Beyoncé has made her long-awaited return to the stage — on Wednesday night, in Stockholm, Sweden, the legendary pop icon delivered the inaugural performance of the “Renaissance World Tour,” her first solo run of shows since 2016.
Opening for herself, Queen Bey kicked off the marathon, three-hour show by performing a series of ballads, including “Dangerously in Love,” “Flaws and All,” “1+1,” and “I Care.” After a brief intermission, Beyoncé launched into the Renaissance portion of her set, as she showcased her latest album with performances of “I’m That Girl,” “Cozy,” “Alien Superstar,” Cuff It,” “Energy,” and “Break My Soul.”
Video interludes broke the set into themed sections dubbed “RENAISSANCE,” “MOTHERBOARD,” “OPULENCE,” ANOINTED,” and “MIND CONTROL.” After debuting songs from her latest record, Beyoncé used “OPULENCE” to dig into her back catalog with “Formation,” “Run the World (Girls), “Black Parade,” and “Partition,” as well as her remix of Megan Thee Stallion’s “Savage.” In addition to addressing those long-awaited Renaissance visuals (“A queen moves at her own pace, bitch,” the narrator from “Formation” said), she delivered a good part of her performance on a metallic tank, which has been dubbed the Bey Wagon by the BeyHive. During “Partition,” she even rode it into a giant… robot vagina?
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The next act opened with a performance of the Renaissance cut “Church Girl,” in which Beyoncé created a stunning visual by using UV lights to transform her choir robe into a stained glass look. She followed up by throwing it all the way back to 2003’s “Crazy in Love” alongside other tracks like “Get Me Bodied” and “Love on Top” — the latter of which she mixed with The Jackson Five’s “I Want You Back.”
Returning back to her latest album, Bey ran through the Grammy-nominated “Virgo’s Groove,” “Plastic Off the Sofa,” “Move,” “Heated,” and “Thique.” During the latter track, she interpolated Britney Spears’ “Toxic.” For the final act of the show, she ran through Renaissance standout “America Has a Problem” dressed up as a bee, because, of course. That part of the set even included a news desk for Bey’s “KNTY News.”
Before closing out the show with “Summer Renaissance,” she ceded the stage to her dancers, who showed the crowd what ballroom — a major influence of her dance album — is all about.
See the full setlist and fan-captured performance footage below.
Wednesday’s show in Stockholm kicked off the European leg of the “Renaissance World Tour,” which will run through the end of June. After that, the North American leg will begin with two shows in Toronto, and then zig-zag across the United States. Learn how to get last-minute tickets to her upcoming shows here.
The “Renaissance World Tour” is Beyoncé’s first solo tour since 2016’s “Formation World Tour.” In 2018, Bey embarked on a joint tour with her husband, JAY-Z, and delivered a memorable headlining performance at Coachella. Most recently, in January the 41-year-old multi-hyphenate played a private concert for a crowd of influencers in Dubai, which reportedly earned her $24 million.
Unlike the Dubai show, however, the “Renaissance World Tour” is designed for the public, in an arena setting. Tickets for the rest of the tour are still available to purchase here.
Renaissance World Tour Setlist:
Opening Act
Dangerously in Love 2
Flaws and All
1+1
I Care
Act 2 – Renaissance
I’m That Girl
Cozy
Alien Superstar
Lift Off
Act 3 – Motherboard
Cuff It
Energy
Break My Soul
Act 4 – Opulence
Formation
Diva
Run the World (Girls)
My Power
Black Parade
Savage (Remix)
Partition
Act 5 – Anointed
Church Girl
Get Me Bodied
Before I Let Go
Rather Die Young
Love on Top
Crazy in Love
Act 6 – Anointed Pt. 2
Plastic Off the Sofa
Virgo’s Groove/Naughty Girl
Move
Heated
Thique
All Up in Your Mind
Drunk in Love
Act 7 – Mind Control
America Has a Problem
Pure/Honey
Summer Renaissance
Beyoncé kicked off her “Renaissance World Tour” by performing “Dangerously in Love”#Beyonce #RenaissanceWorldTour pic.twitter.com/6OzkR0zdLT
Advertisement— CONSEQUENCE (@consequence) May 10, 2023
Beyoncé is performing on a metallic tank. I repeat, Beyoncé is performing on a metallic tank.pic.twitter.com/gc4Ag7LV2C
— CONSEQUENCE (@consequence) May 10, 2023
A look at Beyoncé’s “Renaissance Tour” stage
via @ulisesrc_ #Beyonce #RenaissanceWorldTour pic.twitter.com/USAOv4RwpG
— CONSEQUENCE (@consequence) May 10, 2023
SHE LOOKS FUCKING AMAZING #RenaissanceWorldTour pic.twitter.com/wPD2TK9qei
— liv is SEEING BEYONCE (@karinayonce) May 10, 2023
Beyoncé covering “I’m Going Down” by Mary J Blige at the #RENAISSANCEWorldTour pic.twitter.com/Qy7Dl5mWmd
— RENAISSANCE WORLD TOUR (@RenaissanceWT) May 10, 2023
Beyoncé performing ‘COZY’ with two robot arms at the Renaissance World Tour.
— Pop Base (@PopBase) May 10, 2023
Beyoncé, o Brasil precisa de você novamente por aqui!#RenaissanceWorldTour pic.twitter.com/T2IhSFCXwa
Advertisement— Oniverso Abominável (@Oniabominavel) May 10, 2023
🪩 | “PLEASE DO NOT BE ALARMED!” pic.twitter.com/WQbgH5oUYD
— Beyoncé Press. 🪩 | Fan Account (@beyoncepress) May 10, 2023
beyoncé io ho bisogno della data italiana tu non puoi privarmi di questo pic.twitter.com/hW9caRhASh
— 𝙛𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙨𝙘𝙖 (@dreamwithlali) May 10, 2023
Beyoncé rocks her hips as she transitions from “Diva” into Lil Uzi Vert’s “I Just Wanna Rock.” pic.twitter.com/zQBkzpSKK2
Advertisement— Rap Alert (@rapalert6) May 10, 2023
Beyoncé performing “Formation” at the #RENAISSANCEWorldTour pic.twitter.com/wspgP2IPSY
— RENAISSANCE WORLD TOUR (@RenaissanceWT) May 10, 2023
Beyoncé performing “MY POWER.” #RENAISSANCEWorldTour 🪩
🎟️ https://t.co/gQt79tz5wy #RWT2023 pic.twitter.com/bFIZowabAl
— BEYONCÉ LEGION (@BeyLegion) May 10, 2023
beyoncé rolling away into a huge vagina just now #BeyonceRenaissanceTour pic.twitter.com/YpytP1o5kG
— 𝕣𝕖𝕘𝕒𝕟⋆。°✩ 💜 (@rayyygun) May 10, 2023
Beyoncé performing “Black Parade” at the #RENAISSANCEWorldTour pic.twitter.com/9veFtUMXQs
— RENAISSANCE WORLD TOUR (@RenaissanceWT) May 10, 2023
Savage pic.twitter.com/vrmU5KAhpf
— kevin. (@lacasebleue) May 10, 2023
Robot arms transform Beyoncé’s dress with UV light during the Renaissance World Tour. #RENAISSANCEWorldTour
pic.twitter.com/d3Ud7eYh3z— RENAISSANCE WORLD TOUR (@RenaissanceWT) May 10, 2023
É ELA!!! VIRGO’S GROOVE #RenaissanceWorldTour pic.twitter.com/SKDpw1J2Hj
— BEYHIVE.com.br (@beyhivecombr) May 10, 2023
BEYONCÉ – HEATED #RenaissanceWorldTour #RENAISSANCEtour pic.twitter.com/9WDjwDWU5u
— juaan (@juaangng) May 10, 2023
THIQUE COM ELEMENTOS DE TOXIC DA BRITNEY #RenaissanceWorldTour pic.twitter.com/fyO6SMxnBP
— BEYHIVE.com.br (@beyhivecombr) May 10, 2023
Beyoncé sang the Drunk In Love run from Dubai 😭 #RenaissanceWorldTour pic.twitter.com/I1YUMzoHEo
Advertisement— 𝚊𝚛𝚒𝚔 (@kingbeyshive) May 10, 2023
and there it goes, Summer Renaissance closed the show WOWWWW 😭🪩 pic.twitter.com/SN86glhEca
— THUGGA (@THUGGABEY) May 10, 2023
Beyoncé dressed up as the QUEEN BEE asking “where is my beehive?” ICONIC! #RenaissanceWorldTour pic.twitter.com/1ThdK8h6th
— zont zo it (@oplivio) May 10, 2023
Beyoncé pulls out a bee outfit to perform ‘America Has A Problem’ during the Renaissance World Tour. pic.twitter.com/zqXUuMMY7C
— Pop Base (@PopBase) May 10, 2023
beyoncé mixes “love on top” with the jackson 5’s “i want you back” on her renaissance world tour!! pic.twitter.com/ThTh5nqenq
— izzy | fan account (@peacelovemjj) May 10, 2023
BEYONCÉ IS HEATED??? #RENAISSANCEtour pic.twitter.com/ddL9s1ByUA
— ??????? (@beyoncegarden) May 10, 2023
BEYONCÉ HOSTING A BALL IS SO WILD TO ME OMG pic.twitter.com/1JwnRMX8TR
— pocket (@islandthembo) May 10, 2023
omg not beyoncé addressing the visuals i’m crying ? #RenaissanceWorldTour pic.twitter.com/xQ9AkBCp3p
— rasmus ?? (@rasmusbravado) May 10, 2023