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.[3]
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.[4] 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.[5]
The two-game NFL Christmas Gameday broadcast was the first to be streamed live on Netflix.[2] 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 "[they] optimized their technology to assure a smooth viewing experience after the reportedly glitchy Jake Paul-Mike Tyson fight".[6] On December 4, Beyoncé's mother Tina Knowles stated that "[she had] 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 “[she] just left 25 meetings today. It’s meeting after meeting. What goes into it is unbelievable”.[7]
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.[8] 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.[9]
Synopsis
At the start of the halftime show, Beyoncé appeared on the stadium corridors riding atop a lipizzian, opening her set with a performance of "16 Carriages". She was then joined by Tanner Adell, Brittney Spencer, Tiera Kennedy and Reyna Roberts for their cover of The Beatles' "Blackbiird".[10] Following this, Beyoncé entered the stadium field stage surrounded by white Cadillacs to sing an energetic rendition of "Ya Ya", with dancers similarly dressed as the album cover artwork and wearing the sash reading "Cowboy Carter".[11][12] She then proceeded to perform "My House" alongside the dancers and a full African-American marching band, as well with background dancing appearance of Blue Ivy.[13]
The stage field rendering transitioned into a "HBCU marching band holiday parade",[14] while Shaboozey joined Beyoncé to sing a choreographed mashup of "Spaghettii", "Riiverdance" and "Sweet Honey Buckiin".[15] This was followed by a duet performance of "Levii's Jeans", after which guest artist Post Malone joined her on a denim-covered truck.[16] Beyoncé perches atop the back seat of a driven Cadillac to sing her cover version of "Jolene", while the marching band and the dancers keep simulating a hometown parade.[17] For the closing song, "Texas Hold 'Em", a honky tonk-inspired choreography with bandanas is executed as Blue Ivy returns on stage, with Beyoncé rising out on a narrow platform to fly above the midfield, and finishing the set displaying a huge banner flag that said "bang".[18]
Set list
The following songs were performed during the halftime show.[19]
