The Best Performer in the World, and Why It's Beyoncé

Beyoncé's Renaissance World Tour recently ended in Kansas City, thrilling and entertaining thousands of fans live on stage. Photo Credit: Ellery Hile

“She got on stage and I was just frozen in shock,” says Malik Neal, a 17-year-old student at Lincoln College Prep. He reminisces with an eager smile. Neal had recently attended a Beyoncé concert with his friend and was retelling his unimaginable experience watching the live performance. From the concert opening to the performance itself, Neal describes it all and his emotions throughout the concert. The concert, held at a packed stadium, left Neal in awe and solidified his belief that Beyoncé is undeniably one of the best performers of our generation. 

 Neal recounts the moment  it fully set in for him that he was attending a Beyoncé concert.

 “Oh immediately when she got on stage. I got there a bit early around 9 and she started performing at 9:45. I remember being so antsy and nervous,” he says with a laugh. “The screen was revealing parts of her body and when she got on stage, it was like ‘she's real??’”, Neal said.

 Neal describes how the overall concert process and the number of people attending the concert shocked him.

 “I attended the concert with my friend. I remember the day before I was working and talking with a customer about how much I wished I could go see Beyonce, then the following night a friend reached out to me and asked if I wanted to go and we ended up going. The concert was at Arrowhead Stadium and I think that has a level of seriousness attached to it because of how it hosts major sporting events. The venue was genuinely so packed that it took around an hour to get inside and after she ended at midnight. It was so packed like it was around 3 hours of just waiting in the car trying to go see her.” 

Did the concert fulfill his expectations?

“Oh yeah, she surpassed them. I expected a lot because it's Beyonce, but aside from expectations, she did a lot. She did so many songs and so many costume changes. And that's really what made the concert great for me. I knew it was going to be good because it was Beyonce,” Neal said. “But it was even better than good. I was very entertained the whole time, even when it was an outfit change. When she did ‘Drunk in Love,’ the build-up was perfect and just one of the night's best songs. She did some of her earlier songs and started singing ‘Kitty Kat,’ I was so happy about it.” 

Other students seemed to agree like Kierra Hurd, a senior at Lincoln College Prep. “Definitely. I was so captivated by her energy and the overall vibe of the concert. Beyoncé is such a talented artist who exudes passion while performing onstage,” Hurd said.

Jenny Guzman, another senior at Lincoln College Prep, seemed to agree.

 “I feel like Beyonce really outdid herself with her dance moves and the vocals, and everything was just so wonderful,”  Hurd said.

After his overall experience does this solidify his belief in Beyonce’s status as one of the best performers? 

 “Overall, I would give the concert an 11/10. The amount of effort and intention she puts into her performances shows, and she just surpassed my expectations,’” Neal said. “You could tell she was doing what she loved, but she was performing it in a way that allowed both herself and others to enjoy it. It was genuinely such a good experience,” he also shared. “She was my first concert ever, and with that, it was also my first Beyonce concert. You see performances online and you see how much she does, but in person, it was such a different experience, she did so many songs not only from the Renaissance but even some of her early songs. That caught me off guard, in a good way off course. I think why I enjoyed the concert so much was #1 Beyonce, but also the variety she had while performing. She had eight different concert changes, so many songs from so many different albums, her dancers were so amazing, and she had a consistent theme like when performing. All I knew was that I liked it because after I left all I could keep thinking about was the concert. And now, whenever I hear a song that she performed that night, I can’t stop thinking about how amazing. Beyonce just puts her all into it, if you watched her face you could tell she was putting her entire soul into each performance. It’s so nice to see someone doing what they love and something that they are passionate about and I think that's why I liked it so much because it’s so nice to see someone love what they do.” 

Neal explains that he left the concert with a newfound appreciation for music and the impact that it can have on people’s lives. Neal will forever cherish the memories of his unforgettable night, where he witnessed firsthand Beyonce’s undeniable talent and passion for performing. 

“Performance-wise, they started the performance off with a little build-up and revealed scenes of Beyonce on the screen one at a time. They showed scenes of her covered in chrome. Blue Ivy and Beyonce performed together, and it was so cute to see them looking so happy to be there. She was getting emotional. So, my favorite song that she did was ‘Drunk in Love’, and she did it twice. The song was just amazing to hear in person, and it flowed so well. You could tell that the energy of the crowd just matched perfectly. My second favorite song of the night was ‘Kitty Kat’, and the theme and colors had shifted from chrome to red at this point, and I remember the lights in the ceiling. She only did the second verse and the chorus, but I was genuinely in awe. I remember feeling like I had transcended.”

Neal smiles and says, “Watching Beyonce wasn’t just a concert, it was an experience that will stay with me always. I’m honestly so glad I was able to watch her perform live before college.” For Neal, this has solidified his belief in Beyonce's well-deserved place as an icon. Neal’s experience shows how Beyoncé is undeniably one of the best performers of our generation.