P1.Lainey Wilson Faces Backlash Over Beyoncé Comparisons at NFL Christmas Halftime Show.P1
Country star Lainey Wilson is facing online criticism after her Christmas Day NFL halftime appearance sparked comparisons to Beyoncé’s 2024 holiday performance.
Wilson joined Snoop Dogg during Snoop’s Holiday Halftime Party at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, part of Netflix’s NFL Christmas Gameday broadcast between the Minnesota Vikings and the Detroit Lions. Dressed in a white, figure-hugging bodysuit with a matching cowboy hat, Wilson made a dramatic entrance riding in on a themed vehicle before performing “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town.”
Almost immediately, social media lit up with accusations that the look and staging echoed Beyoncé’s Christmas halftime show from the previous year. Fans pointed to similarities in the all-white aesthetic, the Western-inspired styling, and the flashy vehicular entrance—elements Beyoncé used during her Houston performance tied to her Cowboy Carter era, which also featured her daughter Blue Ivy.
Netflix’s official Instagram post promoting the show was quickly flooded with GIFs and side-by-side images of Beyoncé, with comments accusing Wilson and the production team of “copying” or “recycling” last year’s concept. Some viewers even questioned whether the same entrance vehicle had been reused.
While praise for Wilson’s vocals and stage presence did appear, it was largely overshadowed by the debate. Neither Wilson nor the NFL has publicly responded to the criticism, leaving fans divided over whether the similarities were coincidence, homage, or something more controversial.
