‘Christmas belongs to her now’: Move over Santa, Beyoncé’s already given us the best gift

2024 officially belongs to Beyoncé and the Beyhive. Not only has Queen Bey blessed us with new music, she’s taken all of our money too with every jaw-dropping product she’s released. 

And now, to top it all off, we’re finally getting our first official live performance of the year on Christmas Day. Sorry Santa, but it’s going to take more than magic elves and Rudolph’s red nose to top Beyoncé’s latest announcement. The Cowboy Carter train has left the station, and we’re all aboard!

Beyoncé’s special Christmas surprise

Beyoncé made a very special announcement Sunday evening that has fans falling over themselves in excitement. The record-breaking, Grammy-winning artist will headline the NFL’s Houston Texans v. Baltimore Ravens halftime show on Christmas day. The game will mark Netflix’s first NFL broadcast, and the halftime show will air live on the streamer. 

Bey took to social media (including X, which she so famously despises) with a promotional teaser for the upcoming show. The teaser featured Beyoncé decked in a thigh-length white dress with red and blue accents and a cowboy hat to boot. While a snippet of the album’s opener, “American Requiem” plays, she stands on top of a car completely covered in roses, holding a football and preparing to sing into a mic. The car’s license plate reads, “BNCNTRY,” her classic response to criticisms about her “sudden” foray into the country scene.

The game will take place in Beyoncé’s hometown of Texas at the NRG Stadium, and will mark the first time songs from Cowboy Carter will be performed live. In a remarkable feat, this will be the first halftime show performance outside of the widely anticipated Super Bowl, which Kendrick Lamar will headline in 2025. With this, Beyoncé will be the inaugural headliner, which is yet another accolade to add to her already impressive portfolio.

Details on the performance are still scarce, but if Beyoncé’s track record is anything to go by, it’s bound to be a show. In a press release from Netflix, the streamer gave some teasers on what will be included in the halftime show performance. The statement read, “Beyoncé  is expected to feature some special guests who are featured on the Cowboy Carter album.” The genre-bending, country-inspired album included features from country music veterans like Dolly Parton and Linda Martell, new-generation country artists like Tanner Adell, Brittney Spencer, Tiera Kennedy, Reyna Roberts and Shaboozey, and pop icons like Miley Cyrus and Post Malone.

Reactions from fans

Beyoncé’s fans have already been on a high this past week following the singer’s 11 Grammy nominations for Cowboy Carter. The album received nominations for both album and country album of the year, and the lead single “Texas Hold ‘Em” was nominated for song, record, and country song of the year. Her nods this year have made Beyoncé the artist with the most Grammy nominations ever, and if she wins Album of the Year, she will be the first Black woman to do so since Lauryn Hill in 1999. 

Fans have been understandably ecstatic to hear the news, especially since they have been waiting for a Cowboy Carter tour announcement. Despite this not being a tour announcement, fans are excited to hear some songs from the album performed live, and are hopeful that the tour may be announced soon afterward. As a member of the Beyhive tweeted, “Santayonce. Jingle Bey. Sleighyonce. Cowboy Claus. Santa Fierce. Frosty Giselle. Saint Beycholas. Christmas belongs to her now.”