Beyoncé Stuns in 'Cowboy Carter' Debut at NFL Christmas Halftime Show
Beyoncé made an unforgettable Christmas Day appearance during the halftime show of the Houston Texans vs. Baltimore Ravens NFL game, bringing her country music album, *Cowboy Carter*, to life for the first time in front of a live audience. Netflix dubbed the event the "Beyoncé Bowl," and it certainly lived up to the hype.
Dressed in a stunning all-white outfit and arriving on a white horse, Beyoncé performed “16 Carriages” as the opening act at NRG Stadium in her hometown of Houston. The performance then shifted into a heartfelt cover of the Beatles’ “Blackbird.” She was joined by talented artists from Cowboy Carter, including Tiera Kennedy, Tanner Adell, Brittney Spencer, and Reyna Roberts, who all contributed to the album.
The surprise moments kept coming as Shaboozey joined her for “Sweet Honey Buckiin’,” and Post Malone made a surprise appearance for their duet of “Levii’s Jeans,” performing in front of a truck covered in denim. Both artists collaborated with Beyoncé on tracks from Cowboy Carter.
In a set filled with powerful performances, Beyoncé also performed “Jolene,” “Ya-Ya,” and a mashup of “Spaghetti” and “Riiverdance,” before treating fans to a brief performance of “My House” from outside the country album.
One of the most heartwarming moments of the show was when her 12-year-old daughter, Blue Ivy, appeared on stage to join Beyoncé for the finale of “Texas Hold ‘Em.” The mother-daughter duo held hands as Beyoncé soared into the sky on a platform to close the show.
As the show ended, Beyoncé teased fans with an Instagram post featuring her on a white horse, hinting at something special to come on January 14.
The halftime show was streamed live on Netflix, which also hosted two major NFL games on Christmas Day. Mariah Carey kicked off the NFL holiday doubleheader with her iconic “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” before Beyoncé took the stage in a performance that had fans buzzing on social media.
Netflix quickly announced that the Beyoncé Bowl halftime performance would be released as a standalone special, though the exact date for its release is still to be confirmed.
In the lead-up to the performance, Beyoncé playfully teased her fans about Netflix’s previous live-streaming challenges, with Netflix’s X account even changing its bio to read “roasted by Beyoncé 12.24.24.”
Cowboy Carter, released in March 2024, debuted at the top of the Billboard Hot 200 chart and was crowned the #1 Country album. Beyoncé also made history as the first Black woman to top the country album charts. The album earned 11 Grammy nominations, including for Album of the Year and Record of the Year.
With this eighth consecutive studio album hitting No. 1, Beyoncé continues to set new records, including becoming the female artist with the most certified titles according to the RIAA. “Texas Hold ‘Em,” the album’s lead single, has already gone double platinum.
Billboard recently named Beyoncé the greatest pop star of the 21st century, acknowledging her consistent greatness in music, performance, and cultural impact, well before Taylor Swift’s rise in the industry.
With her powerful debut of Cowboy Carter on the NFL stage, Beyoncé solidified her place as one of the most iconic and versatile artists of our time.