Beyonce at Coachella Weekend 2
photo via @beyonce

Beyonce returned to Coachella for weekend 2 with J. Balvin & more (watch)

The greatest change between the two shows seemed to be Beyoncé herself. Last week, a small but vocal contingent disparaged the show with the kind of complaint that seems harmless on the surface, but turns darker when cracked open: “The show is too perfect.” It’s an insult that would only be lobbed at a woman, and especially at Beyoncé’s headlining set – as a few writers noted in their pieces last week, she was “too perfect” because she had to be too perfect. Beyoncé’s performances have seemed staged down to the eye roll before, but last night, she seemed loose, a little giddy. Maybe it was knowing the first show had been received so well, or maybe she was just relieved to have such a high-pressure show off the docket. Whatever it was, she was more charming and off-the-cuff than I can ever remember seeing her. [Rolling Stone]

Beyonce slayed her weekend one headlining spot on Saturday at Coachella last weekend, which was record breaking in multiple ways: she was the first black woman to headline the festival, and had the most viewed Coachella performance ever on YouTube, peaking at 458,000 simultaneous global viewers, according to a YouTube spokesperson. She returned to do it again on Saturday of weekend two (4/21), for another incredible performance with a few changes from the previous week. There were new costumes (which, like weekend one, were all custom Balmain pieces), and an additional special guest. Jay-Z and Solange reprised their guest appearances, as did Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams, who joined Beyonce to reunite Destiny’s Child once again. Weekend two also included a guest spot from dancehall star J. Balvin (he’s also on Cardi B’s new album) (UPDATE: and joined Cardi B on stage at Coachella the next night) for “Mi Gente.” Watch video of that below, along with other clips from Beyonce’s weekend two set.

Along with being tremendous performances, Beyonce’s Coachella sets have been notable for their rich symbolism, with references to and quotations from Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Egyptian mythology, New Orleans Second Line parades, the Black National Anthem, Swag Surfin’, Malcolm X, Nina Simone, Fela Kuti, Juvenile, C-Murder, Pastor Troy, Fast Life Yunstaz, Crucial Conflict, Kendrick Lamar, among others. We’re looking forward to seeing what Beyonce has in store for her “On the Run” II tour with Jay-Z, which starts this summer.

More from weekend two at Coachella: pictures from Friday, St. Vincent and Bleachers covered Depeche Mode, Marilyn Manson joined X Japan onstage, and Saturday pictures.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bh3_LFLB0sj/?taken-at=12398891

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPpfjmEvT74
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtkLW0Xb1ck
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XpYeq5ZHZg
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bh3sad_lcDs/?taken-at=12398891

Setlist: Beyonce @ Coachella Weekend 2, 4/21/2018 (via)
Beychella Intro (contains elements of “Do Whatcha Wanna”, “Humble”, “Family Feud”, & “Emerald City Sequence”)
Crazy in Love (contains elements of “Back That Azz Up”, “Humble”, “I’m A Hustla”, & “Down For My Niggaz”)
Freedom
Lift Every Voice and Sing (James Weldon Johnson)
Formation
Sorry / S.O.M.B. Interlude / Me, Myself & I
Kitty Kat (acapella)
Bow Down / I Been On (contains elements of “Tom Ford” & “Bout It, Bout It”)
Drunk in Love (contains elements of “Lilac Wine”, “Swag Surfin”, & “Irreplaceable”)
Diva (contains elements of “Headlines”, “Dirt Off Your Shoulder”, & “Everybody Mad”)
***Flawless (remix, contains elements of ” Bugatti”, “Trophies”, “Spottie”, “wokeuplikethis*” & “Feeling Myself”)
Beychella (DJ Khaled)
Top Off (DJ Khaled)
7/11
Bug-A-Boo Interlude (contains elements of “Shining” , “If I Were a Boy”, “Work It Out”, “Set It Off”, “7/11”, & “Party”)
Don’t Hurt Yourself (contains elements of “Kashmir” & “Who Taught You To Hate Yourself?”)
I Care
Partition (contains elements of “Blow” & “Hip Hop Star”)
Yoncé
Mi Gente (J Balvin) (with J Balvin) (remix)
Mine / Baby Boy (contains elements of ” Standing on the Sun”, “Fever”, “Freaks”, & “You Don’t Love Me”)
You Don’t Love Me (No, No, No) (Dawn Penn)
Hold Up / Countdown / Check on It (contains elements of “Bam Bam” , “Broccoli”, & “Uhh Ahh”)
Déjà Vu (with JAY-Z) (contains elements of “Zombie”, “Roc Boys (And The Winner Is…)”, & “Green Light”)
The Buzz Interlude (contains elements of “Ego”, ” No Mo’ Play in GA”, “Hay”, & “Why Don’t You Love Me”)
Run the World (Girls) (contains elements of “Can You Feel It” & “We Should All Be Feminists”)
Lose My Breath / Say My Name / Soldier (Destiny’s Child) (with Destiny’s Child) (Contains elements of “Girl”, ” Say My Name Remix”, “U Don’t Know”, “California Love”, & “Tear It Up”)
Get Me Bodied (extended mix, with an appearance by Solange onstage, contains elements of “Drag Rap”)
Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It) (contains elements of “Do Whatcha Wanna”)
Love on Top (contains elements of “Do Whatcha Wanna”)
Shining (DJ Khaled song)