Pop star Beyonce made a political statement with her performance at the Super Bowl with her backing dancers dressed as members of rights group the Black Panther Party.
The 34-year-old star’s crew joined her in doing the black power salute as she belted out her new politically charged power anthem, Formation.
“OK, ladies, let’s get in formation!” she sang, tweaking the 50th anniversary of the Super Bowl with a nod to the 50th anniversary of the 1966 founding of the Black Panther Party.
At one point, her dancers formed an X on the field, an apparent reference to Malcolm X, the black rights campaigner.
In her black jacket with studs and gold accents, Beyonce also paid homage to the King of Pop, Michael Jackson.
Other than that, Beyonce danced side by side with Bruno Mars and, in a grand finale, with Coldplay’s Chris Martin as the audience spelled out “Believe in Love” with rainbow-coloured placards.
For a very brief moment during her energetic performance, the star nearly stumbled, but she recovered in no time.
The Pepsi Super Bowl 50 halftime took place at Levi’s Stadium in the San Francisco Bay Area.
