Beyoncé superfan credits star with saving her life
- Published
Gwen Denholm credits Beyoncé with her recovery
After a week of stress, sweat and tears, a Beyoncé super fan from Angus has managed to bag tickets to her idol's first solo tour in seven years.
Gwen Denholm from Kirriemuir believes the singer has helped save her life.
She said her music has seen her through tough times battling Parkinson's disease and bipolar disorder.
After being unsuccessful in ticket presales, Ms Denholm finally secured tickets to her idol's Renaissance World Tour on the day of the general sale.
Due to her health issues, she needed tickets which could accommodate a wheelchair.
However she said disabled tickets are sparse, so she ended up spending a small fortune - £900 - on VIP hospitality tickets.
Ms Denholm, 56, told BBC Scotland it was worth it.
"I was crying this morning," she said. "My hands wouldn't work so my husband took time off work to help me buy the tickets.
"It means so much to me. I don't think I will see her again. I'm not as good as I should be, so this is it."
Beyoncé made history with her record-breaking 32nd Grammy Award on Sunday
The UK concerts are part of a world tour in support of her Renaissance album, which the won best dance/electronic album at the Grammys on Sunday.
Ticket prices ranged from £56 to £252 - and some VIP packages which include guaranteed front row seats or even seats on the stage stretch to more than £2,300.
Ms Denholm has followed Beyoncé's career since she emerged as part of Destiny's Child in the late nineties and said listening to Beyoncé's hits helped her though dark periods in her life.
"I loved her music, I was inspired by the group," Ms Denholm said. "When she went solo, she just took it to another level.
"I was in the hospital quite a lot, so I had a wee iPod at the time with all of Beyoncé's music.
"My headphones were never off and I willed myself better using her music.
"She saved my life on a number of occasions actually."
Gwen Denholm in Formation tour merchandise
The superfan, known as Momma Gwen to fellow fans, created the Beyhive Momma group dedicated to fans on Facebook with over 13,000 members.
She said they were praying for her to get her hands on tickets.
"There are so many people out there that think like me, admire her so much, look up to her - and that's where this group that I have got has come from," she said.
"And it is global."
The struggle for tour tickets has been difficult, with demand vastly outstripping availability and technical errors plaguing sales.
The Murrayfield gig on 20 May was all but sold out within the hour when tickets went on sale at 10:00.
Seeing that the star had added a third, fourth and fifth date at London's Tottenham Hotspur stadium, fans took to social media to call for a second Scottish date.
Some users got an error message on the Ticketmaster website, while others said they were kicked out of the queue - which in some cases was 500,000 strong.
"There's been a lot of mixed emotions," said Ms Denholm. "The site was down, it was crazy. She broke the internet."
Luckily, the fan has already managed to see Beyoncé live three times.
"The first time was in 2014 at the Hydro when she did the Mrs Carter tour," she said.
Beyoncé at the On The Run 2 Tour in Hampden Park
"I took my husband to that one and she did most of her show sitting on a chair - and I don't think his eyes moved off the stage!
"So he fell in love with her from then on as well."
Ms Denholm also went to the star's last solo tour, the Formation World Tour, and her subsequent On The Run 2 tour with husband Jay-Z.
Now she has her latest tickets, she wants to meet up with the fans who help her run the group for the first time.
The Renaissance world tour was announced last week
But her ultimate aim is to meet Beyoncé herself.
She said: "This is a once in a lifetime chance. The Beyhive Momma is from Scotland, Beyoncé is coming to Murrayfield and I am going to be so close.
"I would love her to come and see me so I can tell her what I do for the fans - and I will buy her a glass of wine."
Asked why she had so much admiration for Beyoncé, she said: "She's just so determined to do what she wants and what she thinks is right, even if people don't like her for it.
"She has given me avenues I never would've explored.
"And Beyoncé's fans don't like negativity, we all respect one another and we look after one another."
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