Fans of Beyoncé at the Democratic National Convention and those watching at home were greatly disappointed by the absence of the 32-time Grammy winner at Chicago’s United Center arena Thursday night, following widespread rumors that she would be “the big surprise performer.”
On the fourth night of the DNC, anticipation was high as many delegates on the floor dressed in cowboy hats and wore red-white-and-blue sashes, emulating the style the singer, 42, sported on the cover of her latest country album, Cowboy Carter. However, as the night progressed, Queen Bey, along with husband Jay Z and daughter Blue Ivy, never appeared.
Even after Vice President Kamala Harris took the stage, there was still no sign of the rumored performance.
The disappointment was palpable, especially after TMZ had reported earlier that afternoon, citing sources, that Beyoncé would perform as Harris officially accepted the Democratic Party’s nomination for president.
“Has TMZ ever been this wrong before?” wrote TV writer Ben Siemon. “This is a total failure of American intelligence. A special counsel needs to be assigned.”
Adam Smith, the vice president of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, added jokingly, “It’s time to subpoena TMZ.”
It was later revealed that a representative for Beyoncé had clarified that the singer “was never scheduled” to attend the 2024 DNC. “The report of a performance is untrue,” the rep told The Hollywood Reporter.
Harris has been using “Freedom” — with Beyoncé’s permission — since the launch of her presidential campaign. At her first public appearance after securing Biden’s endorsement, Harris walked out to the podium while the song played.
Additionally, the Harris-Walz campaign debuted a new ad soundtracked by the Grammy-nominated song, with actor Jeffrey Wright narrating, “What kind of America do we want? One where we’re divided, angry, depressed? C’mon! We’re Americans! Fascism? We conquered it. The moon? Landed on it. The future? Building it. Freedom? Nobody loves it more.”
While the rumors ultimately turned out to be false, the DNC still featured a star-studded lineup, including performances by Stevie Wonder, John Legend, and Sheila E on Wednesday night, and a surprise appearance by Lil Jon during Georgia’s delegation roll call. To close out the convention, The Chicks delivered a rendition of the National Anthem, and Pink and her daughter Willow Sage gave a heartfelt performance of “What About Us.”
Steph Curry, who plays for Harris’s favorite team the Golden State Warriors, also made a video appearance.