Beyoncé sleighs at Netflix Christmas Day halftime show with Blue Ivy, Shaboozey and Post Malone
The newly-minted Christmas Day halftime performance may take precedence over the Super Bowl halftime show, due to the Queen of Music, Beyoncé.
The pop singer slayed — or sleighed — with an outstanding, star-studded performance that included cameos by Post Malone, Shaboozey, and Beyoncé's 12-year-old daughter, Blue Ivy Carter. Though the primary event at NRG Stadium was the Houston Texans' game against the Baltimore Ravens, the day was all about #Beyonce.
Beyoncé performs during the halftime show for the game between the Baltimore Ravens and the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium on December 25, 2024 in Houston.
Alex Slitz/Getty Images
The concert began with a pre-recorded moment: Beyoncé, wearing a white cowboy hat, played "16 Carriages" while riding a white horse; this was the first time she has performed any song from her Cowboy Carter album live. She was later joined by emerging country singers Tanner Adell, Tiera Kennedy, Reyna Roberts, and Brittney Spencer for their performance of The Beatles' "Blackbird," harmonizing like an experienced girl group, a vocal technique Queen Bey is used to.
Then the live concert started in earnest. Beyoncé sang "Ya Ya" – the song nominated for best Americana performance at the Grammys — in a bedazzled white leotard and matching chaps, exuding intensity and vocal perfection. Dozens of dancers and musicians danced on the bleachers, evoking #Beychella feelings from her historic 2018 Coachella performance.
Shaboozey, a singer-songwriter, performed "Spaghetti" with Beyoncé, then Post Malone joined them for "Levi's Jeans." The rapper-singer dressed properly in denim as they performed in front of a denim-covered vehicle. Blue Ivy then received a huge shout from the audience when she danced with her mother during "Texas Hold 'Em," which topped the country and pop charts earlier this year.
"I'm so honored to be in Texas right now," Beyoncé said. "It's only right we do 'Texas Hold 'Em' in Texas for the first time."
Beyoncé's performance was so electrifying that she may have helped the NFL cement another pop culture golden moment, making the Christmas Day halftime show a sought-after spectacle, similar to the coveted Super Bowl halftime performance engagement. And for top-tier performers, the timing is ideal because final Grammy voting always occurs over the holidays. Beyoncé is the leading nominee, with ten nominations, including all four country music prizes.
Working over the entire field during her performance, Beyoncé also sang her song of Dolly Parton's "Jolene" while traveling in a car, and she ended the performance by rising above the stage, exactly like the musical queen that she is.
"Merry Christmas! God Bless y’all," she told the elated crowd. "Thank you so much!"