Beyoncé’s Dark Hair Made a Rare Appearance at Global Citizen Fest 2018

The Global Citizen Festival honoring Nelson Mandela’s 100th birthday was a first of its kind, making Beyoncé the perfect headliner. The annual festival, created by the Global Poverty Project, has been up and running since 2012, with concerts held all over the world, including New York City.

This weekend’s South Africa edition, hosted by The Daily Show host Trevor Noah, proved to be its most star-studded to date, with other performers including Pharrell, Usher, Ed Sheeran as well as performers from the continent (Wizkid, D’banj and Femi Kuti) collaborating to honor Mandela’s work and legacy.

MORE: Beyoncé’s New Merch Is Here to Make Your Holiday Bolder and Brighter

Kevin Mazur/Contributor.

And while the event proved to be a feast for the eyes and ears, with all kinds of intricate stage costuming and musical genres, as BeyHivers, we were naturally ecstatic to see the LEMONADE singer deliver a rare look: her hair in a darker hue. Yes, even custom designs from Versace, Mary Katrantzou and Balmain couldn’t tear us away from this moment.

Kevin Mazur/Contributor.

Anyone who follows her hairstylist Neal Farinah on Instagram (or has watched Bey do just about anything) is well aware that her go-to hair color has long been varying shades of blonde. However, for this set, which also included an appearance from hubby and hype man Jay Z, she decided to venture to the dark side, leaving just a few front strands a lighter shade.

Kevin Mazur/Contributor.

One thing that does remain is inches, because whipping hair is an art when your last name is Knowles-Carter. We’re not sure if she’ll go even darker with jet black strands, also known as the trend that never seems to die. If she does, we have a feeling she’ll pull it off.