WeeklySA_AdminRECORD: Beyonce’s ‘Renaissance World Tour’, which sold a whopping 2.8 million sales in six months, is officially the biggest Billboard Boxscore earner for 2023…
By WSAM Reporter
It’s Beyoncé’s world, and we’re just living in it! According to Billboard, the “Dangerously In Love” crooner has officially become the biggest Boxscore earner for 2023 thanks to her “Renaissance World Tour.”
Per the report, Beyoncé drew in roughly R10 billion, selling 2.8 million tickets to the highly anticipated event, which kicked off on May 10 and concluded on October 1
The entire tour has been filled with milestones for the Houston, Texas, native. Now that it has fully come to a close, and the numbers are in, the sentiment is still the same.
As previously reported by AFROTECH, her “Renaissance World Tour” was the highest-grossing one of her career, which first began in 1998 when she and her friends and fellow Texans, LaToya Luckett, Latavia Roberson, and Kelly Rowland debuted as Destiny’s Child.
Moreover, when she announced “Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé,” which takes viewers through the creative process behind the aforementioned world tour, it caused shares at AMC Entertainment Holdings to spike by 1.5%.
Additionally, when the European leg of her tour closed with a total of $154.4 million in earnings, it made Beyoncé the first woman to be No. 1 on the Top Tours chart in nearly four years.
In true Beyoncé nature, she didn’t rake in all of that money without paying it forward. In fact, her BeyGOOD Foundation, established in 2013, spearheaded several initiatives during her tour stops within the states.
From donating $100,000 in scholarship funding to Detroit students to helping a Chicago wedding and event agency that was facing hardship through a $10,000 gift, Beyoncé’s “Renaissance World Tour” was the gift that kept giving… until the very end.
What’s more, the continued success of the “Break My Soul” singer can serve as a testament to what happens when one simply bets on oneself.
“I started my company [Parkwood Entertainment] and my father taught me so, so much,” Beyoncé said in a speech during the release of her 2013 self-titled album. “When I decided to manage myself, it was important that I didn’t go to some big management company. I felt like I wanted to follow in the footsteps of Madonna and be my own powerhouse and have my own empire and show other women, when you get to this point in your career, you don’t have to sign with someone else and share your money and your success.”
These wins are proof that the risk may have totally been worth the reward in the end!
The ‘Renaissance’ tour began in Europe, followed by dates in Canada and the United States. This was Beyonce’s first tour since her 2018 ‘On The Run II Tour’ co-headlined with Jay Z. It was also her first solo tour since 2016 when she toured for her album ‘Lemonade.’
In June 2023, Forbes released its list of the 15 richest women celebrities in America, ranking Beyoncé as the seventh richest American woman celebrity, with a net worth of approximately R10 billion. She follows Oprah Winfrey, Rihanna, Kim Kardashian, Taylor Swift, Kylie Jenner, and Madonna, all of whom are billionaires, except for Taylor Swift, Kylie Jenner, Madonna, and Beyoncé, whose net worth exceeds R10 billion.
Combined with Jay-Z’s fortune, the Knowles-Carter family’s net worth now stands at about R34 billion.
‘Renaissance’ scored Beyonce nine nominations at the 2023 Grammy Awards, making her the most nominated artist of the year. And she left as the top winner of all time, racking up 32 total prizes with her four wins on the night. – Source: AFROTECH. Additional reporting from Outlook and WSAM
FITTING BIRTHDAY GIFT FOR NEW MISS SOWETO
PERSONA: Newly crowned queen sets her sights on taking part in community development initiatives throughout her reign…
By Jacob Mawela
Nineteen-year-old Eldorado Park-based university student Paige Harvey couldn’t have wished for a more timeous and auspicious present last Saturday – just on the eve of her 20th birthday.
The vivacious lass was crowned the 44th Miss Soweto during the White Star Super Maize Meal-sponsored pageant held at the Soweto Theatre on November 25 – a day before her 20th birthday. She is a student at University of the Witwatersrand, where she is studying for a BA degree in Political Science and International Relations.
Amidst a groundswell of support from a lively audience rooting for the bevy of respective contestants, the elegant Harvey drew her strength and confidence from the considerable contingent on her side.
This year’s judges must have been highly impressed by Harvey’s endearing qualities to break the mould and give her the nod – a move which might have passed as something of an exception to the norm, as she would have been deemed an ‘outsider’ in the past on account of the location she represents technically falling without Soweto.
But such sensibilities were relegated to irrelevance – at least as per the rationale provided by the event’s proprietor as well as effervescent camaraderie among the audience!
Erstwhile queen of the very pageant, Lerato Kganyago, comfortably presented proceedings ably assisted by Expresso presenter Thabiso Makhubela. Deciding the progress and destiny of the contestants were judges,Bridget Masinga (a former pageant contestant herself), Sammy Mhaule, the Kicks Sportswear originator, Grace Mantjiu and Emmanuel Tjiya (Sowetan S Mag editor).
Uzugcin ‘Impilo Yam hitmaker and gospel singer, Bucy Radebe, had some with a spiritual feel in the audience up on their feet whilst otherS sang along to her familiar renditions. And the live entertainment interludes were rounded off by the energetic and leaping antics of the ‘Queen of Amapiano’, viz, Kamo Mphela, the Soweto-raised flashy dancer and singer.
Outgoing Miss Soweto and Tshiawelo-raised Tsakane Sono was invited onstage to bid farewell to her reign – thus signifying a passing of the baton to the new queen.
Lauded as a Showcase of Talent, Grace and Community Spirit, the pageant highlighted with 24-year-old Jabulani-based Lethaukuthula Maseko announced the first princess whilst Diepkloof resident, 22-year-old Nhlakanipho Mkongi was declared the second princess – to make up the Top Three, alongside Harvey, out of a total of 19. Harvey banked away a cool R100 000 cash prize for her triumph whilst Maseko and Mkongi were rewarded with R25 000 and R10 000 respectively.
