Beyoncé crowns Houston winners of “mute” challenge during Renaissance tour

26 September, 2023

Beyoncé performs onstage during the "RENAISSANCE WORLD TOUR" at NRG Stadium on September 24, 2023 in Houston, Texas. Credit: Kevin Mazur/GETTY

Beyoncé has crowned her hometown of Houston, Texas as the winner of the “mute” challenge during her ‘Renaissance’ tour.

The pop icon created the lighthearted challenge at the start of her world tour. It happens during her track ‘Energy’, and the goal is to see which city is able to stay silent the longest during the line: “Big wave in the room, the crowd gon’ move/ Look around, everybody on mute.”

Crowds at her shows have been getting better and better at it with each city trying to outbeat the show before theirs. It was widely accepted that Atlanta had won the challenge with their impressive try to get the title.

But, this past weekend, Queen Bey herself approved of the Houston crowd and named them the champs.

Fan-captured footage shows Beyoncé trick the crowd into a surprise challenge during the second night of her two-night run at the NRG Stadium on September 24. They left the singer speechless as they instantly went quiet.

A clip shared on social media shows her impressed face as she tells the crowd: “Y’all won that one.”

The “mute” challenge has become an essential part of the tour, with attendees taking it seriously. At one of the ‘Renaissance’ tour dates, a man was punched in the crowd for not following the rules and letting out a loud “Woo” during the moment of silence.

Queen Bey’s massive world tour is set to wrap up this Sunday, October 1 in Kansas City, Missouri.

In a four-star review of the star’s gig in London earlier this year, NME wrote: “The show closes with Beyoncé floating above the crowd atop a shimmering horse nicknamed Reneigh; her very own theatrical homage to Biana Jagger riding a horse into the New York disco destination Studio 54.

“In the final segment, a mini-Renaissance ball takes place. It’s these final touches that delight the most; carefully referencing aspects of both Black and queer culture with specificity, and celebrating them with a joyful wink.”

In other news, Megan Thee Stallion was a surprise guest during the first night of Beyoncé’s homecoming ‘Renaissance’ show in Houston on September 23.

The duo joined forces for their 2020 collaboration ‘Savage (Remix)’ for the first time at the NRG Stadium in Houston. Ahead of the performance, Beyoncé told Megan: “I love you, Queen,” before the rapper shouted back, “I love you, Beyoncé.” The rapper previously attended the tour as a fan at a show in Paris in May earlier this year.

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