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beyonce has faced criticism, especially from LGBTQ+ fans, after let her come back At the opening of a luxury resort in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) city of Dubai, it took to the live stage for the first time in four years.
Saturday (January 21) marks the opening of the new Royal Atlantis resort and hotel with a super-exclusive show featuring journalists and influencers for a “show of a lifetime”, cross first reported.
It’s the singer-songwriter’s first show since releasing his 2022 album ‘regeneration’which draws heavily on America’s black, queer dancehall culture and early pioneers of disco, funk and house music.
Read next: The Queer Dance Floor: How Electronic Music Evolved By Re-Embracing Its Radical Roots
According to reports, Beyoncé didn’t perform any songs from “Renaissance,” but fans and activists questioned whether that should change perceptions of the show, and whether the location of the concert wouldn’t allow her to do so.
Reports also suggest she paid $24m (£20m) for the hour-long show (via TMZ), with some even suggesting she was paid as much as $35m (£28m, via mail online).
dubai has some strictest laws in the world around LGBTQ+ rights and visibility. Homosexuality is illegal and punishable by death, but it is not always enforced.Researchers at the London School of Economics (LSE) found that Western men able to form The country’s underground queer network.
Read next: How black women and the queer community are shaping the future of electronic music in Africa
Douglas GreenwoodContributing editor ID Tweeted: “No beef, but I’m having a hard time understanding why Beyoncé, with $5 billion, would accept $20 million to make her debut in Dubai on a Renaissance album largely from Queer culture. A country that doesn’t recognize LGBT rights.”
After replying that she didn’t play any songs from the 2022 album, Greenwood wrote: “Does it really make a difference? She’s making an album influenced by queer culture. The question should be: why doesn’t she [perform tracks from ‘Renaissance’]? can she
No beef, but it’s hard for me to understand why Beyoncé, with $5 billion, would accept $20 million to make her debut on a renaissance album that’s not recognized in Dubai, a country where gay culture thrives .
— Douglas Greenwood (@douglasgrnwd) January 22, 2023
LGBTQ+ activist Peter Tatchell tweeted: “#Beyonce performs in #Dubai’s homophobic dictatorship. She abandons her progressive values, puts money grabbing salaries over human rights. And doesn’t sing songs from the Renaissance album to appease homophobia An anti-LGBT+ regime that imposes the death penalty?”
#beyoncé execute in #Dubaihomophobic dictatorship. She abandoned her progressive values, prioritizing money-grabbing paychecks over human rights. And not singing songs from Renaissance albums to appease an anti-LGBT+ regime that imposes the death penalty for homosexual acts? https://t.co/djttv4eoDH
— Peter Tatchell (@PeterTatchell) January 23, 2023
Mixmag reached out to Beyoncé’s reps for comment, but provided no information at the time of publication.
Isaac Muk is a Digital Intern at Mixmag, follow him Twitter
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