What is Beyoncé's 'mute' challenge? How 1 line became a concert phenomenon

Beyoncé's concerts are always roaring. Lately, though, the crowd makes space for a single moment of silence.

Throughout her "Renaissance" world tour, fans have taken one line in the song "Energy" literally. When Beyoncé sings, "Look around, everybody on mute," the crowd actually goes silent.

Videos of the moment shared online shows the transformation, as animated stadiums full of people in glittering costumes become suddenly still.

This moment in the concert has been nicknamed the "mute" challenge, as the crowd challenges each other to simmer down — before revving back up again.

What is the 'mute' challenge, and how did it start?

The "Renaissance" world tour kicked off in Sweden in May, with the first U.S. stop in July.

During the moment, Beyoncé pauses for about five seconds to see how quiet the crowd can get. Usually, screams puncture the silence before Beyoncé starts the next line — but not always.

Fans and spectators are likening Beyoncé, in those moments, to a teacher at the front of the classroom.

"This Beyoncé mute thing is amusing because now you know how teachers felt when they tried to get your classroom to be quiet but at least one kid was always making noise," someone on X, formerly known as Twitter, wrote.

Beyoncé's celebrity fans, like Zendaya, have joined in on the mute challenge

At one of her recent celebrity-filled Los Angeles concerts, Vanessa Bryant, Natalie Bryant, Zendaya and Tom Holland were among attendees who dropped what they were doing to participate in the mute challenge.

A Renaissance tour attendee posted a TikTok of her time at the L.A. show, with Zendaya and her boyfriend Tom Holland in the background.

Actor Lupita Nyong'o posted a video of her doing the challenge at one of the Los Angeles tour stops. She and her friend froze on cue, but not all of the crowd followed suit.

Which city has won the Beyoncé mute challenge?

The challenge has become competitive as different cities compete to be the quietest.

People hype up their own stadiums' performances on social media. "THE COMPLETE SILENCE??? OH LA FINALLY ATE THE MUTE CHALLENGE," someone tweeted.

"MUTE challenge CLEARED! Tampa you delivered," another person wrote.

"Atlanta definitely had the BEST 'Mute'. I can’t believe I screamed like that Beyoncé really had me up, yelling to the top of my lungs," a third said.

Beyoncé has weighed in, grading the stadiums’ performances with expressions — and sometimes outright declarations. In August, she said Washington, D.C. was the “Eerbody On Mute War” winner.

The debate will surely continue through Beyoncé’s last concert on Oct. 1 in Kansas City, Missouri.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com