The Beyhive collectively gasped on Friday night when Beyoncé appeared in a pre-recorded segment to support Team USA.
The iconic singer donned a special Team USA bodysuit and floor-length cape in honor of the occasion, along with a sparkly American flag cowboy hat to introduce the athletes in a video only shown on NBC during the primetime re-airing of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games opening ceremony on July 26.
“Get a look at America, y’all. These hopes and dreams. These superstars that represent us. The people of this big, bold, beautiful, complicated nation, all rooting together for them,” she said over the track of her hit, “Ya Ya.”
The “Cowboy Carter” singer introduced several athletes by name: runners Noah Lyles and Sha’Carri Richardson, swimmers Caeleb Dressel and Katie Ledecky, and of course, gymnast Simone Biles.
“We’ve got superstars and we’ve got legends,” she continued over clips of track star Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and NBA player LeBron James. “We’ve got big dreamers, who fought their whole lives to get here. Who gave up everything for one shot and made it.”
“That pride and that joy, that’s what gets me about this team and that’s what makes me believe in this team,” she said. “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,” she concluded. “The very best of who we are. What a vision to behold. What a team to believe in. What a night to celebrate.”
As the coverage returned to the parade on the River Seine and Team USA floated across, the hosts leading the NBC coverage were thrilled about the superstar’s appearance.
“Y’all, and what about Beyoncé?” pop star Kelly Clarkson asked. “Just kicking everything off and getting everybody amped for this. I couldn’t think of a more perfect artist to do that for these athletes.”
“If I’m Steve Kerr, I’m showing that video before my game,” former NFL player Peyton Manning replied, referring to the Team USA basketball coach. “Let Beyoncé do all the talking.”
In the livestream of the opening ceremony earlier in the day, fans of the “Cuff It” singer were convinced they’d spotted an Easter egg when a metallic horse carrying the Olympics flag went “running” down the Seine.
Many people said the figure and the silver horse reminded them of Beyoncé’s “Renaissance” album.
“Beyoncé let them use her Renaissance horse for the opening?? How thoughtful of her,” @sitiart tweeted.
Another person shared a video of the Olympic opening ceremony moment, writing, “Look at Beyonce’s horse, booked and busy.”
“Beyonce sent a horse for the #OpeningCeremony,” another person tweeted.
“There’s a masked person riding a metallic horse down the Seine right now to deliver the Olympic Flag for the Opening Ceremony and I swear if that person is Beyoncé I might die,” one person wrote on X.
Another person joked, “Pretty rude to bring out a silver, sparkly horse, and Beyoncé isn’t on it.”
While Beyoncé did not ride the metallic horse, she did leave her mark on the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Tune in to the Paris Olympics on NBC and Peacock.