This year’s Global Citizen Festival found Beyonce performing as part of two different pairings — one unlikely, the other more likely. Fellow headliner Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam brought out Bey during his set to sing “Redemption Song” by Bob Marley, and friend Ed Sheeran came out during Bey’s set to perform his cover of “Drunk In Love” with her.
These performances showed a side of Beyonce the Beyhive doesn’t normally see. There weren’t dance routines, fanfare, or visual effects (except for the Nelson Mandela speech during “Redemption Song”). Both performances featured an acoustic guitar and showcased Beyonce’s most famous asset: her voice. Bey’s ability to transform from the singing and dancing powerhouse who brought you “Flawless” into a down-to-earth acoustic cover queen got us thinking: Why the hell doesn’t Beyonce front a rock band?
Some of Bey’s live performances take on the air of rock shows, especially when Bibi McGill is involved. But in all seriousness, Beyonce has the wherewithal to stop everything and start a rock band of her own. And you know she’d succeed at doing so. Here’s why.
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Her stage presence is unmatched.
One of the keys to being a rock star (and a great performer in general) is stage presence. Beyonce can rock a stage just as hard — if not harder — than some of the most famous rockers in history. And that’s why she’s already a rock star.
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She can work an electric guitar solo without even playing it.
Embedded from www.youtube.com.Beyonce will get you amped-up for an electric guitar solo even when she’s not the one delivering it. This video of Beyonce on tour with guitarist Bibi McGill is a perfect example. Bibi is shredding her guitar within an inch of its life, and yet, there’s Beyonce, bending over backwards in such an impossible way, you’re wondering how the hell she’s able to still belt. It’s Beyonce vs. the guitar, but Bey isn’t even playing it.
She inspires rock artists.
Embedded from www.youtube.com.John Mayer, one of the most talented guitarists of this generation, put out an acoustic cover of Bey’s “XO,” and by now, you’ve heard Ed Sheeran’s “Drunk In Love” cover. Beyonce has inspired at least 10 indie rockers, including Florence + The Machine, to cover her music, and countless other rock lovers to put out their own versions of her songs on the Internet.
She holds her own when performing with some of today’s greatest rockers.
Embedded from www.youtube.com.Bey is one of today’s greatest performers, so it’s no surprise that she owns the stage no matter who shares it with her. Her tribute to Stevie Wonder with Ed Sheeran and Gary Clark, Jr. is just one example of how Bey can hold her own next to some of today’s greatest rockers. Her voice is so versatile, she could easily put out a soulful rock record without having to change anything about her vocal style.
She’s reached a status where she could literally do anything.
Beyonce’s level of success and devoted fanbase are so secure, she could theoretically drop everything she’s been doing up to this point and cross over into another genre. Her perfectionist tendencies would prevent her from putting out any new music that wasn’t impeccable, and she’d make herself even more of a queen to her fans than she already is as a result.
