Solange Shines at Eldorado Ballroom Edit with ILIA Beauty
The singer honors artistry at a Saint Heron event celebrating her glam and music allies!!
Image: Instagram
Solange Knowles brought her signature mix of art, music and design to Houston this week, hosting the Eldorado Ballroom Edit in partnership with her creative platform, Saint Heron. In a new Instagram post, the singer extended heartfelt thanks to ILIA Beauty for supporting Saint Heron’s vision of celebrating art, music and architecture—and for making her “feel fab every dayyy dis week.” She also thanked her longtime makeup artist, known online as MMIIGGSS, for over ten years of friendship, anxiety-calming pep talks and for finally agreeing to apply blush on demand.
A Night Of Art, Music And Architecture
The Eldorado Ballroom Edit took place at the historic venue first opened in 1939 by Anna and Clarence Dupree as a safe space for Black expression. Solange’s creative direction for the evening drew on that heritage. Earlier this year she posted, “AYEEE @SAINTHERON TURNED THE ORIGINAL ELDORADO BALLROOM (1939) OUT!”—a nod to her program “Type of Guest + Paper in My Shoe,” which honored Black women in Folk and Zydeco music.
Curated under Saint Heron’s banner, the Edit featured site-specific installations highlighting the venue’s original Art Deco architecture. Attendees moved through immersive vignettes of live painting, experimental performance and soundscapes that connected Houston’s Glenns Bayou jazz history with contemporary Black female composers. Lighting designer Nytelyte and scenic designer Carlooto recreated the ballroom’s 1940s glamour in a modern gallery setting.
Honoring The Eldorado Ballroom Legacy
Solange has long championed the Duprees’ legacy. In her earlier Instagram commentary on the series, she spotlighted performances by interdisciplinary artist Autumn Knight and singer-producer Liv.e, remarking on the fluid boundary between audience and performer. The “Paper in My Shoe” segment specifically paid tribute to folk musician Kara Jackson and Zydeco accordionist Rosie Ledet, whose work probes community, memory and storytelling.
This week’s Edit also used archival photographs and projection mapping to trace the ballroom’s evolution. A film sequence narrated the venue’s role in Houston’s Third Ward, from its 1940s heyday to its cultural resurgence. Solange captioned that post, “I feel like we made Anna and Clarence Dupree proudddd,” affirming her desire to carry forward their mission of uplifting Black artistry.
Glam Squad Gratitude
In her latest Instagram moments, Knowles tagged @ILIABeauty with a simple white heart emoji and thanked the brand “for sharing in your dedication to support art, music and architecture.” ILIA Beauty, known for clean formulations and community initiatives, has partnered with Saint Heron on several projects, including a limited-edition zine celebrating Black women creatives.
Solange’s shout-out to her makeup artist @mmiiggss spanned gratitude for everyday confidence boosts and a decade of professional collaboration. “Thank you for making me feel like meee,” she wrote, praising MMIIGGSS for “calming my anxiety before I have to show up in the world, and for not arguing with me anymore over not wanting to use blush lmaooo.”
Curating Black Women’s Creative Heritage
Saint Heron, the collective founded by Knowles in 2013, has grown into a hub for experimental performance, visual art and music. Its projects often highlight overlooked Black women composers and artists. In 2023, Solange premiered her ballet score “Villanelle For Times” at the New York City Ballet and credited pioneers like Julia Perry and Tania León for paving the way.
Her Houston Edit built on that momentum, inviting conversations around minimalism, jazz and folk traditions. The event’s zine edition, available for preorder at SaintHeron.com, features essays on Black women’s contributions to classical music, visual art and cultural preservation.
Throughout the night, guests—from local curators to out-of-town creatives—mingled under vaulted ceilings, sipping wine and sharing stories of resilience. Solange greeted longtime friends and new collaborators alike, capturing moments on a sleek ILIA-branded camera station and posting candid backstage clips to her Instagram Story.
Community leaders from the Third Ward praised the Edit for its respect of local history. “Solange didn’t just borrow our space—she amplified our voices,” said a Houston arts organizer. The evening closed with a rooftop DJ set spinning rare 45s from the ballroom’s 1950s heyday, tying past and present into a single celebratory beat.
Centered on heritage and creativity, the Eldorado Ballroom Edit underscored Solange Knowles’ ongoing commitment to uplift Black women artists across disciplines. By thanking her glam team alongside the cultural pioneers she highlights, she reminded everyone that art is a collective act—one built on dedication, collaboration and legacy.
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