One of the hottest topics this year has undoubtedly been the conversation surrounding Beyoncé and Taylor Swift, and both of their iconic music tours. Both Beyoncé and Swift have been traveling around the U.S. and internationally to bring their performances to as many audiences as possible. I was incredibly lucky to have the opportunity to attend both; here are my thoughts on each show.
Of the two concerts, I saw the Eras Tour first. My show was at Metlife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on May 26 of this year. I was so unbelievably excited; I had seen Swift once before in 2011 for her Speak Now Tour. I had been too young to remember most of the details, but one thing I was absolutely certain of was that I had loved every second of it. I grew up on Taylor Swift’s music, as did many girls my age. Her songs have a way of making you feel like she wrote them just for you. It’s a truly special talent that I am constantly in awe of.
It’s safe to say that her show blew me away. She performed for just over three hours, singing 44 songs that were divided up into 10 different acts, better known as her “eras.” So, at the very least, her stamina was mind-blowing. The theatrics of her concert were just as impressive; she had so many costume changes and transitions to nail down. There was different choreography for each song, and each “era” had such a unique vibe. This was all paired with her vocals, which were unreal. She was so authentic throughout the entire performance; her voice was full of emotion and you could tell how genuinely grateful she was to be on that stage. She somehow made a sold-out stadium show, with a capacity of over 82,000, feel intimate and personal. I honestly loved every single aspect of her show, and I left it with an ever-growing amount of respect for her work ethic and appreciation for her fans.
Next up was Renaissance; my show was on August 5 in Washington, D.C. at FedExField. This was my first time seeing Beyoncé, so I didn’t really know what to expect, but I knew it would be nothing short of life changing. Now, I did not grow up listening to Beyoncé in the same capacity that I listened to Taylor Swift, but I have always had so much admiration for her. She can truly do it all; I don’t know if I’ve ever witnessed someone with more talent than what she possesses, and that was proved to me over and over again throughout her performance.
The Renaissance Tour was absolutely insane — in the best way of course. Her show lasted a little under three hours, and she performed about 30 songs from all across her entire career. My biggest takeaway was that every single part of the show was carefully thought out and held such a purpose. The graphics and transitions between songs were incredible, and they added so much to the show. The choreography was elaborate and intense, and Beyoncé gave her dancers so much time to shine. Her vocals were absolutely perfect, which I’m sure is no surprise. Despite the large scale of the show, she also still made time for some audience interaction. One of my favorite parts of the performance was when she brought out her daughter, Blue Ivy, to dance with her. It was beautiful to witness their relationship in person, and it really made it feel like Beyoncé wanted to share something special with her fans. Seeing her show multiplied my levels of love and respect for her by a million.
You’ll probably notice that I didn’t leave any sort of critiques in my reviews; it is because I truly did not have any. Even if I did, that’s not the goal of my comparing the two experiences. I’ve seen and heard a lot of people trying to pin these two women up against each other, as if they cannot both be icons. As if they are not both trailblazers in the music industry. As if they do not both bring something so important to the table. I believe that it is possible, probable even, that both women can coexist in harmony. One’s success does not take away from the other’s success. They are both truly remarkable forces and each offer significant, unique contributions to the culture and society in which we exist. There is no need to compare one to the other when we can simply celebrate and support them both. I don’t think there has ever been, nor will there ever be, such a thing as too many revolutionary women in the world.