Taylor Swift performed at the Billboard Music Awards on Wednesday night, and she had a full marching band on stage with her. If that set-up sounds familiar, it’s because Beyoncé did a (much better) version of it this year at Coachella, and soon everyone was calling the music festival #Beychella instead.
And in case Swift somehow missed that (she didn’t), the fact that Bey’s documentary of that performance, Homecoming, was released by Netflix a couple of weeks ago probably didn’t escape her attention.
We’re not saying she straight up copied Beyoncé, and yes, we know there have been marching bands performances along with pop musicians before (Prince famously did it at the Super Bowl half-time show in 2007), but the fact that Taylor Swift thought that doing it so soon after Beyoncé did it would be a good idea just shows how out of touch she is.
Honestly. Sw*fties be using words like icon, epic, best, legend & award-winning too loosely. And seem to forget that Bey’s use of drumlines in #Homecoming is hailing black culture DEEPLY while #Mayochella was surface, bubblegum fluff—no substance, no depth.
— Dr. Sami Schalk is Grading (@DrSamiSchalk) May 2, 2019
Another big problem with Swift’s performance is that Beyoncé’s performance had a whole lot of context and history behind it. Swift’s, not so much.
And people were not shy about calling Swift out for her appropriation. It wasn’t long before #Mayochella was trending on Twitter, and the roasting was delicious.
1.
https://twitter.com/mattwhitlockPM/status/1123787884790800384
2.
How can a person’s pose be offbeat https://t.co/uDwD3Mm4gw
— ✨ uɓıs ɹǝʇɐʍ pǝʇɐɹodɐʌǝ ✨ (@wewantkandy) May 2, 2019
3.
🗣OK LADIES LET’S GENTRIFICATION #Mayochella pic.twitter.com/BTBDhP3JpJ
— NYC Queen 👑 (@acayne10463) May 2, 2019
4.
Homecoming vs. Shortcoming #Mayochella pic.twitter.com/cweVIy1wUR
— God'z Kid (@The4Real_KB) May 2, 2019
5.
Kanye we need you to check Taylor again…#MayoChella
— Ms.SelectivelySocial (@ThecalmJade) May 2, 2019
6.
If you could visualize the taste of LaCroix #mayochella pic.twitter.com/6Q3XkPDS2s
— December 21st ⏰ (@InhambaneAfrika) May 2, 2019
7.
What in the Melania copying Michelle’s speech is this. #Mayochella pic.twitter.com/piWkZ1o95l
— Courtney Enlow (@courtenlow) May 2, 2019
8.
https://twitter.com/TeekusRaps/status/1123817799770619904
9.
Taylor tried to copy Beyonce performance, but ended up looking like a high school pep rally #Mayochella pic.twitter.com/jWsGJtqpEU
— Awesomeness (@that_bitch311) May 2, 2019
10.
“When he fuck me good I take his ass to Panera.” pic.twitter.com/s3mnaodd0k
— Jah. (@Jeesa_Jay) May 2, 2019
11.
#mayochella – Kanye tried to tell you… pic.twitter.com/NY2dCWwK1N
— Narrative Shifter (@FiveMikes) May 2, 2019
12.
“Ok ladies, now let’s Birth of a Nation” #MayoChella pic.twitter.com/rg0q8AGerb
— as told by nigger. (@fistedfemme) May 2, 2019
13.
“Okay ladies, let’s promote colonization.” #MayoChella pic.twitter.com/p8nZfam2F8
— Preston Mitchum (@PrestonMitchum) May 2, 2019
14.
This is why Beyoncé dropped her self titled album on Taylor Swift’s birthday. We ain’t forget #Mayochella pic.twitter.com/x5nyKyEGk9
— Fro Milli (@MichelleCocoa_) May 2, 2019
15.
https://twitter.com/missbeygency/status/1123753536431562759
16.
My daddy Minnesota, mama from North Dakota, you mix that Starbucks with that mayo MAKE A TRUMP SUPPORTER😂😂😂 #Mayochella pic.twitter.com/HrmzDqEUKE
— Phoenix (@boi_baddie) May 3, 2019
17.
https://twitter.com/VincentMosley6/status/1124162031823749120
18.
Who is responsible for this?! 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 #Mayochella pic.twitter.com/hqr0AfVxvP
— Mariah Johnson (@MariahMipie) May 3, 2019
19.
Nobody:
Absolutely Nobody (maybe a few white folks):
Taylor Swift after Beychella: #Mayochella pic.twitter.com/SRhiGFOekw
— Frederick Joseph (@FredTJoseph) May 2, 2019