When Beyoncé, Jennifer Hudson and Anika Noni Rose sang, “Dreamgirls will never leave you,” they meant it! At the 2024 iHeartRadio Music Awards (April 1), two of the Dreamgirls co-stars reunited for a beautiful picture backstage.
“I am so happy I got to be there to cheer on my Dreamgirls sister as she received the @iheartradio Innovator Award!!!” Hudson wrote in a heartfelt Instagram caption. “Congratulations on such a well deserved recognition! Love u @beyonce !!!”
In the picture — which served as the cover to a photo carousel commemorating Beyoncé’s appearance at the ceremony — the two Grammy winners are all smiles in complementary black outfits. Hudson, who performed a rousing tribute to Icon Award honoree Cher, sported a sparkly semi-sheer bustier paired with a black fringe leather jacket. Queen Bey, on the other hand, stayed true to her current Cowboy Carter country-inspired aesthetic with a black cowboy hat, a black leather archival look from Versace’s fall 1992 collection and her trademark blonde tresses.
At the 2024 iHeartMusic Awards, Beyoncé received the Innovator Award in honor of her status as a “global cultural icon” who has taken “creative risks, successfully transformed their music and influenced pop culture,” most recently with her much-buzzed-about Cowboy Carter LP. That album, which was introduced by “16 Carriages” and the historic Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 single “Texas Hold ‘Em,” has already inspired comments from the likes of Vice President Kamala Harris and Michelle Obama. Beyoncé had five other nominations at the ceremony, including R&B song of the year (“Cuff It”) and favorite tour style (Renaissance World Tour).
Hudson, who played the Effie to Beyoncé’s Deena in the 2006 Oscar-winning film adaptation of Dreamgirls, performed “If I Could Turn Back Time” and “Believe” — with Cher herself! — at the ceremony. The rest of her Instagram post feature backstage clips of her and Beyoncé catching up, as well as a picture of Queen Bey accepting her award from none other than Stevie Wonder, who she revealed as the harmonica player on her new cover of Dolly Parton‘s “Jolene.”
Check out Beyoncé and Jennifer Hudson’s iHeartRadio Music Awards reunion on Hudson’s Instagram.
