- Tuesday, April 29, 2025
By: Vibhuti Pathak
Beyoncé officially kicked off her much-anticipated Cowboy Carter world tour Monday night (29) at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, delivering a dazzling and genre-blending performance that celebrated Black creativity as central to American culture.
This marked the first of five shows at the iconic venue and followed the Grammy-winning success of her country-inspired Cowboy Carter album.
The 2-hour-and-45-minute spectacle opened just as the album does—with the soulful “Ameriican Requiem” followed by a moving rendition of The Beatles’ “Blackbird.” Beyoncé then offered a powerful performance of “The Star-Spangled Banner” as a massive screen declared: “Never ask permission for something that already belongs to you.”
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Clad in a fringed white cowboy-inspired outfit, she transitioned into “Freedom” before launching into the upbeat “Ya Ya,” which featured her 13-year-old daughter Blue Ivy dancing alongside her.
Throughout the evening, Beyoncé weaved in nearly every track from Cowboy Carter, while also revisiting standout hits from her Renaissance era. After a dramatic costume change, Act II began with “America Has a Problem,” performed from behind a podium adorned with microphones. A rapid-fire sequence followed, including “Spaghettii,” “Formation,” “My House,” and “Diva.”
Act III offered a more intimate tone. Beyoncé sang stripped-down versions of “Alliigator Tears” and “Just for Fun,” followed by “Protector,” during which her 7-year-old daughter Rumi joined her onstage for a heartfelt hug, adding a personal and emotional layer to the show.
The energy surged once more as Beyoncé changed into a shimmering bodysuit for the high-octane numbers “Desert Eagle,” “Riiverdance,” “II Hands II Heaven,” and “Sweet Honey Buckiin’,” again featuring Blue Ivy. A standout moment came with her rendition of Dolly Parton’s “Jolene,” delivered with a New Orleans flair, before Beyoncé ascended into the air on a giant neon horseshoe to perform “Daddy Lessons.”
The spectacle didn’t slow down. After grooving through “Bodyguard” and teasing “II Most Wanted,” she energized the crowd with “Cuff It” on a smaller stage at the rear of the stadium. She then returned to the main stage atop the flying horseshoe and mounted a mechanical golden bull to perform “Tyrant,” flanked by rotating robotic bull heads.
As the show reached its final act, Beyoncé brought fans back into the Renaissance era with “I’m That Girl,” “Cozy,” and “Alien Superstar,” incorporating western elements into the tour’s signature ballroom dance battles.
The night culminated with a performance of “Texas Hold ’Em” from atop a big rig, followed by “Crazy in Love,” “Heated,” and her beloved cover of “Before I Let Go.” The emotional finale featured “16 Carriages,” performed from a flying convertible, and “Amen,” with Beyoncé in a stars-and-stripes gown as a masked Statue of Liberty head graced the stage.
Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter tour opener was more than a concert—it was a statement of pride, heritage, and unstoppable showmanship.
