Coldplay performed at the halftime show of Super Bowl 50, but it was Beyoncé who stole the show.
“During the Super Bowl halftime show, Coldplay and Beyoncé emerged as the performers, paying tribute to the past by featuring a montage of their previous performances. It was assumed that they would play a simple couple of songs, with Coldplay joining Beyoncé since they had recently released their collaboration song, ‘Hymn for the Weekend’.”
It was also somewhat anticipated that Beyoncé might overshadow them.
Martin’s enthusiasm paired with the Technicolor band’s trappings made one of the most earnest halftime performances. The recent memory of the performance felt like a whole thing unfolding underneath rainbow parachutes in a kindergarten. Chris Martin, the lead singer of Coldplay, started the proceedings on the field surrounded by fans, performing songs like “Adventure of a Lifetime” and “Vida La Viva” with a giant grin on his face. It gave the eager fans their best Coldplay experience.
Mars and Martin both seemed to be in a hell of a time. Unfortunately, viewers at home could barely hear anything above the screaming crowds, as the audio was so mangled. Then, Bruno Mars slid out to perform Mark Ronson’s “Uptown Funk” with a slick line of dancers, headlining the Super Bowl 2014.
And then the drum line separated, and there stood Beyoncé.
She gracefully stumbled and swerved in a dance-off with Mars, shutting down the dance floor. However, her performance behind Beyoncé’s new single “Formation” was far more captivating.
Prior to the Super Bowl, Beyoncé unveiled the song by debuting one of her most exceptional and audacious videos up until now.
A small boy in a hoodie dances in front of riot police while Beyoncé sinks a police car in New Orleans. “Formation” is openly political, embracing black femininity, and proudly immersed in black American culture. According to Vox’s Alex Abad-Santos, the song is more daring, more provocative, angrier, and grittier than Beyoncé’s usual style.
Around 1993, Michael Jackson, another legendary African American entertainer, sported a jacket and was surrounded by black women backup dancers with Afros and uniforms reminiscent of the Black Panther movement. In a similar fashion, Beyoncé emerged and followed the same style in both the video and her Super Bowl performance.
During the water crisis in Flint, Michigan, she announced funding for a new initiative to help the children. The first commercial to be cut off during the broadcast was the ad announcing Beyoncé’s new world tour Formation. The finale of Coldplay’s performance was met with more than just a little eye as Beyoncé’s performance stole the spotlight, leaving all the happy and shiny singing people away.
Martin Trayvon’s 21st birthday was commemorated by social justice nonprofit organizations like Black Lives Matter, with a powerful statement made by Beyoncé during her performance of “Formation” at the center stage of the Super Bowl. This significant move was particularly poignant in the context of the song’s defiant social commentary, as well as the constant criticism faced by black quarterback Cam Newton of the Carolina Panthers, and the excessive arrogance that he has been labeled with. Additionally, Jay-Z’s streaming service Tidal made a generous donation of $1.5 million to support these social justice initiatives.
Beyoncé quickly transformed one of the biggest sports events, the Super Bowl, into a distinctively political and corporate entertainment experience, with a crucial element of synergy. She made sure to engage the audience by sharing the stage with Mars and Coldplay, while confidently choreographing her meticulously planned dances. With her knowing smirks and confident presence, Beyoncé dominated the show, stepping from the field onto the screen, creating a powerful moment that everyone was sure to remember.