As far as her personal life is concerned, you’d be lucky to get her to even utter her husband’s name, but when she’s on stage Beyoncé Knowles transforms into an open book of emotion, sensuality, physics-defying dance moves and goosebump-inducing vocals.
 

Grammy’s 2004 – “Dangerously in Love 2”

Beyoncé first broke away from Destiny’s Child with her debut solo album Dangerously in Love. Performing the title track at the 2004 Grammys, where she won five awards, she showed us that even her ballads could be over-the-top and her voice had enough star power even when it wasn’t complemented by her gyrating hips.

WMA 2006 – “Irreplaceable”

“To the left, to the left…” Everyone in the world, including the boys, were singing along to Beyoncé’s break-up anthem, but no one could belt it out like the diva herself. She brought down the house with this performance at the World Music Awards at Earls Court, London proving her appeal translated well to the other side of the pond.

VMA 2006 - “Ring the Alarm”

Beyoncé took a moment to channel Janet Jackson circa Rhythm Nation for this rocking performance of “Ring the Alarm.” Dressed in a floor-length khaki trench coat and thigh-high patent leather boots, she gave everyone a taste of her angry, bad girl side and we couldn’t get enough.

The Beyoncé Experience – “Crazy in Love”

Right off the bat, Beyoncé got a reputation for going all-out on her tours. This stop in Los Angeles for her The Beyoncé Experience tour was not exception. The sparks literally flew when she opened the show with her hit, then launched into a cover of Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy.”

Neighborhood Ball – “At Last”

The songstress called this performance “the best moment of my career” in an interview with David Letterman. She was invited to sing for Barack and Michelle Obama at the Neighborhood Ball on January 20, 2009 for their first dance as President and first lady. Beyoncé said she was fighting back tears as she sang her rendition of Etta James’s “At Last” for the happy couple, and most of America probably was as well.

NAACP Image Awards 2009 – “Halo”

There was no spectacle when she performed her ballad “Halo” live for the first time at the NAACP Image Awards. It was just an emotional Beyoncé onstage in a white dress with her incredibly powerful voice.

VMAs 2009 – “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)”

Her performance of "Single Ladies" and accompanying dance that sparked a bona fide craze at the 2009 VMAs was spirited, to say the least. The crowd all came to their feet for her gyrating, crotch-pumping, booty-slapping, stiletto-stomping show.

Grammys 2010 – “If I Were a Boy”/”You Oughta Know”

Beyonce didn’t disappoint when she marched (literally) onstage in a black leather Atelier Versace dress and launched into “If I Were a Boy” at the 2010 Grammys. Midway through, she channeled Alanis Morissette and sang a rendition of her hit “You Oughta Know.” But kicking ass onstage wasn’t all she had to celebrate, it was also the night she broke a record, winning six awards out of 10 nominations.