Lainey Wilson found herself at the center of a controversy following her Christmas Day halftime performance during the NFL game featuring the Minnesota Vikings against the Detroit Lions. Accusations surfaced, claiming the country singer borrowed heavily from Beyoncé’s previous holiday halftime show concept.

Fans were quick to draw parallels between Wilson’s presentation and Beyoncé’s, noting similarities in costume and thematic elements. The comparison was particularly striking given Beyoncé’s memorable performance last year, where she dazzled in an all-white ensemble complete with distinctive leather chaps in Houston.

Critics voiced their disapproval on social media, accusing the 33-year-old Wilson of imitating Beyoncé’s style. The conversation gained traction when Netflix’s official Instagram account posted a video of the show featuring Snoop Dogg alongside Wilson. The comments section buzzed with remarks highlighting the likeness, intentional or not.

The post quickly became a battleground for Beyoncé’s ardent supporters, who used GIFs and photos to underscore the similarities, particularly focusing on Wilson’s costume and grand entrance.

The backlash underscored the high expectations and scrutiny artists face when performing on such grand stages, where originality is often fiercely protected by fans and the industry alike.

Lainey Wilson was accused of copying Beyonce’s concept for her Christmas Day halftime show for the NFL game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Detroit Lions on December 25

Many fans claimed the country crooner took inspiration from Beyonce’s costume and concept from the Cowboy Carter singer’s performance for last year’s holiday halftime show

Some critics took to social media to express their outrage as they called out Wilson, 33, for ‘stealing’ another artist’s ideas

Last Christmas, Beyoncé wore an all-white outfit with cheeky, leather chaps to perform at the halftime show in her hometown of Houston. 

Her 13-year-old daughter Blue Ivy Carter joined her for their stadium performance during the game between the Baltimore Ravens and the Houston Texans. 

For the joint performance this year, Lainey also wore a bedazzled, figure-hugging bodysuit paired with a white cowboy hat.

The majority of the performers wore all-white including vocal legend Andrea Boccelli, his 28-year-old son Matteo Bocelli as well as HUNTR/X’s EJAE, Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami — who were the singing voices for the Netflix animation film KPop Demon Hunters. 

They were supporting Snoop Dogg, who was standing front and center for the collaborative performance dubbed Snoop’s Holiday Halftime Party. 

For the festive show, the rapper wore a head-to-toe red outfit paired with a gold microphone, standing out beside the singers wearing monochromatic white looks.

Snoop Dogg performed some of his most popular hits, namely My Favorite Things, G Thang and Drop It Like It’s Hot. 

Then, Wilson rode in on a Snoopmobile and sang Santa Claus Is Coming to Town. 

When the official Instagram page of Netflix shared a video of Snoop Dogg and Wilson’s show on Friday, a slew of critics took to the comments section to point out the resemblance, whether it was intentional or not

The majority of the performers wore all-white including vocal legend Andrea Boccelli, his 28-year-old son Matteo Bocelli as well as HUNTR/X’s EJAE, Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami. They were supporting Snoop Dogg, who was standing front and center for the collaborative performance dubbed Snoop’s Holiday Halftime Party

On social media, many fans pointed out the similarities to Beyoncé’s 2024 Christmas halftime show with Post Malone and her daughter Blue Ivy

Last year, Beyoncé began her show with a pre-recorded segment

She then appeared in the middle of the stadium, riding in on a float, which had the vehicle’s chassis decorated to resemble a white, vintage Cadillac

Later, HUNTR/X performed Golden followed by Andrea and Matteo Bocelli’s performance of White Christmas. 

Wilson’s flashy, vehicular entrance was also the subject of criticism as some fans compared it to Beyonce riding in on a white pickup truck the previous year. 

On social media, many fans pointed out the similarities to Beyoncé’s 2024 Christmas halftime show with Post Malone and her daughter Blue Ivy. 

Last year, Beyoncé began her show riding horseback on an all-white stallion in a pre-recorded segment. 

She then appeared in the middle of the stadium, riding in on a float, which had the vehicle’s chassis decorated to resemble a white, vintage Cadillac. 

Some fans left comments questioning if the NFL and design team had even used the same vehicle for Wilson’s sleigh entrance.   

‘I feel like … I’ve seen this before,’ one fan commented. 

Another social media user tagged the 35-time Grammy winner and wrote: ‘girl she stole yo look.’ 

For the 2024 Christmas halftime show, Beyoncé ended her performance on a floating platform 

Last Christmas, Beyoncé wore an all-white outfit with cheeky, leather chaps to perform at the halftime show in her hometown of Houston

Her 13-year-old daughter Blue Ivy Carter joined her for their stadium performance during the game between the Baltimore Ravens and the Houston Texans.

The white cowboy hat and white bodysuit that Wilson wore for the holiday halftime show this year was too reminiscent of Beyoncé’s, many fans said

Netflix’s post of Snoop Dogg and Wilson during this year’s holiday halftime show was flooded with fan comments comparing their set to Beyoncé’s 

The comments were flooded with GIFs and photos of Beyoncé as her fans quickly took aim at Wilson for her similar styling in her costume and her entrance

‘I feel like … I’ve seen this before,’ one fan commented

Another social media user tagged the 35-time Grammy winner and wrote: ‘girl she stole yo look’

A majority of the comments called out Wilson for ‘copying’ and ‘stealing,’ overwhelming the ones praising her performance, which were fewer in comparison.

A majority of the comments called out Wilson for ‘copying’ and ‘stealing,’ overwhelming the ones praising her performance, which were fewer in comparison.

‘So, once again… they copied Beyoncé,’ one fan wrote. 

‘She stole Beyonce’s looks!! Omfg,’ one fan commented underneath the video, while many other Instagram users added to the same sentiment. 

Another person left a crying emoji in the comments section, writing: ‘this is literally just the Beyonce bowl.’ 

One fan suggested the artists performing the holiday halftime show this year could not come up with their own creative, original concept as they added: ‘I mean can y’all think for yourselves even just a LITTLE bit???’ 

‘Copy & pasted Beyonce. And still got it wrong,’ one person wrote alongside multiple laughing emojis. 

Another fan made a play on words, referencing Beyoncé’s country album Cowboy Carter, as they commented: ‘Cowboy Copy Paste.’ 

‘She stole Beyonce’s looks!! Omfg,’ one fan commented underneath the video, while many other Instagram users added to the same sentiment

Another person left a crying emoji in the comments section, writing: ‘this is literally just the Beyonce bowl’

One fan suggested the artists performing the holiday halftime show this year could not come up with their own creative, original concept as they added: ‘I mean can y’all think for yourselves even just a LITTLE bit???’

‘Copy & pasted Beyonce. And still got it wrong,’ one person wrote alongside multiple laughing emojis

Another fan made a play on words, referencing Beyoncé’s country album Cowboy Carter, as they commented: ‘Cowboy Copy Paste’

One comment even asked if the same vehicle entrance was the same car reused 

‘So y’all copied and pasted last years performance? Got it,’ one person wrote, garnering over a thousand likes as many more cosigned similar comments.

One comment even asked if the same vehicle entrance was the same car reused.

‘So y’all copied and pasted last years performance? Got it,’ one person wrote, garnering over a thousand likes as many more cosigned similar comments. 

This year, Wilson was performed alongside Snoop Dogg for his set at the U.S. Bank Satdium in Minneapolis. 

The second game of the NFL Christmas Gameday slate aired on Netflix with the end resulting in the Minnesota Vikings’ 23-10 victory over the Detroit Lions.