This year’s headliner for Coachella, the festival that attracts celebrities and music lovers alike, was none other than the Queen herself, Beyoncé. Her performance led to rapturous reviews.
The New York Times reported:
Let’s just cut to the chase: There’s not likely to be a more meaningful, absorbing, forceful and radical performance by an American musician this year, or any year soon, than Beyoncé’s headlining set at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival Saturday night. … As Beyoncé has gotten older, she’s been making music that’s increasingly visceral, both emotionally and historically. She is one of the only working pop stars who need not preoccupy herself with prevailing trends, or the work of her peers. She is an institution now, and that has allowed her freedom.
The powerhouse performance, however, is not immune to controversy. According to an article published by Page Six on Saturday, Beyoncé’s publicist sent an email to major publications the day before the concert asking that they not publish any fan photos of her, only the approved shots.
The Page Six article said:
It appears to be an attempt to prevent a replay of the situation after her 2013 Super Bowl halftime show, when her team famously e-mailed BuzzFeed asking the Web site to take down a series of “unflattering photos” from a gallery of her showstopping performance.
Many people were not having it:
Sorry Beyonce you can't have it both ways. You are a public figure performing for a large number of people and you think photos of you won't be shared
— NEW AGENDA ~EQUALITY (@RN1814) April 15, 2018
Sad when all people can care about is looks, money and keeping up with the status of the wealthy
— ლ(▀̿̿益▀̿̿ヽ)ლ (@WLShafor) April 15, 2018
Not a good look, Bey. pic.twitter.com/kdFGOeCthj
— That One Jabari Chick (@darkchloe144) April 15, 2018
Oh cry me a river. Celebrities have such problems!
— Donna Lee Copman (@LeeCopman) April 15, 2018
What a missed opportunity to show girls and women everywhere that even one of the most beautiful women in the country doesn't look perfect 100% of the time. It could have been a role model moment for her. That's a shame.
— Centrist/Moderate (@TestedCentrist) April 15, 2018
Beyoncé is so extra lmao
— Snow (@SnowWhatnext) April 15, 2018
That is just nonsense….people PAID a lot of money to go to #Coachella You should be able to take pictures. #Beyoncé is a talented singer, but she still needs loyal to her fans, and let them take a few pictures.
— Bj Bednarski (@FoxytailRedhead) April 15, 2018
A little too much of a diva . But then it’s her life. She can do whatever she likes, lol.
— lori gilroy (@kaluha12) April 15, 2018
But others were quick to jump to her defense:
Oh boy … here comes the troll train pic.twitter.com/63u2ZfVLhC
— Last Pirate in LA (@BonnielynnMarie) April 15, 2018
Hell I don't want my brothers to post unflattering photos of me from the family barbecue on Instagram! Understood
— Lisa Lewis (@LisaLewisNSC) April 15, 2018
It’s reassuring to know that even Beyonce is not confident about post child body and ageing.
— Lola A (@lolaaskar) April 15, 2018
Thank You @Beyonce for pausing the world’s madness and hate for few moments to show everyone that even a performance on a live stream can bring masses of people joy #beychella pic.twitter.com/SylP3W6BPh
— Soebarnabus (@soebarnabus) April 15, 2018
She wasn't telling fans not to post pictures. She was telling media outlets to use photos taken by the professional photographer and not fantaken photos.
— (@SparklinBubble8) April 15, 2018
This THREAD is exactly what #pagesix wanted. Great way to get free advertising. Of course haters were going to post unflattering photos & comments about her.
Ya'll are corny for taking the bate…#Beychella #BeyHive #Beyonce
— Brent Errico (@brenterrico) April 15, 2018
I could care less about Beyonce one way or another but if y’all bothered reading the article, she asks for MEDIA to not publish unflattering photos. She’s not asking fans to not post at all.
— Ar!elle (@SpicyPurritos) April 16, 2018
Beyoncé doesn’t need filters to be appealing to the GP. While you’re out here looking like Wilbur’s uncle, The Queen is out here thriving. Stay pressed pumpkin!
— AJ (@BeyPanther) April 15, 2018
It seems perfectly reasonable to ask that publications use official photos of an event rather than fan photos. So let’s do away with this faux controversy and get to the important things…
ALL HAIL QUEEN BEY!
