Beyoncé Takes the Stage for the 'Cowboy Carter' Tour

And so, it begins. Beyoncé's Act II: Cowboy Carter Tour kicked off in Los Angeles last night, April 28, 2025. Fans were seen flying into the city, showing off their custom outfits, cowboy hats, and boots. This tour appears to differ from Renaissance in that there is less of a party feel and more of a focus on family, unity, and sending a message to the world about the injustices many African Americans still face today. Beyoncé’s emphasis on the slow erosion of freedom of speech is depicted in a visual of the Statue of Liberty wearing a mask, as she dons an ensemble resembling the American flag.

And we can’t forget the message in her song “YA YA,” the vocally inclined, upbeat track from her AOTY-winning album, Cowboy Carter, with lyrics like:“My family lived and died in America, Good ol' USA. Whole lotta red in that white and blue, History can't be replaced.”

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The theme and visuals for this tour send a message about family and working hard only to get very little in return. As creatives, this has long been a topic of discussion—how the corporations behind fans' favorite forms of entertainment, whether music, books, movies, and more, are often the only ones who truly benefit from the hard work and brilliance of others.

For example, a song streamed 100,000 times in the U.S. might earn an artist less than $200. The same song streamed in France could earn them even less—under $100. Meanwhile, the platforms hosting this music get paid substantial sums by advertisers to run ads between songs, while the artists themselves see only pennies on the dollar. Creatives provide the content; corporations generate the money—yet artists only receive a sliver, and often not even from ad revenue. Something has to change.

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Indie authors on X (formerly known as Twitter) have also begun boycotting Amazon’s self-publishing service, Kindle KDP, citing that a full 330-page novel, read in its entirety, might only earn them $1.84. Paperbacks are even worse: a book purchased for $16.99 might yield the author only $3.84. Authors like Lisa K. Stephenson have opted out of this model, stating,“I’ve written around thirteen books, but will only put seven of them on Amazon. I can sell my library directly to my audience because the return just isn’t worth it when a third-party platform like Amazon is involved, in my experience. Writing novels is very hard, and to see such little return on your work is soul-crushing in a way.”

It’s well known that Beyoncé does not simply rely on labels to fund her performances—her second album, B’Day, was entirely self-funded. She’s in a position where she can reinvest her own time and money into her shows, and that’s part of what sets her apart in the industry. As we’ve seen time and again, celebrities line up at events just to get a moment with the global superstar. And it’s not just because “she’s a good artist and my peer.” It’s about respect, her longevity, and a shared understanding among fellow artists of how incredibly difficult it is to fund productions of her scale without relying solely on a label. Beyoncé is going to go down—as she already has—as the best living performer… ever. Not just of our generation or hers… ever.

Family is the key theme we can take away from this tour—especially with the inclusion of Rumi Carter, family visuals, and Blue Ivy Carter performing her mother’s 2006 choreography from the Déjà Vu music video. Beyoncé is passing the torch in a way, having mastered nearly every aspect of the business without compromising her individuality, voice, talent, or morals along the way.

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She’s also shedding light on the deceptive practices creatives are often forced to endure just to earn a listener, a paycheck, or even a moment on stage where thousands chant their lyrics. Could this era signal Beyoncé’s retirement? Perhaps. She may soon focus on developing her artists—such as Chloe and Halle Bailey—or assist Blue Ivy in taking on more creative and mainstream projects.

She’s set the bar so high that other artists now feel the need to emulate her, whether by bringing their own children on stage or suggesting their kids are working alongside them in the industry. Still, Beyoncé isn’t escaping the “perfectionist” label—her children are reportedly learning blocking, performance techniques, and choreography that align perfectly with her core message and output.

We hope others follow in Beyoncé’s footsteps—breaking away from what’s expected and diving into what’s deeply appreciated, all while remaining true to the art itself. Chappell Roan seems to be heading in that direction with her recent Grammy speech, where she called out the lack of healthcare for artists who help generate millions (if not billions) for their labels.

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Cowboy Carter is the beginning of a revolution, and we’re absolutely here for it. We’re thrilled to see Beyoncé back on tour and plan to savor every single moment. There will never be another like her—it’s time we all admit it. As for the visuals, find more information here on why more and more artists are straying from producing traditional music videos.

by Diamond Brown
Image Credit: Parkwood Entertainment