Internet rumors of special DNC guest fizzle as Beyoncé never takes the stage
As the balloons fell on the final night of the Democratic National Convention, Internet rumors that Beyoncé was going to make a surprise appearance faded.
All day, speculation about a guest performing before Kamala Harris officially accepted the nomination for president pointed to Queen Bey. Or, in some instances, Taylor Swift.
Beyoncé fan sites across social media tried to interpret bits of information, such as a lone bee emoji shared from the X account of White House political director Emmy Ruiz, that could hint at an appearance from the pop star. Beyoncé fans, dubbed the Beyhive, are known for adopting bee imagery.
Ruiz later said her 6-year-old sent the message on the social media site formerly known as Twitter.
Speculation ran the gamut.
Would Beyoncé show up for a surprise performance at the United Center where the convention is being held? Would she just appear in a video-recorded message of support for Harris? Would she be performing at nearby Soldier Field, where there are rumors of an overflow watch party for the DNC festivities?
Would it actually be Taylor Swift? Or was Thursday’s surprise guest going to be someone completely different?
TMZ even reported that Beyoncé would be at the convention.
It would have made sense. Harris has adopted “Freedom” by Beyoncé as a campaign song, with the blessing of the pop start to play the music at the vice president’s events.
Turns out there was no surprise guest — unless you count a recorded video endorsement from basketball star Stephan Curry.
About the Author
Maya T. Prabhu covers the Georgia Senate and statewide issues as a government reporter for The AJC. Born in Queens, New York, and raised in northern Virginia, Maya attended Spelman College and then the University of Maryland for a master's degree. She writes about social issues, the criminal justice system and legislative politics.
