THE "BEY BUMP"
Kicking off Black History Month 2023, Beyoncé broke the internet with the announcement of her RENAISSANCE World Tour, marking her ninth international concert tour. It would go on to rake in a staggering $579 million, securing its place as the highest-grossing tour by a female artist in history and the seventh-highest-grossing tour overall with only 56 shows throughout the summer.
Adding to the tour’s impressive statistics is the average gross per show, with Beyoncé earning $10.3 million per performance. The Renaissance Tour also achieved a groundbreaking feat by breaking Billboard’s record for the biggest one-month gross, amassing an impressive $127.6 million. This substantial financial impact extended beyond the entertainment realm, as The New York Times estimated that the “BEY BUMP” injected approximately $4.5 billion into the American economy, akin to the boost Beijing experienced from the 2008 Olympics.
During the “ALIEN SUPERSTAR” singer’s captivating three-hour performance, she created an environment free from homophobia, transphobia, and other existential concerns. The tour’s positive influence wasn’t confined to the stage neither. According to Forbes, Beyoncé’s contributions to the economy played a significant role in supporting local Black-owned businesses specifically, underscoring the tour’s broader significance, transcending mere entertainment and leaving a lasting mark on various sectors.
A significant 64% of concert goers engaged in exclusively shopping minority businesses, contributing a minimum of $100 to Black-owned companies in each of their respective cities. This surge in consumer activity extended to women and LGBTQIA+-owned shops, experiencing notable growth as well. The exposure to Black and queer culture had a tangible impact, with almost half of attendees purposefully choosing to support Black-owned businesses in preparation for the concert. Additionally, nearly a third of respondents patronized LGBTQIA+-owned establishments. Behind the scenes, a
FROM THE BALLROOM, TO THE CLASSROOM, & BEY-OND
In conjunction with the tour announcement and as an extension of Bey’s ongoing commitment to student education, the RENAISSANCE Scholars Program was introduced. Beyoncé pledged $1 million to advance education through this initiative, aiming to make a positive impact on 10 colleges and universities globally. The RENAISSANCE Scholars Program was designed to provide $10,000 scholarships to 100 deserving students.
Lexus also embarked on the journey alongside Queen Bey as the exclusive automotive partner for the U.S. leg, in collaboration with her BeyGOOD Foundation. The premier luxury car brand pledged to contribute to the nonprofit by joining BeyGOOD Foundation’s BLACK PARADE Route, dedicated to aiding small business owners affected by economic inequities. Through a range of grant opportunities and sustainability support services, Lexus’s involvement amplified the BeyGOOD commitment by offering an additional $10,000 to two grant recipients in each city the tour stopped.
Beyoncé also took a proactive role in supporting COVID-19 relief efforts, focusing on providing crucial medical resources and expanding access to mental health services in the areas most severely affected by the pandemic. Through the BeyGOOD foundation, the 24-time GRAMMY winner unveiled a comprehensive plan to collaborate with local organizations and non-profits, aiming to alleviate the widespread impact of the coronavirus.
To address these pressing issues, BeyGOOD is providing support to on-the-ground organizations involved in coronavirus relief initiatives including the distribution of essential items such as food, water, cleaning supplies, medicines, face masks, and personal hygiene products to the most heavily impacted areas.
Collaborating with organizations like Matthew 25, No Kid Hungry, United Memorial Medical Center, World Central Kitchen, and the Start Small Fund, with the latter planning to contribute $6 million to mental health services in Houston, New York, Detroit, and New Orleans, involving organizations like UCLA and the National Alliance on Mental Illness to ensure effective support for those in need, BeyGOOD is aiming to make a noticeable and long-term difference.
HOUSE MUSIC: RYTHYMS OF AFFIRMATION & CHANGE
Taylor Crumpton, a music and pop culture writer from Dallas, described ‘RENAISSANCE’ as “a love letter to the Black queer roots of dance music” in an Essence article. Crumpton emphasized the significance of recognizing house music as inherently intertwined with Black queer identity, attributing the genre’s current popularity to the influence of Black queer individuals and their communities. He went on to define the album as both an informative exploration of the history of dance and house music and a lesson in Black queer studies, solely on the album’s references alone.
These references span from the disco divas like Diana Ross and Donna Summer, whose anthems have resonated across generations at Pride events amid ongoing LGBTQ rights struggles, to contemporary voices such as Big Freedia—an ambassador of bounce music from New Orleans—previously featured in “Formation.” Additionally, acknowledged are the contributions of DJ MikeQ, a prominent figure in the ballroom community, producer and mash-up DJ Amorphous, Moi Renee, a legendary drag queen and high camp singer from New York City, and Honey Dijon, a black trans woman and architect of contemporary dance and house sounds. The album pays homage to the rich legacy of Black queer musicians, spanning from past generations to the present day.
The album incorporates numerous samples directly from the ballroom era, with Beyoncé revitalizing these underground classics that once provided an escape for queers seeking societal liberation. A notable instance is found in the song “PURE/HONEY,” which prominently features a sample from “C*nty” by Kevin Aviance. Although “C*nty” gained popularity in the late ‘90s within the ballroom scene, Aviance expressed feeling overlooked at the time. As a ballroom figure and former Club Kid, he experienced fluctuations in his career. However, since Beyoncé breathed new life into “C*nty” through the RENAISSANCE album, Aviance has been securing numerous gigs and is booked throughout July 2024.
BEYOND THE STAGE: THE RENAISSANCE RIPPLE EFFECT ON SOCIETY
Shortly before the album’s launch, Beyoncé revealed that it serves as a heartfelt tribute to her Uncle Jonny, her “godmother” and a proud out gay man whos life was cut short due to AIDS. Uncle Jonny played a significant role in her early career too, crafting many of her outfits alongside Ms. Tina, including her prom dress. He was the first person to introduce her to House music and ballroom culture that inspired this album, making his influence instrumental in shaping her artistic journey to this point. Beyond his contributions to her music and wardrobe, Uncle Jonny symbolizes the countless individuals whose names have faded into obscurity by HIV/AIDS. In a powerful moment on tour, echoed by 60,000+ fans each night chanting, “Uncle Jonny made my dress, that cheap spandex, she looks a mess,” Beyoncé ensures his recognition is cemented on a global scale.
BET’s Consumer Insights Group, in collaboration with ScreenEngine/ASI, conducted a survey examining the profound cultural and economic impact of Beyoncé’s RENAISSANCE World Tour. Findings revealed that Black LGBTQIA+ attendees, in contrast to white heterosexual individuals, were 2.2 times more inclined to experience a sense of liberation, leading them initially to attend her concert and then do so again for multiple tour stops after that. Moreover, they were nearly twice as likely to have traveled from their hometown to witness her tour, transforming the experience into more than just a one-night concert.
In a time when the transgender community faces such adversity, the enduring joy emanating from Beyoncé’s House of Chrome was not only essential but also timely. The survey highlighted the integral role of collective enjoyment for queer Black individuals who were 71% more likely to have participated in the concert through social media meetups and almost 2.4 times more likely to have formed new connections and friendships at the event compared to their white heterosexual counterparts.
Attendees of the inaugural show in Stockholm, Sweden noticed a positive change in the venue’s bathrooms, courtesy of Beyoncé’s team. A RENAISSANCE branded sign proclaiming “Gender Neutral Restrooms” was affixed to the walls with duct tape, effectively covering the conventional gender-specific signs and rendering all restrooms inclusive for everyone. Whether the singer and her associates coordinated this alteration with venue operators beforehand or spontaneously implemented it as part of the production, it reflects the commitment to creating a safe and inclusive space for her fans.
Foundational principles of ballroom like acceptance, sexual liberation, the representation of queer identity, and the freedom of self-expression, was front and center at the RENAISSANCE. The album’s second track, “COZY,” features transgender activists and musical artists Honey Dijon and Ts Madison, serving as a platform for their voices and perspectives to resonate within the mainstream music industry.
Queer ballroom icons, Darius Hickman, Carlos Basquiat, and Honey Balenciaga joined Queen Bey as part of her dance troupe, “The Dolls.” This ensemble of cast and crew mirrors the crucial familial bonds within the queer subculture and echoes the importance of “chosen family”. Affectionately and cleverly, Bey refers to herself as the “Mother of the House of RENAISSANCE,” paying homage to ballroom by acknowledging the mothers, fathers, and mentors within the community and the legendary children they nurture.
On July 31, 2023, O’Shae Sibley, a Black and openly gay man, fell victim to a violent hate crime outside a Brooklyn gas station while refueling his car and vogueing with his friends to ‘RENAISSANCE’. His tragic murder is a grim example of the recent surge in violence against LGBTQ+ individuals and shook the vibrant ballroom community and the broader LGBTQ+ movement. Icons took to the streets to vogue in his honor revealing the unity and strength of the community.
BEY'S ERA OF GRATITUDE
Beyoncé’s sincere appreciation and affection for her fans extended far beyond the stage, evident throughout the entire tour. From intimate moments shared during performances to unexpected interactions with the audience, she showcased a profound connection with those who have been steadfast supporters throughout her remarkable 27-year career. Emphasizing this sentiment of her self-proclaimed “gratitude tour” during her L.A. birthday show, aptly named “BEYDAY” to a sold-out crowd, she delivered a heartfelt speech expressing deep gratitude to her fans, her family, and the original members of the record-breaking girl group Destiny’s Child.
“My soul is full. I’m so thankful, I’m trying not to cry. I’m thankful to be alive. I’m thankful to be onstage. I’m thankful to look out and see your faces. I’m thankful to be able to provide a safe space for all of y’all. I’m thankful for music, for the ability to heal myself through music, which then heals all of you.”
Beyoncé’s performances exuded a unique blend of otherworldly grandeur as well as profound local resonance. Her expressions of gratitude reached to every corner of the venue, starting with heartfelt acknowledgment for those in the highest seats all the way to the fans seated on stage with her, flanking the main stage to the right and to the left, to the left. This deliberate recognition to the tremendous sacrifices made by many in the audience to be present that evening. Each night she preached,
“I want this to be a safe space. I want you to let loose. I want you to remember who you came here with, what you wore. Remember this night for 5, 10, 15, 20 years.”
THE END OF ACT I
