• Celebrity
    • Of The Essence
    • Celebrity News
    • If Not For My Girls
    • The State Of R&B
    • Time Of Essence
  • Fashion
    • 2023 Best In Black Fashion Awards
    • 2023 Fashion House
    • Red Carpet
    • Fashion News
    • Accessories
  • Beauty
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
    • 2023 Best In Black Beauty
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Nails
    • Hair
  • Lifestyle
    • Love
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
    • Bridal Bliss
    • Lifestyle News
    • Health & Wellness
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
  • Entrepreneurship
    • Money & Career
    • SOKO MRKT
  • News
    • Latest News
    • Paint The Polls Black
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Shopping
    • Essence Holiday Gift Guide 2023
  • Video
  • Events
    • 2023 Fashion House
    • 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
    • 2023 Wellness House
    • 2023 Black Women In Hollywood
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2023 HOLLYWOOD HOUSE
  • Studios
  • Girls United

WHERE BLACK CULTURE, COMMUNITY AND CONSCIOUSNESS MEET

Sign up for ESSENCE Newsletters the keep the Black women at the forefront of conversation.

Your email is required.
Your email is in invalid format.
Confirm email is required.
Email did not match.
Select the newsletters you'd like to receive:
Please select at least one option.
By clicking Subscribe Now, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Skip to content
SUBSCRIBE
  • MAGAZINE
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Celebrity
    • Of The Essence
    • Celebrity News
    • If Not For My Girls
    • The State Of R&B
    • Time Of Essence
  • Fashion
    • 2023 Best In Black Fashion Awards
    • 2023 Fashion House
    • Red Carpet
    • Fashion News
    • Accessories
  • Beauty
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
    • 2023 Best In Black Beauty
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Nails
    • Hair
      • Hair News
      • Natural
      • Relaxed
      • Transitioning
      • Weave
      • 4C
  • Lifestyle
    • Love
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
    • Bridal Bliss
    • Lifestyle News
    • Health & Wellness
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
  • Entrepreneurship
    • Money & Career
    • SOKO MRKT
  • News
    • Latest News
    • Paint The Polls Black
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Shopping
    • Essence Holiday Gift Guide 2023
  • Video
  • Events
    • 2023 Fashion House
    • 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
    • 2023 Wellness House
    • 2023 Black Women In Hollywood
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2023 HOLLYWOOD HOUSE
  • Studios
  • Girls United
Home • Celebrity

VMA Slay: Beyoncé Just Performed Her Entire Formation World Tour & We’re OK With That

Somebody, quick! Find me some new edges!
VMA Slay: Beyoncé Just Performed Her Entire Formation World Tour & We’re OK With That
Michael Loccisano/Getty Images
By Christina Coleman · Updated October 26, 2020

After waiting for what seemed like an eternity, Beyoncé Gisellle Knowles blessed the MTV Video Music Award stage at Madison Square Garden to snatch all of our edges.

Not that we didn’t expect it. Bey always serves. But the superstar went a step further in her performance – which affirmed blackness, empowered black women and celebrated sex positivity – by giving us a condensed version of her Formation World Tour concert.

Literally. 

Thank you, @Beyonce. 🍋🍋🍋 #VMAs pic.twitter.com/kz950qH5KK

— ESSENCE (@Essence) August 29, 2016

In a medley of songs that included “Hold Up,” “Don’t Hurt Yourself,” “Pray You Catch Me,” and more, Beyoncé sang her way up and down a stage graced with shiny dancers whose costumes and moves referenced the deep African and African-American culture she comes from. 

The singer, whose Lemonade album and visuals were released in April, even broke an MTV camera with her infamous “Hot Sauce” bat.

Because…Beyoncé.

But her extended time on stage reached beyond great visuals and dance moves. In recent years, Beyoncé has made it a point to politicize her work, even arriving at the VMA’s with the Mothers Of The Movement – a group of Black mothers who have lost children to police brutality and gun violence – and ending her exhilarating performance with a powerful formation.

While many believe it to be the Venus Symbol (also associated with the Greek goddess Aphrodite), which represents women, others thought it to be an ode to the late Prince, who the singer celebrates in her Formation World Tour.

Whatever the message, we’re here for it.

TOPICS:  Beyonce Knowles
COMPANY INFORMATION
  • Our Company
  • Customer Service
  • Essence Ventures
  • Change Your Address
  • Contact Us
  • Job Opportunities
  • Internships
  • Media Kit
  • tag
SUBSCRIBE
  • Newsletters
  • Give a Gift of ESSENCE
  • Magazine Tablet Edition
FOLLOW US
MORE ON ESSENCE
  • Home
  • Love
  • Celebrity
  • Beauty
  • Hair
  • Fashion
  • ESSENCE festival

ESSENCE.com is part of ESSENCE Communications, Inc.

Essence may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.

©2023 ESSENCE Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Essence.com Advertising Terms

Get The ESSENCE Newsletter and
Special Offers delivered to your inbox

By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Get The ESSENCE Magazine
by subscribing below
subscribe now