Beyoncé Addresses ‘Formation’ Controversy After Super Bowl 50 Performance

After a powerhouse performance at Super Bowl 50 in Santa Clara, California, Beyoncé is speaking out about her latest single. The song, titled "Formation," was released on Feb. 6 and immediately became the topic of conversation among fans and haters alike on the internet.

In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, Beyoncé, 34, said she was "proud" to perform the song during the halftime show. She told ET reporter Kevin Frazier that she created the song in the hopes that it would inspire listeners. Beyoncé said she wanted to help empower fans to love themselves and be proud of who they are and where they come from.

"I wanted people to feel proud," she said, "and have love for themselves."

Beyoncé took the stage — or should we say field — during the halftime show on Sunday. She was brought out by Coldplay and followed a performance from Bruno Mars. During the performance the mother of one, who was rumored to have been announcing a second pregnancy during the show, sang several songs. She opened her portion of the show with "Formation" before assisting Bruno Mars with "Uptown Funk" and closing it all out with "Up & Up," which she, Bruno Mars and Coldplay all sang together.

"Formation" was released on Saturday and almost immediately made waves on the web. While many fans couldn't get enough of the song and its video, which took a stance on a range of issues including racism, sexism, police brutality and the constant commentary on Beyoncé and her family (Blue Ivy's hair, their involvement in the Illuminati, etc.), some were outraged. As was reported by Business Insider (via Yahoo), some called for a boycott of the singer, claiming the “Formation” video furthered anti-police rhetoric.

There was also some controversy over the origins of the visuals presented in the "Formation" video. Shortly after the video began making its rounds on Twitter, independent film director Abteen Bagheri and producer Chris Black alleged that some of the footage shown in the video had been stolen from a documentary they worked on together. According to CNN, the duo released "That B.E.A.T." in 2012. Scenes from the film were featured in "Formation," but the music video's director, Melina Matsoukas, addressed the drama in a single tweet. She sent "much love" to the film's creators, adding that their footage made "#FORMATION whole." Despite her acknowledgement many — including Black — were left displeased.