Beyoncé is officially the honorary mayor of Santa Clara, California, reports have confirmed.
The announcement was made ahead of her headline show in the city, where she performed at Levi’s Stadium Wednesday.
The 41-year-old mother of three was not there for the ceremony, although her publicist Dr. Yvette Noel-Schure accepted the honor on her behalf. She was also awarded a silver key to the city.
“Immense gratitude on behalf of Ms. Carter to all who made the decision to honor her here in Santa Clara and in the state of California,” Noel-Schure told the audience. “I have worked with Beyoncé now for close to 27 years, and it gives me great joy to see her still being recognized for her contribution to the arts and to society at large.”
She continued: “She has spent a great amount of time honing her craft, not just to create memorable anthems – ‘Run the world? (Girls)’ – but also mantras to boost confidence to get the strength to get up in the morning. To enter a room proud of who you are, whose you are, where you come from and who you love.”
Taylor Swift was also declared honorary mayor of the city during her two-night performance of her Eras tour.
Prior to Beyoncé’s Wednesday night performance, she performed at Levi’s Stadium four times. Her most recent appearance was part of her On the Run II tour with Jay Z in 2018.
In a statement, the city’s full-time mayor Lisa M. Gillmor extended her gratitude for Beyoncé accepting the honor and welcomed the megastar to town.
“As one of the most decorated artists in history, we are thrilled to have Beyoncé back here in Santa Clara as she contributes to the economic vitality of our city,” Gillmor said. “Beyoncé demonstrates an incredible dedication to economic equity and championing marginalized communities through her service to communities globally. In recognition of her artistry and humanitarianism, we are proud to present Beyoncé a key to our city along with the title of honorary mayor.”
