Beyoncé made a special appearance, virtually, at the Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony.
The global superstar helped introduce Team USA in a two-minute, 30-second video, which was aired on NBC and Peacock before Team USA appeared on the River Seine.
Donning a patriotic swimsuit emblazoned with “USA” across her chest and a glistening cowboy hat, Beyoncé shouts out several Team USA athletes, including Simone Biles, Sha’Carri Richardson, LeBron James, Caeleb Dressel, Katie Ledecky, Noah Lyles, and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone.
“That pride, and that joy, that’s what gets me about this team,” Beyoncé says in the clip. “And that’s what makes me believe in this team. And that’s why I can’t wait to see what they pull off over these next 16 days. America, give it up for Team USA, the very best of who we are.”
Beyoncé’s fan-favorite track, “Ya Ya,” from her critically acclaimed album Cowboy Carter, plays throughout the energizing video.
Cowboy Carter was released March 29 via Parkwood Entertainment/Columbia Records. It featured appearances from Linda Martell, Dolly Parton, Willie Jones, Miley Cyrus, Shaboozey, Post Malone, Tanner Adell, Brittney Spencer, Tiera Kennedy, and Reyna Roberts.
“This album has been over five years in the making. It was born out of an experience that I had years ago where I did not feel welcomed…and it was very clear that I wasn’t. But, because of that experience, I did a deeper dive into the history of Country music and studied our rich musical archive,” explained Beyoncé.
“It feels good to see how music can unite so many people around the world, while also amplifying the voices of some of the people who have dedicated so much of their lives educating on our musical history.”
Cowboy Carter debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, selling 407,000 equivalent units in the first week.
The album, which spent two weeks atop the chart, included the hit lead single “Texas Hold ‘Em,” which reached No. 1 on the Hot 100. It marks Beyoncé’s ninth No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100.
Cowboy Carter is the second installment of Beyoncé’s three-act album series, which launched in 2022 with her Grammy-winning Renaissance.
The 2024 Summer Olympics runs from July 26 through Aug. 11. For more information on how to watch the Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony, visit nbcolympics.com.
Watch Beyoncé’s Team USA introduction at the 2024 Paris Olympics below.
T.E.A.M. U.S.A.#Beylympics #ParisOlympics pic.twitter.com/IW57Z474Cf
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) July 27, 2024