Source: Beyonce.com / Courtesy of Beyonce.com
Beyoncé performed at the Global Citizen Festival in honor of the late Nelson Mandela in Johannesburg over the weekend., Bey brought the crowd to tears as she performed at the Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100 at FNB Stadium in Johannesburg. The event honored Mandela centennial year. JAY-Z headlined the event as well.
Prior to the event, Bey wrote a letter dedicated to Mandela. She said, “I first met you in 2004 for the 46664 AIDS Benefit Concert in Cape Town, and the impact you have had on my life resonates with me today and every day. Your kindness and gratitude for every experience, and your ability to forgive are lessons I have learned and will pass on to my three children. My entire family holds you in high regard. It is an honor for me to travel to South Africa this week in celebration of you and your efforts to right so many wrongs. You were a strategic warrior, a bold activist, and charismatic and well-loved leader. Your vision for dignity, for human rights, for peace and a South Africa free of racism and apartheid, allows us all to turn dreams into reality. You made it possible for so many people like me to reject impossibilities and understand our capabilities in making lasting change in the world. The smallest efforts could change the trajectory for so many living in extreme poverty, facing injustices, the indecency of racism and fighting for their rights as human.”
Bey added, “As we celebrate the Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100, honoring your centennial year, I promise you that we have made your dreams our own. Your work and your sacrifices were not in vain. I will cherish every moment shared in your presence and use the lessons learned from you as fuel to stir positive ideas and solutions.”
However, the live stream of the performance was cut short. According to The Shade Room, as the Carters finished the performance of they single, “Apesh*t,” the live stream unexpectedly came to an end, and performances from earlier in the festival began to place. The live stream started again just in time for fans to see Beyoncé and Ed Sheeran perform their duet, “Perfect,” for the first time live on stage.
