Beyoncé Fans in Louisiana Claim that New Orleans is the Winner of the ‘Mute’ Challenge
The Crescent City has long been known for its vibrant culture and lively music scene, but on Wednesday (9/28), during Beyoncé's New Orleans stop of her "Renaissance" world tour, fans went unusually silent, sparking a debate over who truly conquered the "Mute" challenge.
Social media was quick to erupt with reactions. A TikTok video posted by user @beeyonslays and shared by @whatspoppinnola was captioned “NOLA WINS THE MUTE CHALLENGE OMG.”
The sentiment was largely echoed in the comments with fans asserting, "we did that" and "Oh okay Nola. Y’all showed up and stfu. Y’all won." However, the challenge, which has been a staple in the "Renaissance" tour, has been met with varying success across cities. When Beyoncé sings, "Look around, everybody on mute," from her song "Energy," the audience is expected to fall into silence for about five seconds. New Orleans seems to have delivered, but not everyone agreed.
A counterpoint came from a comment on a video by @lansa.jpg, which warned New Orleans concert-goers to take the challenge seriously. The commenter argued that New Orleans failed because of the city’s famous hand grenades affecting the crowd's focus.
Additionally, a spectator from Houston's Day 2 tour stop claimed H-town had the edge, stating, "I think I heard ppl talking and screaming loll. H-town day 2 won. Sorry."
The "mute" challenge has garnered attention from Beyoncé's celebrity fans like Zendaya, Vanessa Bryant, and Natalie Bryant, all seen participating at one of her Los Angeles concerts. In August, Beyoncé herself declared Washington, D.C., as the “Eerbody On Mute War” winner, yet no official declaration for the New Orleans stop has been made.
As other cities boast their own triumphs over the "mute" challenge, only Beyoncé's final word will settle the debate. The last stop of her tour is on October 1st, in Kansas City, Missouri. Until then, the Bayou State’s claim to the "Mute" challenge crown hangs in suspenseful silence.