Beyonce Impersonator Riley Knoxx Becomes First Trans Woman to Perform at NBA Halftime

Riley Knoxx became the first trans woman to perform in an NBA halftime show last Friday (March 6).

Knoxx, a Beyonce impersonator nicknamed “The Illusion of Queen Bey,” performed at Pride Night for the Washington Wizards during a game against the Atlanta Hawks.

“They reached out to me, believe it or not,” Knoxx told Good Morning America. “They have been watching for a while and they’ve been wanting me to perform at their events, but they were just waiting for the right time and space. And it just worked out that because they were watching, that’s how I got this chance.”

Knoxx performed a three-song medley of Beyonce hits “Formation,” “End of Time,” and “Crazy in Love,” joined by the Wizards’ cheerleaders and dancers.

“People always ask me, ‘How does it feel to be living your dreams?’ or ‘Did you dream of this?’” she said. “I’m always like, ‘No!’ I couldn’t have dreamed this. I’m living beyond anything I could have dreamed of.”

Watch Knoxx’s full performance below: