(FilmMagic)
She got a bad rap for daring to mime in front of the president, but it’s nothing compared to the love Beyoncé got for her halftime performance at Super Bowl XLVII last night.
The show will go down as one of the finest in the game’s history, with spectacular pyrotechnics, eye-popping visual effects and a much-anticipated reunion of Destiny’s Child.
More than anything, it revolved around Beyoncé doing what she does better than anyone else: singing like an angel and dancing like a demon.
One glimpse of her famously curvy silhouette was enough to get the blood racing.
Beyoncé’s opening shot seemed to be aimed at lip-sync critics who have doubted her singing ability in recent weeks, and it was one that hit the bull’s-eye.
She sang the chorus of her recent hit “Love On Top” almost a cappella and nailed virtually every note with a classy casualness. She said it was all live — and after hearing that we’ll take her word for it.
Her all-female band made itself heard above the roar of the Superdome with a rocking version of “Crazy In Love” as Mrs. Jay-Z strode across the stage, shedding parts of her sexy leather outfit (created by New York designer Rubin Singer).
BEHIND THE SCENES WITH BEYONCE
PHOTOS: RAVENS TAKE SUPER BOWL TITLE
The rumored Destiny’s Child reunion did happen, surprising almost no one. What may have come as more of a shock is the fact that after seven years of inactivity, Beyoncé, Michelle Williams and Kelly Rowland still possess the sizzling chemistry that made them one of the most successful girl groups of modern times.
The peak of Destiny’s Child’s set came with their group rendition of Beyoncé’s solo smash “Single Ladies.” The video’s famous dance routine was executed flawlessly.
The only dud moment was her closer — an overly dramatic version of the ballad “Halo.”
But coming across as overwrought is always a dangerous possibility when you give a performance as much energy and passion as Beyoncé always does. Given the truly fantastic 10 minutes that preceded it, the song was a slight misstep that was definitely forgivable.
The history of the Super Bowl halftime show yields a core of elite performances: Prince playing his heart out in the rain in 2007, Bruce Springsteen’s over-enthusiastic knee slides in 2009, and of course Michael Jackson’s game-changing show in 1993.
Beyoncé’s all-out turn in New Orleans last night will undoubtedly be recognized in the same way.
The second-half power outage that delayed the game was actually a blessing in disguise because it allowed the country to dial back their DVRs and watch it all over again. That’s what I did, and I probably will do it again several times during the week.