Beyonce Kicked Off The 2022 Oscars By Performing ‘Be Alive’ From ‘King Richard’ At The Compton Tennis Courts

Even before the trailer for King Richard dropped, the Beyhive was buzzing about a potential new Beyonce song in the Venus and Serena Williams biopic. “Be Alive” ended up being pretty much the only new music we got from Bey last year, but it did not disappoint. Like the title suggests, the powerful track glories in the simple pleasure of being alive, and how satisfying it feels to confound expectations when the world is against you.

The song picked up a 2022 nomination from the Oscars for Best Original Song after initially being shortlisted by the selection committee, and rumors were swirling last week that Bey would actually perform the song during the awards show tonight, but would do so from the Compton tennis courts named after the Williams sisters.

And that’s exactly how the show’s planners chose to open tonight, with a glowing Beyonce clad all in yellow, surrounded by plenty of other dancers — some even rocking the signature hair beads that defined Venus and Serena’s early looks as players. Blue Ivy showed up to perform alongside her mother too, making this moment feel very full circle. This is the first time Beyonce has performed at an awards show in almost five years, and she nailed it with an over-the-top spectacle as she always does. Check out clips from her performance below.

Beyonce May Perform At This Year’s Oscars From The Compton Tennis Courts Named After The Williams Sisters

Ahead of Sunday’s telecast of the 94th Academy Awards, Variety is reporting that Beyonce is planning to perform at this year’s Oscars via satellite. Beyonce, who is nominated for Best Original Song for “Be Alive” from King Richard is reportedly planning to perform the song live from tennis courts in Compton, California.

Compton is where Venus and Serena Williams honed their tennis skills, encouraged by their father, Richard, played by Will Smith in King Richard. In 2016, The Lueders Park courts were officially rebranded as the Venus and Serena Williams Court of Champions.

According to Variety, “One possible scenario would have Will Smith…appear onsite with Beyonce and then presumably head north to Hollywood in time to take his seat for the announcement of the best actor category.”

In an interview with Vanity Fair, songwriter Dixson revealed Bey had reached out to him to collaborate on a song for King Richard. Dixson, who had been trying for a while to send demos and song ideas to Beyonce’s team, said of their collaboration, “I wanted to just give her the bones of the song first because what I don’t think people talk about a lot is Beyonce’s ability to craft a song. A lot of it happens in her vocals and her delivery, but she’s also a great songwriter and an amazing producer.”

The Oscars will air Sunday, March 27 on ABC.

Beyonce Strives To Overcome Tough Battles On The Spirited And Riotous ‘Be Alive’

The Beyhive have endured a grueling last few years in the music department has Beyonce’s releases have been scarce since she shared her beloved sixth album, Lemonade. Besides Everything Is Love, her joint album with husband Jay-Z, Beyonce’s releases have mainly come in the form of singles and guest features. Now she’s back with her first song in over a year thanks to “Be Alive.” The new track is a spirited and riotous track that appears in King Richard, the biopic that follows tennis stars Serena and Venus Williams’ rise to stardom.

The new song was first teased in a trailer for the new film that was shared last month. Listeners got a good preview at the motivating single thanks to lyrics like “Can’t nobody knock it if they try / Do you know how much we have pride? / How hard we have to try?” As for the movie itself, Will Smith plays the tennis stars’ father in King Richard while Saniyya Sidney and Demi Singleton play Venus and Serena respectively. King Richard is available in both theaters and on HBO Max starting on November 19.

The new song arrives as Beyonce’s new Ivy Park collaboration with Peloton was released. The entire collection featured 29 pieces including T-shirts, bike shorts, tights, sports bras, shorts, windbreaks, and cropped hoodies.

You can listen to “Be Alive” in the video above.

Beyonce’s Upcoming Song, ‘Be Alive,’ Highlights A New Trailer For Will Smith’s ‘King Richard’

Last month, thanks to the premiere of the King Richard biopic at the Telluride Film Festival, Beyonce fans learned that the singer would soon be releasing new music. One of her upcoming songs, titled “Be Alive,” will appear in the movie and a quick preview of the track can be heard in the newest trailer for King Richard. The track is a moving ballad with a heavy piano presence that focuses on overcoming tough battles.

“Can’t nobody knock it if they try,” Beyonce sings on the song, later adding, “Do you know how much we have pride? / How hard we have to try?”

The upcoming King Richard film is executive produced by tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams as it follows the siblings from their youth to adulthood as they overcome numerous hardships to be the legendary tennis players we know them as today. Will Smith plays the role of their father while Saniyya Sidney and Demi Singleton play Venus and Serena respectively. This film will arrive in both theaters and on HBO Max next on November 19.

The preview of Beyonce’s upcoming song comes after she praised Balmain’s creative director during the brand’s spring/summer 2022 fashion show in Paris. She also shared a touching note to fans thanking them for their wishes after she turned 40.

You can watch the trailer and hear Beyonce’s “Be Alive” in the video above.