Today in the news I didn’t think I’d be reporting about, Beyoncé has become a Twitch streamer.
No, really. Or at least, sort of. What started out as a gimmick for a Super Bowl commercial has turned into a strange reality, demonstrating how the creator economy and celebrity culture have become increasingly interchangeable.
In recent years, celebrities have been trying hard to “break the internet” (remember Kim Kardashian?). This hunger to win the hearts and minds of netizens underpins music icon Beyoncé’s latest Verizon Super Bowl commercial.
In it, Beyoncé tries everything she can to “break” the internet (as well as Verizon’s “unbreakable” connection). These attempts range from taking a bat to a ‘Lemonade’ stand to employing a creepy-looking AI robot — but it’s her playing video games as a Twitch streamer that really caught our attention.
Complete with the baby pink cat ear headphones, Beyoncé looked every inch the creator as she joined the platform. Not just in the commercial, but IRL, too.
Seriously, she’s verified as @IamSlayonce on Twitch, although she hasn’t actually posted anything on the platform yet.
If recent events are anything to go by, Beyoncé could give Twitch the popularity boost it desperately needs right now. From ceasing streaming in Korea to its confusing nudity policy, Twitch has left creators uncertain about the future of the platform.
But if Beyoncé really ends up streaming for Twitch, it might end up scoring a touchdown.
