recent album Renaissance celebrated and honoured black queer culture and paid tribute to "dance music that emerged out of the gay community." In an interview with BBC Newsbeat, music journalist Abigail Firth said that Renaissance was "indebted to LGBT culture" and the performance "seem[ed] like a really misguided choice." Human rights advocate Radha Stirling said that the concert sent people a "mixed message" of the United Arab Emirates as a "tolerant country" and "whitewash[ed]" the reality of its laws. She said "fans who follow their favorite singer to Dubai could face extreme human rights violations if accused of infringements of the UAE's strict homosexuality, offensive behavior and alcohol consumption laws." The controversy sparked a larger conversation as to whether or not popstars should perform in countries where homosexuality is illegal. Some Emiratis in the LGBTQ community did not share negative sentiments. A queer Emirati woman spoke to Newsweek detailing surprise from her native circle, saying "the outrage comes from an international audience with little knowledge of the UAE and the type of events that periodically take place here." She referenced musicians who are LGBTQ or LGBTQ allies who have performed in the region before, such as Lady Gaga, Elton John, Adam Lambert and Boy George. The Guardian referenced the London School of Economics' research into western gay men and their ability to evade punishment in the UAE, by "us[ing] their economic, social and cultural privileges to create communities where they can meet and socialise." Newsweek also featured a gay Emirati man who communicated that he viewed the real issue was the private nature of the performance, and expressed frustration at western notions of the Emiratis' experience in the UAE as a "super harsh" experience. In an interview with TMZ, Beyoncé's father Mathew Knowles defended the performance, saying that the concert "united a diverse audience", and that she gave and received respect to the UAE. He described the criticism as "narrow-minded" and referenced Beyoncé's history of support for the LGBTQ community, how she "would never deliberately hurt someone" and always stood for inclusiveness. Set list The following songs were performed at the concert. "At Last" "XO" "Flaws And All" "Ave Maria" "Halo" "Brown Skin Girl" "Be Alive" "Spirit of Rangeela" "Otherside" "Bigger" "Spirit" "Freedom" "I Care" "Beautiful Liar" "Bwatwains Beek" "Crazy in Love" "Countdown" "Naughty Girl" "Drunk in Love" Notes The set list was leaked by Brazilian magazine POPline a few