Beyoncé dazzles fans in 'Renaissance' world tour opening concert

STOCKHOLM (AP) – Tens of thousands of fans descended on the Swedish capital of Stockholm on Wednesday to celebrate the opening show of Beyoncé’s new world tour.

“Renaissance” is the superstar’s first solo tour since 2016 and shares the name of her 2022 dance-focused album, whose success landed her on top of the Grammy throne as the ceremony’s most decorated artist in history.

Fans who have complained in recent months about the lack of music videos for the hit “Renaissance” were in for a treat Wednesday as video projections and animations took center stage. The rapid succession of costume changes and decor shifts was baffling. The singer played on the conversation. Between a digital and physical world where robotic devices make room for strange silver moon rovers or an inflatable horse. Even Queen Bey herself is transformed into a cybernetic character. Sound confusing? this was it.

Yet despite the impressive scale of the stage set, some moments still felt intimate. Beyoncé expressed her heartfelt gratitude to fans for traveling from far and wide to see her perform. She arrived for songs spanning her two-decade career, kicking off the show with “Dangerously in Love”, the title track from her 2003 debut solo album, followed by 2011 female empowerment anthem “Run the World (Girls)”. Moving Through and Dishing Up a Nice Selection of Hits from “Renaissance”.

The 46,000 tickets available for the Wednesday show sold out; And if audience reaction is anything to go by, the rest of the tour will be a hit. Beyoncé will make stops in more than 40 cities, including London, Paris, Barcelona and Toronto, before ending the tour in New Orleans on September 27.