Beyoncé Pays Tribute To Orlando Shooting Victims With Special Closing Song
"This next song... is about love."
In wake of the horrific Orlando massacre on June 12—where 49 lives were lost and 53 were injured at Pulse nightclub—tributes have been pouring in from around the world. People have come together to collectively mourn the tragedy spurred from terrorism, hatred and intolerance. While singers like Demi Lovato and Miley Cyrus have spoken out on social media, other celebs like Florence and the Machine are taking time out of their concerts to reflect on this horrific tragedy. Adele broke down in tears dedicating her performance to shooting victims, and now Beyoncé gave her own powerful tribute while closing the first leg of her Formation World Tour in Detroit on June 14.
Beyoncé dedicated her closing number "Halo" to everyone who lost family members in the Orlando shooting.
Bey opened the song by saying, "this next song... is about love" before dedicating it to "all the family members that had family that lost their lives in Florida."
The closing number seemed especially fitting, as it's a song about angels and someone's presence being around us even though they're gone. The uplifting ballad reminds us that while the shooting was a national tragedy that spurs sadness and anger, it's also a call for reform.
The tribute was also believed to honor 22-year-old singer Christina Grimmie who was shot and killed after her concert in Orlando on June 10. Other singers who honored Christina included Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber, who broke down crying on stage during their concerts. Christina's tragic death happened days before the Orlando massacre, serving as a reminder that gun control laws need to be much stricter.
Bey also paid tribute to Orlando on social media, reminding us to stand together in solidarity.
If we stand together, love can conquer all.