The queen is here! Beyoncé kicked off the 2022 Oscars with a performance that’s sure to go down in awards show history.
The 40-year-old pop star appeared live from Compton, California, on Sunday, March 27, with a huge team of dancers and backup artists. Performing “Be Alive” from King Richard, the musician wore a green gown that resembled the color of a tennis ball. Her eldest daughter, Blue Ivy, made a surprise appearance during the performance, marking her Oscars debut at just 10 years old. She was introduced by Serena Williams and her sister, Venus Williams, who hit the red carpet in Los Angeles before opening the ceremony.
Days before the 94th annual Academy Awards, Variety reported that producers were interested in having the “Single Ladies” artist open the ceremony. The former Destiny’s Child member is up for Best Original Song for King Richard‘s “Be Alive,” though she wasn’t a major fixture of the awards circuit leading up to Sunday’s show.
The Homecoming star is nominated alongside Lin-Manuel Miranda (Encanto), Diane Warren (Four Good Days) and Van Morrison (Belfast). Billie Eilish and her brother, Finneas O’Connell, round out the category for the No Time to Die theme. A win would mark the first Academy Award of Beyoncé’s career.
Though she may not have an Oscar in her arsenal, the “Hold Up” singer became the most-awarded female artist at last year’s Grammys. “I am so honored. I am so excited,” she said at the March 2021 ceremony as she collected her 28th trophy. “As an artist, I consider it my job and all of our jobs to reflect the times, and it’s been such a difficult time.”
The Black Is King creator added: “I wanted to uplift encourage and celebrate all of the beautiful Black queens and kings that continue to inspire me and inspire the whole world. This is so overwhelming. I’ve been working my whole life, and I can’t believe this happened. It’s such a magical night. Thank you so much.”
With 79 Grammy nominations overall, the Texas native is tied for second place with Paul McCartney for most of all time. Her husband, Jay-Z, boasts 80 career nods and holds the record alongside music legend Quincy Jones.
The rapper, 52, gushed over his wife’s work ethic in August 2021, telling Entertainment Tonight, “She’s an incredibly hard worker, super talented, very inspiring.”
Along with Blue, Jay-Z shares twins Rumi and Sir, 4, with his frequent collaborator. The “Halo” songstress found a silver lining throughout the coronavirus pandemic, which allowed her to be a more present parent to her little ones during the lockdown.
“I truly cherish this time with my family,” she told British Vogue in October 2020. “I’ve spent a lot of time focusing on building my legacy and representing my culture the best way I know how. Now, I’ve decided to give myself permission to focus on my joy.”
