Beyonce wowed audiences and critics with her half-time performance at the Super Bowl in New Orleans on Sunday.

Her live 14-minute set featured a medley of her hits and also a reunion of her group, Destiny's Child.

After admitting last week she mimed the US national anthem at President Obama's inauguration, critics were keen to scrutinise Beyonce's show.

But the New York Times was one of many that said she had now "silenced her doubters".

"She balanced explosions and humanity, imperiousness with warmth, an arena-ready sense of scale with a microscopic approach to the details of her vocals," wrote Jon Caramanica.

"Amid all the loudness were small things to indicate Beyonce was answering her sceptics, quietly but effectively. Beyonce the machine had made her point. This was proof of life."

Dressed in a black leather mini dress, the singer kicked off the show with a blaze of flames while she sang a brief a cappella version of her single Love on Top before launching into mega hit Crazy In Love.

Billboard Magazine said the performance was "easily one of the best ever" half-time shows.

"She strutted towards the front of the stage in her black leather dress and booties looking like Catwoman, it was obvious that it likely would be the last time she did anything at medium pace," Brad Wete said.

After stripping down to a leotard, she also performed tracks End of Time, Baby Boy and Halo, while her Destiny's Child band mates joined her on stage to give renditions of Bootylicious, Independent Women Part I and Single Ladies.

The Washington Post said the show was "the sexiest Super Bowl half-time since 2004" when the infamous Janet Jackson "wardrobe malfunction" occurred.

Since that event, organisers had opted for "safer" rock acts from the likes of Sir Paul McCartney, The Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen and The Who, until last year when Madonna landed the gig.

The New York Daily News praised the show saying: "Beyonce gave an absolutely live Super Bowl halftime performance that killed."

"Given both Beyonce's persona and talent, only a fool would have bet against her at this particular event. It's hard to think of a star better suited to the Super Bowl than she is."

The Los Angeles Times agreed the singer had succeeded in "shutting everybody up".

"The artist who dubbed herself Sasha Fierce made many musical arguments. None involved submitting to doubters," Randall Roberts said.

Jerry Shriver from USA Today described the show as a "dynamic half-time performance that apparently sucked all of the power out of the Superdome" - in reference to a power cut during the game shortly after Beyonce's set.

However Shriver's colleague Chris Strauss said the set "seemed perfunctory" to the football fans in the stadium.

"While viewers at home seemed pleased by the 12-minute set, it was hard for fans in the stadium to experience the same kind of HD clarity, audio superiority and multi-angle close-ups that the CBS broadcast audience could," he said.

"The performance wasn't designed for the people in the crowd. While the energy among the hundreds of fans ushered in along the field for the performance might have been different, fans up top didn't seem to have much reaction."

It is thought more than 100 million people would have watched the half-time show, although final figures have yet to be released.

After the performance, Beyonce also announced the details of a new world tour.

It will begin in Belgrade, Serbia, on 15 April before heading to the UK for six dates, including four nights at London's O2 Arena.

Marine Band says Beyoncé 'did not actually sing' during inaugural, then backpedals

Beyonce

Marine Band says Beyoncé 'did not actually sing' during inaugural, then backpedals

Pop star Beyoncé opted to use a "pre-recording" of her rendition of the National Anthem during inaugural ceremonies in Washington Monday, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Marine Band told CNN Tuesday. 

U.S. Marine Band spokeswoman Kristen DuBois said early Tuesday that "we know why the decision was made," adding that the pop star "did not actually sing," but instead lip-synched her own voice.

Later in the day, however, the Marine Corps said in a statement that no one in their organization "is in a position to assess whether [Beyoncé's vocal performance] was live or pre-recorded."

The conflicting reports from the Marines have yet to be clarified by a statement from Beyoncé or her representatives, who have not responded to CNN's requests for comment.

Originally, DuBois said Beyoncé "pre-recorded" a version of the song the evening before Inauguration Day after rehearsing with the U.S. Marine Band.

In the later statement the Marine Corps said "there was no opportunity for Ms. Knowles-Carter to rehearse with the Marine Band before the Inauguration so it was determined that a live performance by the band was ill-advised for such a high-profile event."

"Each piece of music scheduled for performance in the Inauguration is pre-recorded for use in case of freezing temperatures, equipment failure, or extenuating circumstances," the statement read.

-->

DuBois said such pre-recordings are "not unusual," and that recording musical performances prior to inauguration ceremonies are a necessity in case something should go awry.

"We all know Beyoncé can sing and the Marine Band can play," DuBois said. "I've been with the band 14 years. It's not unusual."

"You can't have an inaugural without the National Anthem," she added.

American cellist Yo-Yo Ma was forced to use a pre-recording during President Obama's first Inaugural four years ago, due to frigid temperatures.

Many inauguration viewers may have also noticed Beyoncé pulled her ear piece out during her performance. But DuBois did not have an explanation as to why the pop star removed the ear piece.

The Times of London first reported the story. 

A representative for Kelly Clarkson, who also performed at the ceremony, tells CNN Entertainment that Clarkson did indeed sing live. And a representative for James Taylor, another performer on Monday, confirms his vocals and acoustic guitar were live, as well.