Beyoncé, Wembley Stadium

Pop stars don’t get much bigger, or much better for that matter, than Beyoncé. Having risen to fame as one third of R&B powerhouse Destiny’s Child, she’s gone on to enjoy one of the most successful solo careers possible. With a litany of certified hits behind her, it’s hard to pick out a particular high point so we’ll leave it to you to argue over whether ‘Crazy in Love’ trumps ‘Drunk in Love’ or ‘Halo’ beats ‘Single Ladies.’

More important is that over the past couple of days, Beyoncé has made an emphatic return. Her new track ‘Formation’ is undoubtedly one of her finest hours; it’s a celebration of her African American identity, with a particular eye to her Southern heritage. Trap – a type of rap emanating from Atlanta, Georgia - is a key influence on the song’s production. The video meanwhile takes a powerful look at the impact of Hurricane Katrina with shots of Beyoncé perched atop a submerged police car interspersed with footage from New Orleans in the aftermath of the disaster.



Performing at this year’s Superbowl, Beyoncé took a similarly politically aware stance, shouting out the Black Lives Matter movement, with the crew of beret clad backing dancers also paying visual homage to the Black Panthers.

Following this flurry of activity, Beyoncé has announced The Formation World Tour. She plays London’s Wembley Stadium on July 2 and 3. Presale tickets for this event are available from February 9 at 12 p.m. for members of the Beyhive website, while general tickets are on sale from February 16 at 9 a.m.