A conversation with BeyHive devotee Leyla Omar about her reverence for the Grammy-winning superstar – and her magical experience watching the performer’s concert film at Curzon Camden on opening night.
You may know your ‘Brown Skin Girl’ from your ‘Broken-Hearted Girl’, your ‘Hello’ from your ‘Halo’; you may even think you are Queen of the BeyHive. Sorry to disappoint you, but that title belongs to my sister Leyla, she who burnished her fandom as a child with a Destiny’s Child HitClip – Gen Z, you don’t know what you’re missing – and has since seen Beyoncé live eight times, knows all of the singer’s uncredited backing vocals (Frank Ocean’s ‘Pink + White’??), owns swathes of official merch and dresses up as her at any fancy-dress opportunity. So, who better to discuss Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé with than her? Here, Leyla and I dig into Beyoncé’s cultural impact, creative direction and comedic cuts.
The Renaissance tour
Yasmin Omar: What is your earliest memory of Beyoncé?
LEYLA OMAR: My alter-ego Leyoncé was born in the 90s: I vividly remember assembling my very own Destiny’s Child in the playground at primary school after having been gifted my first CD, The Writing’s On The Wall (1999). Since then, Beyoncé has provided the soundtrack to my life — quite literally, as I am in the top 0.005% of her Spotify listeners. I saw her perform live for the first time in 2003 where she featured on a mixed bill at London’s Party In The Park: it’s almost unfathomable to believe the likes of Busted, Gareth Gates and Atomic Kitten shared a stage with the now stratospheric superstar. The love runs deep.
YO: Why do you think she is such an icon?
LO: Beyoncé has had a profound impact upon my life. She has surpassed the label of ferociously talented musician, she is a visionary and world-quaking cultural force. Ultimately, nobody else does it like Beyoncé: she is credited with the trend of visual albums, surprise drops, she even boosted the visitor count of the Louvre by 25% after the release of her 2018 music video ‘Apeshit’. Her unwavering commitment to self-evolution and challenging her own excellence is what I find most inspiring. Beyoncé’s almost 30-year career has soared to dizzying heights precisely because she is only in competition with herself, an ethos I try to apply within my own life. I will forever be unashamed in my devotion. If the BeyHive is a cult, I’m one of its leaders.
Beyoncé and Jay Z's 'Apeshit' video at the Louvre
YO: What’s your favourite piece of Beyoncé memorabilia you own?
LO: Despite owning posters, signed photos, perfumes, a t-shirt from her now-defunct fashion line House of Dereon and countless other trinkets, bizarrely my most treasured possession is my ticket to Beyoncé and Jay Z’s second co-headlining tour in 2018, OTR II. Despite living in London, I deliberately opted for the opening night in Cardiff as it fell on my birthday – no better way to celebrate. Two weeks prior to the concert, I was badly injured in a netball tournament, leaving me unable to walk. The A&E staff wrapping my leg in a plaster cast looked slightly bewildered as I expressed my primary concern: missing a Beyoncé concert.
Best believe, broken bones did not stop me. Armed with crutches and ibuprofen, I hobbled cross-country to Wales’ Principality Stadium to fulfil my birthday wish. My OTR II ticket is one of my most sentimental items of memorabilia, as it reminds me of my commitment (read: lunacy) and the effervescent joy and enrichment I gain from being a fangirl. Despite my impaired mobility, it turned out to be one of my most cherished birthday memories.
Left and centre: Leyla at the Renaissance tour this summer. Right: wearing Beyoncé's iconic 'Hold Up' outfit
YO: I left you in charge of choosing where we saw the Renaissance film. Why did you pick Curzon Camden?
LO: As much as I love to turn up, I knew the ‘party screenings’ at West End cinemas would present more of a concert vibe – ad-libbing, singalongs, dancing in the aisles – especially on opening night. I purposefully selected the intimate setting of Curzon Camden for my first viewing experience so that I could truly appreciate the artistry of the film with no distraction. Our cosy 30-seater populated by dedicated fans made for a perfect debut. (Yes, I did go to a party screening the very next day.)
YO: What was your experience like on the night?
LO: The atmosphere in the room was magnetic. We sat together, utterly transfixed, as she transported us all on a sonic and visual journey to the House of Chrome. Beyoncé is gifted with the ability to build community between strangers – being part of the BeyHive means automatic entry into a close-knit, inclusive tribe made up of millions – our screening was no different. The room was buoyant with camaraderie: we laughed, gasped and cried, giddily elbowing each other as we anticipated the next song on the tracklist. After a glittering, almost three-hour spectacle, the lights came up and we all needed a moment to collect ourselves. A small voice at the back of the room finally piped up, ‘Alright ladies, same time tomorrow?’
The Renaissance tour
YO: What were your favourite moments from the film?
LO: For a notoriously private and elusive superstar, the glimpses into Beyoncé’s playful personality and sense of humour are what truly deepen my love for her. In one backstage clip, her daughter Blue overhears that ‘Diva’ will be omitted from the set-list and pleads for its inclusion. Just as Beyoncé is chastising her for interrupting, the scene smash-cuts into her performance of the song on tour to rapturous applause. The cinema erupted into giggles at Beyoncé’s saccharine-sweet smile after growling ‘I told you I’m a fucking problem!’, as well as her swaggering assertion that ‘the mic is AWN’ before performing fan favourite, ‘Heated’. She even includes the infamous TikTok where a fan screeches ‘Bring the bed… and SLEEP!’ – referencing the massive silken duvet that Beyoncé pretends to doze in before segueing into her performance of ‘Alien Superstar’. A deeply unserious woman.
The Renaissance tour
YO: We went to the Renaissance tour twice this summer, how did the film compare with the concert?
LO: We all know Beyoncé is a formidable performer – at this point, her name has become synonymous with unparalleled excellence. Although nothing can compare to the goosebump-raising experience of seeing Beyoncé live in the flesh, I hope the Renaissance film cements her legacy as both a talented filmmaker and the ambitious creative director behind her dazzling tour shows. It was fascinating to peek behind the curtain and see the organs of this sprawling production. No detail is too fine for Beyoncé’s involvement: from conceptualising hundreds of iterations of stage design to selecting camera lenses. We watch a master of her craft assiduously at work as she rattles off the army of experts who bring her vision to life: light technicians, choreographers, hair stylists, personal trainers… most of which goes unnoticed as a concert attendee. She is an auteur with clear vision.
YO: Review the film in five words.
LO: Electrifying. Joyous. Transformative. Liberating. UNIQUE.
WATCH RENAISSANCE: A FILM BY BEYONCÉ IN CINEMAS
