Beyoncé initially didn’t allow her daughter, Blue Ivy Carter, to take part in the Renaissance World Tour.
“She told me she was ready to perform, and I told her no,” Beyoncé, 42, said in her Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé concert documentary, per The New York Times.
Blue Ivy, 11, was originally just supposed to make an onstage appearance. Beyoncé, however, ended up letting her daughter perform as a backup dancer during the tour, often participating during songs “My Power” and “Black Parade.” (In addition to Blue Ivy, the “Love on Top” singer shares 6-year-old twins Rumi and Sir with husband Jay-Z.)
The former Destiny’s Child member shared that Blue Ivy was affected by social media critiques of her dancing. But instead of quitting, Blue Ivy impressed her mom when she just trained even harder — and her progress was noticed by fans.
In September, a TikToker compared Blue Ivy’s dance skills from the beginning of the tour to three months in — and she grew exponentially. In the first clip, Blue Ivy danced timidly alongside her mom in June during the song “My Power.” Just months later, in September, Blue Ivy noticeably exuded more confidence and nailed the choreography.
In August, Beyoncé’s former girl group member Kelly Rowland gushed about Blue Ivy’s work ethic.
“I’m very proud,” Rowland, 42, told E! News at the time. “She works very freaking hard, period. But how could she not, you know? She sees her mother in action and she sees her father in action and how they apply … hard work to everything that they do.”
The Renaissance tour is not the first time that Blue Ivy joined her mom onstage. In January, Beyoncé performed “Brown Skin Girl” alongside her daughter in a private concert in Dubai.
“If you love a brown-skinned woman, I want you to help us sing this,” Beyoncé told the audience.
Blue Ivy received a writing credit on the song and appeared in the music video alongside her grandmother, Tina Knowles, and sister, Rumi. When the music video won a Grammy award in 2021, Blue Ivy became the second-youngest Grammy winner ever at the age of 9.
“I know my two daughters and son are watching,” Beyoncé said in her acceptance speech. “Blue, congratulations. She won a Grammy tonight. I’m so proud of you, and I’m so honored to be your mommy, all of your mommies. You’re my babies, and I’m so proud of y’all.”
Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé will hit theaters on Friday, December 1.
