Beyoncé's latest announcement stirred up a storm of opinions as fans rushed to her defence amidst accusations she stole Usher's halftime thunder by dropping news of her album during the Super Bowl.
While the Kansas City Chiefs staged an epic comeback to clinch their third Super Bowl victory in five years against the San Francisco 49ers, the spotlight wasn't solely on the game.
Celebrity sightings, the electrifying halftime show, and the iconic commercials all vied for attention alongside the on-field action.
In a strategic advert spot for Verizon, the music icon seized the moment to unveil the long-awaited Part II of her Renaissance album.
However, some critics argue that the unexpected announcement overshadowed Usher's monumental performance.
Taking to X, formerly Twitter, one penned: “Usher must’ve walked off that stage and been P***ED that Beyoncé overshadowed his halftime show by dropping two new songs and announcing act II.”
“Beyonce really took all the attention away from Usher after he did the halftime show I’m crying,” another wrote.
A third claimed: “I’m screaming at Beyoncé taking all of the attention off of Usher after he just did a halftime show now all everybody is talking about is her new album and the Verizon commercial.”
Many others rushed to her defence and said they could both be celebrated. One fan insisted on social media: “Beyoncé only stole Usher’s moment if you can’t chew gum and walk at the same time. Talk about both. You can do it.”
“The fact that Beyoncé and Usher are 25+ years in their careers and still leaders in their respective genre and culture is wild,” another wrote.Another shared: “Welp, Usher and Beyoncé have successfully overshadowed the #SuperBowl and have given me everything I needed from today.”
The online commentary comes as Beyonce released two tracks from the second act of her Renaissance project, after teasing the new music during a Super Bowl advert.
Beyonce, who watched the Super Bowl game in Las Vegas alongside her husband Jay-Z and daughters Blue Ivy and Rumi, posted a video on her Instagram teasing “Act II” moments after the commerical aired.
The 42-year-old then released two songs titled Texas Hold ‘Em, referencing the poker game named after the singer’s home state, and 16 Carriages.
Fans have eagerly been anticipating a new project from Beyonce, who initially released Act I: Renaissance in July 2022, later revealing it was part of a three-act project.
In December, Beyonce released a new single titled My House to commemorate the “opening weekend” of the Renaissance tour film which followed the music superstar on her 39-date world tour of the Grammy-winning album.
Renaissance: A Film by Beyonce was a box office success, following in the footsteps of Taylor Swift with The Eras Tour film.
