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Also on the list was Scott Cam. Who knew Beyonce was such a big fan of The Block?
While Beyonce’s lavish return to the stage, complete with fireworks, dance troupes and multiple outfit changes, was predictably spectacular, it did raise some eyebrows, due to the United Arab Emirates’ stance on homosexuality and the fact the 41-year-old has long positioned herself as a champion for LGBTQ communities.
Beyonce’s single Break My Soul, released in June, was hailed as “awe-inspiring” by NME.
In 2019, she was awarded the Vanguard Award at the GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) Media Awards for helping accelerate acceptance for the LGBTQ community, and her 2022 album, Renaissance, was celebrated as a love letter to black and queer dance music pioneers.
Which makes it all the more curious that Beyonce, who once said “LGBTQ rights are human rights”, would perform an exclusive concert in the United Arab Emirates, where homosexuality is illegal and considered a crime punishable by death.
Unsurprisingly, Beyonce’s $35 million set did not include any material from Renaissance, even though the lead single, Break My Soul, is the singer’s most recent and most high-profile hit.
Beyonce’s high-profile pay day follows controversy around the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar and an increased interest in the ambassadors-for-sale model becoming popular in the Middle East.
During the 2022 FIFA World Cup, several famous ex-footballers, including David Beckham and Australia’s Tim Cahill, came under fire for accepting ambassadorships despite the country’s repressive stance on LGBTQ rights, its human rights record and allegations of mistreatment of migrant workers.
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Fans were quick to question Beyonce’s decision to perform in the UAE, noting that other artists had opted to cancel concerts in both the UAE and Saudi Arabia over the countries’ serious human rights violations.
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