By Pauline Odhiambo
Beyoncé's African fans were ready to do whatever it takes to see her in African cities during her world tour. But she eventually snubbed the continent sparking disappointment and criticism with some fans saying they have withdrawn their love for her.
Many of her die-hard fans, known collectively as the ‘Beyhive,’ had expressed their excitement over her Renaissance Tour, with some proclaiming their readiness to sell all their valuables for a chance to see their ‘Queen Bey’ perform live.
“Start saving up!” a Tiktok user @kanegelomahlobogo posted. “Sell your dog! Sell your whole wardrobe! It’s Beyoncé!”
His post was in reaction to a trending topic on twitter where users varyingly speculated over the possibility of an Africa tour announcement in December.
“Even if I use my whole month’s salary its fine, I’m going to see her. I’ll sleep at the office that month,” declared another die-hard fan Yolanda Ncanywa-Pete.
But many fans have been left disappointed by the exclusion of African cities from the list of countries she is scheduled to perform some citing how she had benefitted from African artists.
'A prop'
''I’m disappointed she snubbed Africa. Especially after she used many African artists in her previous album,'' Helena Wairiara, a fan in Kenya told TRT Afrika.
''It made me feel like Africans are good as a prop for her but not good enough to be in her consumer fan base,'' Wairiara says.
Wendo Kola agrees. ''As a fan of Beyonce it often feels like that she is okay to exploit black culture but doesn't really want to be part of it,'' Kola told TRT Afrika.
The Renaissance tour kicked off in Stockholm in May and is expected to end in September in the US city of New Orleans.
The tour is aimed at highlighting the singer’s seventh studio album titled 'Renaissance' which pays homage to many musical genres.
“She is not coming,” South African Kanyisa Mnisi posted on his Tiktok. “No events company in SA can cough up close R100 mil for her and the entire production company,” he adds.
Music demand
Beyoncé has on many occasions in the past referenced the beauty of African tradition and Black culture in many of her albums including The Gift album which featured many African artist like Burna Boy, Yemi Alade and Busiswa.
The exclusion of African cities from her current tour has cast a shadow on the belief of fans - some of whom have questioned whether she was really interested in Africa.
The music star has not publicly said why she skipped Africa in her tour schedule. According to Gbemiro Owolabi, Sony Music Entertainment representative, West Africa, the “demand for the artist music in specific regions” drives world tour sales.
Some commentators say this and quest for higher revenues might be some of the reasons why African countries are sometimes not given priority as destinations for world tours.
Beyoncé’s seventh studio album has been topping charts globally since its release in July 2022. In the commercial music industry, stadium world tours significantly affect the exposure of artist's work and revenues.
Beyoncé’s last performance in Africa for a world tour was in 2009 when she visited Egypt and Ethiopia promoting her album ‘I Am’.
But in 2019 she headlined the Global Citizen concert in Johannesburg, South Africa.
