Beyoncé’s Homecoming
Groundbreaking, revolutionary, history-making are just a few ways to describe Beyoncé’s Homecoming performance at Coachella in 2018. Fortunately, for those who weren’t able to score tickets, it became available as a Netflix documentary soon after. A year on from the release, we take a look back on the impact her performance has had, both musically and in popular culture.
Having directed the film herself, Knowles involved the dancers, the crew, musicians, and most importantly, the fans. The performance itself was filmed over the two weekends that Coachella takes place, and subsequently Beyoncé is able to pull off quick costume changes with clever editing that give the concert an extra layer of depth and appreciation. Originally, Beyoncé’s iconic performance was scheduled for the Coachella festival in 2017, but had to be postponed because she was pregnant at the time with twins Sir and Rumi. However, this extra year gave Knowles and her team time to perfect the show and perfect every detail.
Homecoming began as a concept to bring not only black culture to the Coachella stage, but more specifically the culture of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU’s). Having been the first African-American woman to headline the festival, Beyoncé knew she had to bring something else to the stage, something she’d be remembered for. If anyone in her crew had questions about the direction or concept, Bey made sure that everyone from the dancers to the band to the costume designers knew exactly what the show was about in order for it to be a success. Everything had a meaning to it and a significance behind it; from the colour of the costumes to the shape of the stage to the band’s sound and the steppers. Her opening costume was even described as “true couture” by designer Olivier Rousteing for Balmain. He’s since been approached to make similar looks for others but refused, saying “when you do one thing for Beyoncé, no one can have the same thing.”
“To me, we are the most beautiful creatures in the world; black people. My job is to somehow make them curious enough, persuade them...to get more aware of themselves and just to bring it out...this is what compels me to compel them.” Beyoncé includes this quote from Nina Simoné in Homecoming which probably best encompasses her intention and reason behind the show itself. She wanted the fans to feel how she felt on that stage and have it translate on to film as well. We also get a small insight into Knowles’ personal life and see what it took emotionally, physically, and mentally to get to the final performances.
The cultural impact of Homecoming is almost unprecedented because those who may have forgotten who Queen Bey is were quickly reminded of the fact. One fan marvelled that no matter her circumstances, nothing stopped her from creating and executing her vision. They also admired, as shown in the behind the scenes footage, the amount of work put into each performance. Rewatching Homecoming, it’s still as inspiring as when it was first released, perhaps even more so now because of its impact. It’s encouraged a sort of renaissance of pop star documentaries, with artists like Taylor Swift and Justin Bieber following suit with similar projects. Since it’s release, Homecoming has been nominated for six Primetime Emmy Awards and won a GRAMMY for Best Music Film in 2019. It’s been praised by notable figures such as Michelle Obama, Lena Waithe, Chelsea Clinton, Regina Hall and Kerry Washington. A UCLA gymnast performed a routine inspired by the performance and received a near-perfect score, before going viral on social media. It’s been celebrated on awards shows and sitcoms, and Beyoncé was even made into a 9-foot-tall statue outside a stadium in Berlin, as seen on the Homecoming poster. Unmistakably, Beyoncé is not only a musical superstar but a creative visionary.
A year later, the documentary still holds up (no pun intended) as one of the most significant pieces of media of the last decade, a feat only Queen Bey herself could have accomplished.
Written by: Grayson Harris-Paul