During the first night of her back-to-back concerts in Houston, Beyoncé had to hit the brakes—literally .
The incident happened when she was singing “16 Carriages” at the Cowboy Carter and the Rodeo Chitlin' Circuit Tour. After a final video interlude showcasing her career and life, the singer typically serenades the audience with her Grammy-winning 2024 hit from the Cowboy Carter album—while floating in a flying car, accompanied by an American flag that waves above the concertgoers.
You can watch her previous “16 Carriages” performance in Los Angeles here:
Last Saturday at NRG Stadium, a technical mishap caused the swinging vehicle to slowly veer to the right while the "Texas Hold 'Em" star held onto the American flagpole and safety harnesses.
The car, which had the license plate "BNCNTRY," featured an illuminated undercarriage that was visible as it slowly came to a stop above the crowd. Meanwhile, Beyoncé continued singing the first verse while expertly and subtly signaling to the production team that something was wrong.
Wearing a black safety belt around her waist, the singer paused mid-chorus to instruct the crew multiple times to "stop" the performance. Her flying car remained suspended for several moments until Beyoncé was safely lowered to the ground.
The crowd gasped at the technical malfunction. Some shouted for her to “get down,” while others cheered her on as she thanked them for their patience. Waving graciously to the audience, many of whom were filming with their cellphones, Beyoncé was met by security and production personnel who turned off the lights to help her out of the vehicle.
Fortunately, both the singer and the audience were unharmed during the mid-air emergency.
The show-stopping moment was captured by a TikTok fan:
Like a true professional, a slightly trembling Beyoncé returned to the stage, showcasing her Burberry Eagle print jumpsuit while thanking the crowd once again.
Wearing a white cowboy hat, Beyoncé smiled and said:
“I want to thank y’all for loving me. If ever I fall, I know y’all will catch me.”
Continuing “16 Carriages,” Beyoncé finished the performance.
We support you, Beyoncé! She concluded the night with her gospel-inspired track “Amen,” as her dancers, dressed in costumes inspired by the American flag, performed in front of a large bust of the Statue of Liberty that was symbolically covered with a bandana.
Beyonce’s record label, Parkwood Entertainment, released the following statement via Instagram:
“Tonight in Houston, at NRG Stadium, a technical mishap caused the flying car, a prop Beyoncé uses to circle the stadium and see her fans up close, to tilt. She was quickly lowered, and no one was injured. The show continued without incident."
During the second night of the Houston concert, Beyoncé removed the "16 Carriages" flying car segment and transitioned directly into singing "Amen." However, she kept the flying segment of "Jolene," where she sits on a neon-lit, swinging horseshoe that sways above the crowd.
This tour has been an eventful and lucrative chapter in Beyoncé’s career, as she broke her own record as one of the highest-grossing single concerts by a female artist in history. For Houston alone, she earned 17.7 million per night as the city celebrated her homecoming with parties, murals, and country fashion shows.
For her Houston concerts, a mural of Beyoncé was painted and featured on Tina Knowles’ Instagram.
The BeyHive chimed in on the gravity-defying moment.
@missyjomusic/TikTok
@byezeph/TikTok
@gracehils/TikTok
@brooklynmambo/TikTok
@lucy022024/TikTok
@everythingfancyy/TikTok
The next tour stop is at the Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland, on July 4th and 7th for the Washington, D.C., segment. With eight more shows to go, the show will finish in Las Vegas at the end of July.
