance troupe.

But Cowboy Carter is more than a visual or musical feast; it’s a reclamation project. Beyoncé uses her platform to challenge and rewrite the whitewashed narratives of American country music and cowboy mythology. The tour’s very title and staging—“Cowboy Carter and the Rodeo Chitlin Circuit”—pay tribute to the Black musicians and venues that shaped American music under the shadow of segregation. Opening with “American Requiem,” Beyoncé set the tone: a call to confront the racism embedded in country music’s past and to carve out space for new voices. Her rendition of “Blackbiird” spotlighted emerging Black female country artists, while visuals and interludes throughout the show highlighted the historical erasure and ongoing contributions of Black cowboys and musicians.

I don't know if many in the audience, all dressed up in short shorts, cowboy boots, sparkle and glitter and obviuosly, a pink cowboy hat, even clocked the messages in the films. But in a political climate where the very narrative of American history is contested, Beyoncé stands at the frontline, insisting on recognition and reparation for African-Americans’ foundational role in building the country and I respect her for weaving it in such a thoroughly entertaining show. 

And of course, I couldn't help but clock the credits to her outfits. Beyoncé’s tour wardrobe was as much a part of the experience as the music itself, with costumes crafted by the likes of Versace, Etro, Ottolinger, and custom Levi’s (I mean, clever tie up as the face of the brand given the Western theme). Each outfit was a statement, and credit to her stylists Shionat Turini and Karen Langley for blending high fashion with Western motifs, and underscoring her ability to turn the stage into a runway of reinvention and homage.

Ultimately, Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter tour in London was more than a concert—it was a statement of artistic mastery, sartorial brilliance (i couldn't 'help but marvel at how the corsets were created to mold to her body - she actually looked comfortable!), and cultural reclamation. For her fans, it was a rain-soaked celebration; for music history, it was a rewriting of the script, with Beyoncé at the helm, riding tall and unbowed.