If we had to use one word to describe Beyoncé Knowles’ tribute to Michael Jackson at the Super Bowl half-time, it would be phenomenal.
But the tribute got us thinking … did Queen Bey outclass our beloved King of Pop’s Super Bowl performance in 1993? Not even close.
Wearing a black and gold military jacket, Beyoncé paid homage to MJ as he wore a similar costume during his 1993 Super Bowl halftime show.
The legendary pop icon took the stage by storm in his ornate, military-inspired blazer featuring details similar to the ones on Beyoncé’s leather jacket. However, she chose to embellish her outfit with Lorraine Schwartz 18-carat gold football studs and jewels, paired with Christian Louboutin booties.
Although Beyoncé slayed in her imitation of MJ’s outfit, her performance couldn’t match the pop icon’s.
To refresh your memory, here is Jackson’s 1993 Super Bowl performance:
And for clear comparison, here is Beyonce’s performance:
Now, we’re not saying Beyoncé didn’t manage to win hearts, which she did as was evident by the end of her performance, when viewers forgot Chris Martin and Bruno Mars were still on stage. But if one were to say her performance outdid MJ’s, then we beg to differ.
Beyoncé performed her new single, Formation, which caused waves when it released the day before the Super Bowl because of its open references to Black Lives Matter and Hurricane Katrina.
During his 1993 performance, Michael Jackson performed Billie Jean from his album Thriller, Black or White and Heal the World from album Dangerous.
But unlike Beyoncé’s brazen support of the Black Lives Matter movement, Jackson began his performance by saying, “Today, we stand together all around the world, joined in a common purpose to remake the planet into a haven of joy, and understanding and goodness. No one should have to suffer, especially our children. This time, we must succeed. This is for the children of the world.”
He included the audience in his performance, as they all hold placards that form the shape of children when seen from above.
MJ’s message was clear, and his performance, absolutely breathtaking. We feel a plethora of emotions that only he had the rare talent to evoke in his audience.
Beyoncé also gave a powerful performance, with nearly 112 million TV viewers watching the halftime. People took to Twitter to praise Queen Bey.
The singer said that she paid tribute to her “favourite performer” in honour of it being the Super Bowl’s 50th anniversary.
She achieved what she had set out for: she triggered nostalgia and let the world reminisce about the King of Pop once again. In this respect, her tribute was a smashing success.
This isn’t the first time the Single Ladies singer has taken inspiration from Michael Jackson, as tribute to the late King of Pop five years after his death; Beyoncé wrote a note on her website revealing how much Jackson inspired her as an artist throughout her career.
