Iconic | #OTRII with Debenhams

“Your self worth is determined by you. You don’t have to depend on someone telling you who you are.” – Beyoncé

In 2004 I spent my pocket money on a chart-topping album. I put the CD in my karaoke machine, took out the lyrics booklet, lay on the floor and pressed play. I’d spend evenings in my bedroom, singing into my microphone, recording over cassettes (thank God those don’t exist anymore) and stalking my new favourite girl band in every Mizz, Bliss and Seventeen. I became a part of the Beyhive.

14 years later and I’m standing with a glammed-up group of ladies, sipping on wine with a nervous titter, waiting for the woman who has inspired for over half my life to come on stage.

It’s not just the incredible voice, the sass or the glamour. Beyoncé is empowering. Her persistence for equality, body positivity, hard work, family values and keeping the private stuff, well, private is what we should all strive for. She embraces her curves, her natural look, her influence on music and art, and most importantly, her role as a mumma, wife and performer with regard and class.

And here she is, in London. Touring in celebration of ten years of marriage, the ultimate power couple. It’s honestly enough just being in the same building as them… I could go home happy.

Instead I watch as the floor of London’s Olympic Stadium fills, as the noise of anticipation grows, my stomach flipping with butterflies. I can’t quite believe it… will it really be her?

I’m here with Debenhams, dressed up in a little black dress, transformed from office to night in my new wedges and a smear of red lipstick. They’ve truly spoilt us, it’s already been a VIP experience and I haven’t yet taken my seat.

The beat begins, speeds up with every drop of the bass as images flash across the screen. Her, him. And then silence.

As they walked out I remember just not believing it. I still don’t. When you’ve looked up to someone for so long and they’re finally represented as a life-size human, just close enough to make out the shape of their face… are they then real? Pinching yourself doesn’t work. It had to be a hologram. Or hallucination.

Tangible or not, it was beyond anything I’d ever seen. The dancers, the live band, the projections, the moving stage. The art. And them. If you know me, you know I bang on about storytelling. How everything I love, I love for its story. Well, On The Run II was a visual spectacle. The love, the heartbreak, the independence, the strength. Amen Carters.

Sometimes life feels so perfectly ridiculous. I doubted why I was there. But by some chance I was and I had to force myself to stop questioning why. You earnt this, I told myself. Debenhams picked you. That’s the thing with ‘being a blogger’. Imposter syndrome is a common side effect. The world expects you to get everything, but in reality, you expect nothing. Because there’s always someone else you look up to that you convince yourself is better. But why not you? Why not own it?

That’s what Beyoncé would do.

A huge thank you to Debenhams for giving me this incredible opportunity to see a true icon, and of course look glam in the process! To pick out a beautiful LBD, see Debenhams’ range here.

Side note – I already had tickets for their second London performance hence why some of the photos are from a different angle!