She’s been Sasha Fierce and Mrs Carter but it’s her latest guise as Momager that has seen Beyoncé veer uncharacteristically off key.
In recent weeks, Beyoncé has been shining the spotlight on her teenage daughter Blue Ivy during her Cowboy Carter world tour. It has been revealed that the 13-year-old will perform in half of the tour’s 32 shows.
This move might be seen as an attempt to rejuvenate lagging ticket sales. High prices, a possible weariness with country and western themes, or perhaps the shadow of husband Jay-Z’s past links with the controversial Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs could be affecting attendance.
There are various theories, but amid fans’ apparent lack of interest, Beyoncé’s daughter seems to be presented as a new element to invigorate the brand.
And let’s not forget little sister, Rumi who just turned eight this month. Beyoncé certainly hasn’t, dragging the poor child on stage to join her for a schmaltzy, syrupy ballad, ‘Protector.’
‘Promoter’ might be more appropriate for a woman so determined to thrust her daughters into the spotlight.
For the past two weeks Beyoncé has been pushing ‘back-up dancer,’ teen daughter Blue Ivy center stage as she launches her ‘Cowboy Carter’ world tour. Now, we’re told the 13-year-old will be busting out her moves for half of the tour’s 32-dates.
Whatever’s behind the fans’ apparent apathy, baby Beyoncé is seemingly being pedaled as a fresh distraction to pep up a rather tired-looking mega brand.
And let’s not forget little sister, Rumi (pictured on stage with Beyoncé) who just turned eight this month. Beyoncé certainly hasn’t, dragging the poor child on stage to join her for a schmaltzy, syrupy ballad, ‘Protector.’
Surely this Kardashian-style muddling of blood and business is a lame departure for one of the most decorated artists in music history.
‘Say hello Miss Carter!’ ordered the hitmaker as the then 11-year-old Blue Ivy made her underwhelming debut, bopping on stage at Beyoncé’s Renaissance tour back in 2023.
Let’s be honest. Blue Ivy would have been lucky to scrape through the first round of ‘So You think You Can Dance’ with those moves.
Ok, things have improved a bit on the Cowboy Carter tour – as you’d expect after the rumored six-hour daily rehearsals since Christmas with renowned choreographer Amari ‘Monster’ Marshall.
But, out on stage, replicating her mother’s iconic 2007 hit ‘Déjà Vu’, Blue Ivy’s performance feels like painting by numbers.
Déjà vu – get it? Presumably it’s meant to remind us of a younger Beyoncé – a kind of A-list baton-pass to the next generation.
But in reality, it only serves to remind us that Blue Ivy is simply not in her mother’s league.
How could she be?
Beyoncé is a once in a generation talent who has sold more than 285 million albums. She was 16 years old when she joined girl band Destiny’s Child and 22 when mega stardom came with her first solo album, ‘Dangerously in Love’.
She was a grown woman whose sass and sexuality were as central to her appeal as the powerhouse vocals.
It’s the reason these forced and unrealistic comparisons to her daughter sit awkwardly.
Surely this Kardashian-style muddling of blood and business is a lame departure for one of the most decorated artists in music history. (Pictured: Jay-Z, Beyoncé and Blue Ivy at the Grammy Awards, where Beyoncé won Album of the year for ‘Cowboy Carter’).
‘Say hello Miss Carter!’ ordered the hitmaker as the then 11-year-old Blue Ivy made her underwhelming debut, bopping on stage at Beyoncé’s ‘Renaissance’ tour in 2023 (pictured).
The rumored nightly paycheck ($40,000) certainly beats a paper round. But Blue Ivy should be doing homework and hanging out with friends, not plodding through grueling rehearsals in an adult world, with all the criticism and scrutiny that brings.
Speaking in the documentary that followed her Renaissance tour, Beyoncé said, ‘Blue told me she was ready to perform… she hasn’t had to struggle like I had, but I said if you practice and show your commitment then you can do one show.’
With an open-door policy like that it’s hardly surprising the 13-year-old’s resume is already bursting with the kind of plaudits and credentials that suggest she was born to do this.
At an age when most kids have only racked up blue ribbons and detentions, Blue Ivy has a Grammy award which she won for her appearance in ‘Brown Skin Girl,’ the 2021 music video written and directed by Beyoncé.
She’s also the youngest person in history to make the Billboard chart thanks to a cameo on dad’s 2012 single ‘Glory’ on which she featured as baby.
In short, manufactured ‘achievements,’ not so much handed on a plate as served up on a great, gilt platter.
‘If I’d told my younger self that I was in a movie, I would never have believed myself,’ Blue Ivy mused, reflecting on her role as Kiara in the Disney film ‘Mufasa: The Lion King.’
Given that she was just 12 when she said this one wonders the age of the younger self she imagined dumbfounding.
Yes, amazing how dreams come true when your mother also stars in the film and has written the soundtrack.
This may all seem a little harsh on a kid, but then it’s easy to forget just how young Blue Ivy is.
At an age when most kids have only racked up blue ribbons and detentions, Blue Ivy has a Grammy award which she won for her appearance in ‘Brown Skin Girl,’ the 2021 music video written and directed by Beyoncé.
She’s also the youngest person in history to make the Billboard chart thanks to a cameo on dad’s 2012 single Glory on which she featured as baby. (Pictured: Jay Z and Beyoncé with daughter Blue Ivy Carter onstage during the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards).
‘If I’d told my younger self that I was in a movie, I would never have believed myself,’ Blue Ivy mused, reflecting on her role as Kiara in the Disney film Mufasa: The Lion King.
Apparently, some of her dance moves on tour have been modified to be more age appropriate but elsewhere the heavy makeup and mature wardrobe sit uncomfortably.
Nowhere is the disconnect between Blue Ivy’s tender age and her appearance more glaring than on the red carpet.
Joining her parents at the world premiere of Mufasa: The Lion King last year, she wore a gold strapless gown by Christian Siriano with a hint of cleavage.
She looked more like an 18-year-old than an eighth grader. Why such a rush to grow up?
Many may lap up the next generation of the Carter clan but the premature promotion of her children isn’t the answer to Beyoncé’s career doldrums.
You can afford a babysitter Beyoncé – time to leave the kids at home.
