Tina Knowles has long stood quietly in the wings of pop royalty — a steady, grounded force behind one of the world’s most powerful entertainment dynasties. But in her new memoir Matriarch, the 71-year-old designer and businesswoman steps into the spotlight to share her story: one of love, resilience, and concern for the next generation raised under the relentless glare of fame.
Speaking with Tina ahead of the memoir’s release, one thing becomes clear — her love for her family runs deeper than legacy or success. Despite raising two of music’s most influential artists — Beyoncé and Solange — Tina’s greatest pride today lies in her role as a grandmother.
“[Blue Ivy and I] have a very close bond,” she says with a smile. “I’m so happy she feels like she can talk to me.” Describing her 13-year-old granddaughter as her “beauty guru” and mockingly her “manager,” Tina is clearly charmed by Blue Ivy’s confidence and wisdom. “She’s bossy — a little Capricorn like me,” she adds, laughing.
But beyond the affection lies a quieter worry. “If I had my first choice, [my grandchildren] wouldn’t have to deal with the things that come with fame,” Tina admits. Although Beyoncé and Jay-Z fiercely guard their children’s privacy, Tina fears for what the future holds. “One day they’ll read the ignorance and lies people put out there about them. And I do worry about that.”
Tina’s concern stems not from overprotection, but experience. She’s watched her daughters navigate a world that scrutinizes every move. From the infamous 2014 elevator incident between Solange and Jay-Z, to conspiracy theories questioning Beyoncé’s pregnancy, Tina has seen firsthand the cost of fame.
Still, she’s quick to point out how grounded her children remain. “They’re just great parents. I don’t think you could ask for better,” she says. Beyoncé and Jay-Z, she notes, dedicate an “abnormal amount of time” to their kids and are deeply involved in their upbringing.
As she reflects on her own parenting journey, Tina insists that stardom was never the end goal. “This was not my first choice for my girls,” she says. “They just lived and breathed music. It is their decision. They were born to be entertainers.” Tina’s influence was always present but never controlling. She sewed costumes for Destiny’s Child while running her hair salon and supported her daughters emotionally and creatively — not strategically.
Her memoir, Matriarch, spans generations — from her childhood in 1950s Texas, where her family endured racial harassment, to her life now as a grandmother to four, including Solange’s son Julez and even Kelly Rowland’s children, whom she embraces as her own.
In sharing her story, Tina opens up about deeply personal moments, including her breast cancer diagnosis. “My daughters and my faith carried me through,” she writes. She’s now cancer-free, and her voice is filled with gratitude — not just for survival, but for the life she’s built.
Tina’s pride in her daughters is palpable, but it’s her appreciation of their authenticity that shines. Beyoncé, despite her global acclaim, was once the shy girl who walked into classrooms “trying to be invisible.” Solange, on the other hand, was a “social butterfly,” bold and creative from a young age. That contrast, Tina explains, shaped their distinct paths in music and identity.
Today, both women are cultural forces in their own right. Solange’s Cranes in the Sky earned a Grammy, while Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter — a celebration of Black roots in country music — finally brought her the long-awaited Best Album win at the Grammys.

Beyoncé, Blue, and the Poison Ivy of Fame: Tina Knowles
The album, Tina explains, was born from a place of pain and pride. “She was very influenced by Zydeco and that cowboy culture,” Tina says of Beyoncé’s Southern upbringing. “It’s in her right to make whatever music she feels like making.”
That resilience — to own their narratives and challenge cultural boundaries — is something Tina marvels at. And yet, it’s their devotion to family that seems to touch her most.
Even Blue Ivy, now stepping into the public eye with performances and voice acting roles, isn’t being rushed into fame. “Her mum was like, no, you got time,” Tina says. “If anything, they’re being nurtured to be the best human beings they can be. That’s first priority.”
Despite ongoing interest in their personal lives, Tina says the family is unbothered. “While the world is creating lies and mess, my girls are somewhere in the studio or with their kids, minding their business and living their best life.”
And as for the future? Tina is open to the idea of a film adaptation of Matriarch — but definitely not a reality series. “One of my favorite films is the Jacksons’ story. I just think it’d be great to see our story on film.”
In a world hungry for celebrity gossip, Tina Knowles offers something richer: perspective. Her story isn’t just about raising superstars — it’s about preserving humanity in a world that often forgets it. As she says in her own words, “They are just very sensible people with balance in their life.” And perhaps, that’s the real legacy she’s passed on.