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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Entertainment
Lisa McLoughlin

Four surprises from Beyonce’s first London Renaissance show

Beyonce was sure to bring the house down on Monday night as she brought her Renaissance World Tour to London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for the first of her five-night residency.

The singer’s performance was bold, energetic, and showcased the power of her Grammy award winning voice with aplomb during several acapella moments.

Now as she launches the Renaissance Flagship on Oxford Street, the Standard looks at the surprise moments that made the hitmaker’s first night in the capital all the more special for her London fans.

A-list Guests

The 41-year-old drew in an impressive crowd for her opening show in London and hosted A-listers such as Naomi Campbell, Kris Jenner, Ariana Grande, Dua Lipa and her boyfriend Romain Gavras as well as Lori Harvey and Damson Idris.

The glitterati were spotted in one of two VIP platform stages at the back of the stadium, where they were treated to Armand de Brignac champagne and the best view in the house.

Beyonce’s husband, rapper Jay- Z, 53, joined their notable guests five minutes before she took to the stage and opened her set with Dangerously in Love, to much excitement from the audience.

Other celebrity guests spotted in the crowd included Frank Ocean and Broadway star Jonathan Groff.

Tribute to Tina

In the opening segment of her show, Beyonce altered her set to include a powerful tribute to the late Tina Turner, following news of her death aged 83 last week.

After Turner’s passing was confirmed, the superstar shared her love for the late singer, an artist she has repeatedly called her greatest influence, during her Renaissance World Tour stop in Paris, France on Friday.

Now acknowledging the Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll once again, Beyonce said while introducing a slow, gospel version of Turner’s River Deep, Mountain High: “I want you to allow me to sing one of my favourite songs”.

She shared while holding her hand across her chest and casting her eyes towards the sky: “We love you Tina”.

New Costume Reveal

A major talking point of the American powerhouse’s tour has been her custom designer looks – and on Monday, Beyonce unveiled a brand spanking new ensemble for her London fans.

The music icon swapped her silver parachute pants for a red crystal encrusted Off-White jumpsuit and a wide-brimmed hat to perform hits such as Formation, Diva and Run The World (Girls).

The eye-catching look featured harness detail around the shoulders and waist which she teamed with a pair of matching slouchy boots.

Complementing her new stage ensemble, her backing dancing donned all red looks for the musical segment also.

Blue Ivy On Stage

While fans perhaps hoped for Jay to join Beyonce on stage during her rendition of Crazy In Love, they got an even better surprise as the couple’s eldest daughter, Blue Ivy, showcased her musicality once again.

The 11-year-old previously joined her and her backing dancer for a performance of My Power in Paris last week.

And now the tween continued to follow in her mother’s footsteps as she took to the London stage clad in a red boiler suit and black shades. Blue didn’t miss a beat as she showcased her moves to a jubilant crowd.

Beyonce’s five-night historic residency in London’s Tottenham Hotspur stadium comes as she collaborates with Flannels X to launch The Renaissance Flagship on Oxford Street.

The one-of-a-kind project gives fans the opportunity to get their hands on tour memorabilia, sold for the first time outside of stadiums, from Tuesday, May 30 through Monday, June 5, and features a never-before-seen exhibition of Renaissance Couture by Beyonce x Balmain.

The exhibition showcases 12 looks from the collection co-designed by the singer and Olivier Rousteing, which were inspired by tracks from her Renaissance album, and marks the first time fans can see the pieces publicly.

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