THE WEEKND
Measured against any other musical act, The Weeknd would always be a headliner. But even after exploding Billboard records with smash hits like "The Hills" and "Can't Feel My Face," he would still bow before the queen. The two collaborated on Lemonade's "6 Inch," a dark, moody anthem to a woman who makes her own money yet remains uncorrupted by it. Even though the combination of two blockbuster acts in one show might spontaneously combust NRG stadium, we think it's worth the risk to see what these two titans of the industry could put together.
With all due respect, the people who you named were responsible for my "success" wish they could feed me half of what growing up in 3rd Ward
— solange knowles (@solangeknowles) February 4, 2016
Houston Texas, fed me.
— solange knowles (@solangeknowles) February 4, 2016
SOLANGE KNOWLESHouston were gal them thick ! https://t.co/ge5M1SjZIw
— B a r r i e (@saloneboyajb) February 4, 2016
Beyoncé's sister Solange Knowles took a lot of heat back in 2014 for her infamous elevator fight with Jay-Z, but the release of Lemonade, with its thinly veiled references to Jay's infidelity, has largely vindicated her outburst. Solange is a good sister, and such a good sister deserves a reward for years of quiet loyalty and support. It's been awhile since we've seen any music from Solange, making her a good candidate to open for Bey. Plus, like Beyoncé, Solange grew up in HTX and has a deeply rooted love for her home city.
BIG FREEDIA
Big Freedia's contribution to Beyoncé's single "Formation" is short, but its message is unforgettable: "I did not come to play with you hoes. I came to slay." New Orleans's Queen of Bounce is no stranger to Houston's music scene, having sold out her show at House of Blues as part of the "Bounce Shakedown" tour. Her fast-paced, bass-driven music would be a high-octane warmup for Beyoncé, and they would both surely bounce the whole house down.
BRUNO MARS
It's no surprise that YouTube viewers prefer the Super Bowl performance edited to include only Beyoncé and Bruno Mars: their endearing dance-off/medley to "Formation" and "Uptown Funk" made everyone wonder who the hell decided that Coldplay would get top billing for halftime. Beyoncé and Bruno's friendly chemistry made for a stadium-shaking show; bringing him back as an opener would surely deliver more of the same. Though he's reportedly chipping away at a third studio album, Mars is not currently touring, giving him plenty of time to open for the queen.
WARSAN SHIRE
A spoken-word poet might seem like a curious choice to open a show in a stadium that seats more than 70,000, but if anyone could work that crowd, it would be Warsan Shire. Fans of Lemonade fell hard for Shire's poetry, which was woven throughout the narrative of the album/film; her books sold out within hours of Lemonade's debut, thrusting her into the global spotlight. Shire's poetry is as breathtaking as it is understated, as democratic as it is deeply rooted in her personal diasporic experience. Beyoncé has already busted up so many rules about what we've come to expect from her music; opening with a poet would just continue the trend that she already started.
JACK WHITE
Jack White was a surprising song credit on Lemonade, but his stamp on the album took Beyoncé's music into exciting, uncharted waters. The gritty, lo-fi track "Don't Hurt Yourself" howls with truth and aggression as Beyoncé chastizes "You ain't married to some average bitch, boy." White's stripped-down, analog style might be a stretch for some of Beyoncé's audience, but opening with White would solidify her continuous commitment to growth and collaboration. Besides, who wouldn't want to hear Beyoncé cover "Seven Nation Army"?
IBEYI
The progeny of Miguel Diaz of Buena Vista Social Club, twin sisters Lisa-Kainde and Naomi Diaz wowed audiences with their haunting 2015 self-titled debut. Their combination of Afro-Cuban roots music and modern synthesizers yielded what NPR called a "world of intoxicating beauty, in songs that are smart, sweet and emotionally cracked wide open." Ibeyi's invocations of Yoruban language and culture would segue seamlessly into songs from Lemonade, which drew heavily upon these influences. The singers earned only a tiny cameo in the film version of Lemonade, and we deserve to see (and hear!) more of them.