Beyonce plays Cowboy Carter in the NFL Christmas Day Halftime Show

Beyonce brought a little Christmas in the country for their halftime show performance during the Houston Texans vs. Baltimore Ravens NFL game, armed with many tricks up their sleeves.

The Grammy winner, 43, sang her songs Cowboy Carter album during her set at NRG Stadium in her hometown of Houston on Wednesday, December 25, in what was dubbed the “Christmas Game Day Beyoncé Bowl.”

Beyoncé arrived on stage on horseback, galloping past a garage full of vintage cars while wearing a white oversized fur coat with a matching cowboy hat and diamond necklace. After performances of “16 Carriages” and “Black Bird,” the singing icon strutted onto the field to deliver a show-stopping rendition of “Ya Ya,” slipping into a sequined bodysuit. Beyoncé also sang along to “RIIVERDANCE.” Shaboozey“LEVII’S Jeans” with Post Malone (sitting in a truck covered in jeans), “Jolene” and “Texas Hold ‘Em” with 12-year-old daughter Blue Ivy as a backup dancer.

“It’s only right that we host ‘Texas Hold’ Em’ for the first time in Houston, Texas this Christmas.” Beyoncé joked in her introduction before concluding, “Merry Christmas, God bless you all.”

Beyoncé joined in singing “Black Bird.” Tanner Adell, Brittney Spencer, Tiera Kennedy And Reyna Robertswho were all featured on the LP.

The Halftime show on Christmas Daywhich aired on Netflix, marks the first time Beyoncé sang Cowboy Carter Songs live since the album’s release in March. However, this isn’t her first rodeo when it comes to the NFL, as she previously headlined the NFL Super Bowl 2013 halftime show in New Orleans and returned to perform alongside Coldplay and Bruno Mars during the 2016 Super Bowl halftime show.

At the beginning of the year, Beyoncé made history with her Cowboy Carter album, venturing into the country music genre for the first time in her career after previously dominating the pop and R&B realms. Their single “Texas Hold ‘Em” was the one first song by a black female artist to reach No. 1 on the billboard Hot Country Songs charts, and she became the first black woman ever to reach No. 1 on the billboard Top Country Albums Chart.

Despite its success, the project still sparked controversy, with some country radio stations completely ignoring fans’ requests to play the songs on air and the 2024 Country Music Association Awards snub the album.

When accepting the Innovator Award from Stevie Wonder at the iHeartRadio Music Awards in April, Beyoncé shouted “Every record label, every radio station (and) every awards show,” and stressed that the music industry “needs to become more open to the joy and liberation that comes from enjoying art without preconceived notions.”

In her speech, Beyoncé stated: “Innovation begins with a dream. But then you have to make that dream come true, and that road can be very bumpy. Being an innovator means saying something that everyone thinks is impossible.”

“Being an innovator often means being criticized, which often tests mental strength,” she added. “Being an innovator means relying on faith and trusting that God will catch you and guide you.”

Beyoncé also mentioned several artists who have “dedicated their lives and art to creating change,” including Tracy Chapman, prince, Tina Turner And Michael Jackson.

She noted: “(They) resisted every label that was placed on them. Thank you for making your dream come true so we could all follow.”