Inside Beyoncé's Dubai Concert: Everything You Need To Know

By now, you've seen the pictures, read the tweets, and definitely watched the unauthorized phone recordings of Beyoncé's once-in-a-lifetime performance in Dubai over the weekend. However, what many may not know is that Queen Bey's 60-minute set, which marked her first concert after an almost 5-year hiatus, was part of a massive three-day launch event for Dubai's most anticipated hotel in decades: Atlantis The Royal.

Proclaimed as the "most ultra-luxury experiential resort in the world," Atlantis The Royal kicked off its invite-only Grand Reveal Weekend on Friday (January 20) with its Feast of Dreams, a gastronomic experience featuring food from around the world by six celebrity chefs who are all opening restaurants located in the resort: Nobu Matsuhisa, José Andrés, Costas Spiliadis, Ariana Bundy, Mich Turner, and Gastón Acurio. VIPs from around the world gathered in the resort’s Gastronomy, which features a host of live cooking stations that serve a treasure trove of culinary masterpieces from around the world. Guests at the Grand Reveal Weekend were the first to experience the eclectic dining experience before Atlantis The Royal officially opens its doors to guests in February this year.

The dining event was followed by Kendall Jenner's 818 Tequila launch party (the launch of 818 in the UAE) at the Cloud 22 Skypool, which features panoramic views of the Arabian Gulf and Palm Island. The after-party was attended by a number of celebrity guests, including Amir Khan, Chloe and Halle Bailey, Chanel Ayan, and Winston Duke, to name a few.

Next up was Bey-day: Saturday (January 21) was reserved for Beyoncé-prep and Beyoncé-prep only, as hotel guests and celebrities alike spent the day preparing for Bey's return to the stage. Ahead of Beyoncé's performance, celebs, including Liam Payne, Rebel Wilson, Ellen Pompeo, and Letitia Wright, walked Atlantis The Royal's "blue" carpet. It was then all eyes on Bey for her once-in-a-lifetime performance as she kicked off her set with Etta James' "At Last" before being joined onstage by her Grammy-winning 11-year-old daughter, Blue Ivy Carter, for their first performance of "Brown Skin Girl."

Bey then treated the star-studded audience to some of her biggest career-spanning hits, including “Halo” and “Crazy in Love.” She concluded the stunning performance with a now-viral rendition of “Drunk in Love,” as she was raised sixteen feet into the air while surrounded by a field of water and fire.

For the performance, which she was reportedly paid a whopping $24 million for, Beyoncé wore multiple lavish ensembles, including a Nicolas Jebran bodysuit that featured a massive headpiece. Onstage she was accompanied by Firdaus, a 48-person all-female orchestra mentored by Academy Award-winning composer A.R. Rahman. America’s Got Talent winners, The Mayyas (an all-female precision dance group from Lebanon) were also featured on stage.

Bey's epic set was followed by a fireworks and drone extravaganza. As the fireworks settled, Swedish House Mafia took to the stage to perform hits, including “One” and “Don’t You Worry Child,” as guests celebrated until the early hours.

The weekend may have hit its peak with Bey's performance, but the festivities continued into Sunday (January 22) with Beyoncé previewing her latest Adidas x Ivy Park collection. Dubbed Park Trail, the new line of performance wear was inspired by the great outdoors. For the poolside show, models showed off the new collection at Nobu by the Beach — one of eight new celebrity restaurants at Atlantis The Royal.

Sunday also featured the grand opening of Nobu By The Beach — Nobu’s first-ever exclusive poolside destination. Rebel Wilson and chef Nobu Matsuhisa attended the inaugural Sake Ceremony to celebrate the restaurant's grand opening.

The last event of the weekend was the launch of Dubai’s newest dining destination and ultra lounge experience, Ling Ling. The glamorous Grand Opening event was attended by the likes of Ellen Pompeo, Ashley Park, Bar Refaeli, Amir Khan, Jonathan Cheban, Fat Joe, and Caroline Stanbury. The brainchild of global hospitality company Tao Group Hospitality, Ling Ling features contemporary Asian cuisine meant to be shared, coupled with an extensive beverage menu and stunning views of Dubai.

While things kicked into full gear for Atlantis The Royal's Grand Reveal Weekend guests over the weekend, the hotel doesn't open to the public until February 10. To be one of the first to stay at Atlantis The Royal, guests can make a reservation at www.atlantistheroyal.com.

Reservations are now open for stays from February 2023 onwards.