Footage has surfaced online of Beyoncé performing her controversial Dubai concert, her first headline show in over four years. 

Last week, it was announced that the music superstar had invited select journalists and influencers to join her in the UAE city to celebrate the opening of a swanky new hotel, the Atlantis Royal Hotel.

The lucky guests were promised “a weekend where your dreams become your destination,” as well as a “once-in-a-lifetime performance” from an unspecified artist.

That unspecified artist turned out to be Beyoncé herself, which went down as well as you might expect it would with her legions of fans. Many chastised her for being out of touch, while many more criticised her for hosting a concert in a place with strict anti-LGBT laws when her latest album, Renaissance, was hugely inspired by queer culture.

When it came time for the concert over the weekend, Beyoncé ended up playing mostly her classic hits, including ‘Halo’, ‘Crazy In Love’ and a rousing rendition of ‘Drunk In Love’ to finish her set. She also gave several cuts from the Lion King: The Gift soundtrack album, with her daughter, Blue Ivy Carter, joining her onstage for ‘Brown Skin’ Girl’.

Despite attendees being urged to secrecy, with phones and cameras reportedly banned, lots of footage has already emerged of the Dubai concert, which you can watch below. And judging by the social media reaction, fans were just happy to see her performing onstage again for the first time since 2018.

No songs from Renaissance actually made the final set list, but fans may not have to wait too long to hear her 2022 album up close. Beyoncé is reportedly heading on a huge world tour this year in support of Renaissance, although no set dates have been confirmed yet.

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