Beyoncé serenaded Barack Obama with “At Last” at the 2009 Neighborhood Ball.
The ball was one of the inaugural events held after Barack Obama became the 44th president of the United States. Beyoncé performed Etta James’s signature song “At Last” while Obama danced with his wife, Michelle Obama. The moment received extensive media attention because the song’s lyrics and title carried obvious symbolic meaning for the historic inauguration.
Beyoncé’s performance was part of a broader series of celebrations in Washington, D.C., on January 20, 2009. The song was originally written by Mack Gordon and Harry Warren and became especially associated with Etta James after her 1960 recording.
This event is sometimes confused with Beyoncé’s later performance of the national anthem at Obama’s second inauguration in 2013. The two appearances were separate: “At Last” was performed at the 2009 inaugural ball, while “The Star-Spangled Banner” was associated with the 2013 ceremony.