Beyoncé celebrated Thanksgiving with some of her superstar friends, as she attended the premiere of her new concert movie, Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé on Saturday. In addition to the 32-time Grammy winner, the event also saw appearances from Janelle Monáe; Lori Harvey; Lizzo; Gabrielle Union; Halle Bailey; Tina Knowles; and Issa Rae. Destiny’s Child was also represented by Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams, as well as original members LaToya Luckett and LaTavia Robertson. The five women have a private reunion that is shown in a quick scene in the film.
When it was announced that Beyoncé’s film would be opening about a month after Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour movie, we knew comparisons between the two women would continue. However, early reactions to Renaissance highlight how different the two projects are. According to The New York Times, the “Halo” singer offers fans a glimpse at her extremely private life behind the curtain.
Queen of Her Kingdom
Turns out, Queen Bey isn’t just a cool nickname. The Houston native is actually the boss of everything in her domain. The film reveals that she’s intimately involved in the creative aspect of everything from sets, to lighting, to music, to costumes. It is truly her vision. While the “Break My Soul” star says, “Communicating as a Black woman, everything is a fight,” she adds, “Eventually, they realize this bitch will not give up.”
It’s wild that someone at Beyoncé’s level still has to fight the same battles Black women in every workplace face on a daily basis.
Blue Ivy’s Big Moment
Blue Ivy Carter has been in the spotlight since before she was born, so it was only a matter of time before she joined one of her famous parents on stage. Her appearances during the Renaissance tour made headlines every single time. However, it wasn’t all smooth sailing. The 11-year-old had to convince her mom to let her join the show. “She told me she was ready to perform, and I told her, ‘No,’” Beyoncé said in the film. Unfortunately, the internet is not a nice place, so Blue Ivy’s dancing was not well received. Channeling her mother’s defiant spirit, she didn’t let that stop her. She used the negativity as fuel to train harder and improve.
Apparently, the young star is the movie’s breakout scene stealer. While everyone is in awe of her mom and treating Bey like royalty, Blue is a regular kid, who is hilariously unimpressed by her mother. This is proof that no matter who you are, your kids think you’re lame.
It’s Still a Concert Movie
Even though it features fascinating behind-the-scenes revelations, Renaissance is still a concert film, which means there’s plenty of music. At two and a half hours long, the movie includes almost the entire tour set.
Beyoncé doesn’t often let fans inside her inner circle, which is one of the reasons why we’re so fascinated by her. The mystery adds to her appeal. To that end, when she does let us peek behind the curtain, we want to savor every nugget of intel we can get. Before she takes a well-deserved break, Renaissance delivers a little piece of the “Cuff It” singer’s world and we can’t wait.
Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé opens in theaters Dec. 1.