Beyoncè's headlining performance at Coachella 2018 not only made history as the only woman of color to headline the show, but it reminds us that it is all about the craft.
Have you ever started something and quit along the way? Maybe you lost your passion in the midst of it. Maybe more pressing task needed to be handled. Maybe you convinced yourself that what you embarked on, there is a better way to complete that task and until you figure it out, you've decided to place it on hold. We all do it from time to time.Whether it's a passion project or an everyday task, we look for a breather to recalibrate. I'm not by any means suggesting that Beyoncè does not look for this breather or re calibration, because Im sure she does ; but, she makes it look as if she does it way less often then it is fathomable for the rest of us.
Beyoncè took the Coachella stage at approximately 11:50pm (close to 3:00am eastern time zone) and performed for 2 hours straight. She brought out Destiny Child's for a reunion medley. She brought out Jay-Z. She had about 100 dancers. She incorporated New Orleans marching band, she had incorporated gospel into her performance, and gave plenty of references to all elements of black culture. These details are amazing within themselves but they are less important than how every portion of her performance is executed with precision. For full disclosure I did not see the full Beyoncè performance, (other then the fact that I'm not the target Beyoncè demographic, it was 3:00 am and I am too washed to still be up) but I did see clips of the performance on Twitter. To be in Beyoncè's orbit, is to be required to obtain and maintain perfection. You have come to expect that from her but when you see everyone around her maintain that excellence, it is quite fascinating. A quick search of twitter will identify that everyone else is just as enamored that element as I was.
Beyoncè should no longer be viewed as merely a performer or artist but an athlete. Her unrelenting dedication to the craft can only be compared to the hours that maniacal athletes who sit on top of their sports put in (Tom Brady, Michael Jordan, Lebron James, Kobe Bryant for example). What separates her is she hasn't missed shot or a pass in the twilight of her career. If her music and performance career were equivalent to football or basketball numbers, it would be like Beyonce went 25 for 25 on 325 yds and 3 Tds in the Superbowl or averaged 35, 14, and 12 in the finals and won (sorry Lebron). It really is damn near unparalleled. Many comparisons have been made recently with Beyoncè and Michael Jackson in terms of who should be considered the greatest performer of all time. I can't say definitively who merits that crown. Id like you to consider this fact: Beyoncè is so dedicated to her craft that, we rarely hear her name if it is not relating to her music or her performances. We rarely see her make an appearance to the public if it does not have to do with new music being released or a performance that she will be holding. The rare exception is when it involves her family or a loose lip celebrity (we are looking at you Tiffany Haddish). You don't have to be a fan to appreciate that.
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