Beyonce’s Parents: Everything You Need to Know

Beyoncé performing at Concert in Central Park. Picture by Asterio Tecson – Wikimedia Commons

Beyonce’s Parents: Everything You Need to Know

The multi-award winning singer, and songwriter Beyoncé credits her parents, Tina and Mathew Knowles, with a significant portion of her career’s success. Her father Mathew Knowles was born on January 9, 1952, and is currently 70 years old. Her mother Celestine Anne was born on January 4, 1954, and is now 68 years old.

While Matthew Knowles is of African American ancestry, Beyoncé’s mother, Tina Knowles, is of Louisiana Creole origin. She is the youngest of seven siblings. The now-divorced pair are also the parents of Solange, Beyoncé’s sister, who is also a successful singer. Despite the celebrity couple’s long history in the spotlight, certain facts may be unknown to you. Here’s everything you need to know about Beyoncé’s parents.

1.Matthew Began His Career as a Salesperson of Office and Medical supplies in Houston

In 1976, Knowles relocated to Houston to work for Xerox Corporation, selling CT and MRI diagnostic imaging equipment used in hospitals and other medical facilities. However, in 1992, he quit his job as a salesperson and changed the course of his career. He devoted himself to the music industry, founding Music World Entertainment and Spirit Rising Music.

2.Mathew Knowles Was Destiny Child’s Manager When They Started Their Music Career

Star of the group Destiny’s Child on Hollywood Walk of Fame. Photo by Melika – Wikimedia Commons

Mathew Knowles is a successful record executive, businessman, and talent manager. At the onset of their music career, Mathew was the manager of the American girl group, Destiny’s Child, featuring her daughter Beyoncé, Kelly Rowland, and Michelle Williams. Mathew also served as the vocal group’s producer on many of their projects. By 1997, he had landed the group a record deal with Columbia Records and a spot on the soundtrack to Men in Black.

Destiny’s Child rose to prominence under Knowles’ direction and won numerous accolades, including the Grammy Award, the American Music Award, the BET Awards, and many others. When Destiny’s Child disbanded in 2006, Knowles continued to manage the solo careers of his daughters Beyoncé and Solange, as well as the former group members, Michelle Williams and Kelly Rowland. 

Besides his achievements in the music industry, Knowles has also had successful strides in film. In 2009, he was one of the executive producers of the film Obsessed, which starred his daughter Beyoncé. In addition, he has also served as the executive producer for two reality series; Breaking From Above on MTV International and The UK’s Chancers.

Knowles announced his intention to leave the music business when he debuted his “Mathew Knowles Impact” iHeartRadio podcast in February 2021. After selling Music World Entertainment Group to APX Capital Group in March 2022, Knowles is currently a member of APX’s board of directors and the manager of a $275 million fund for cross-border film and television co-productions in the U.S and Italy. Knowles’ net worth is currently estimated at $50 million.

3.Beyonce’s Mother, Tina Knowles Was a Hair-dresser and a Salon Owner

Tina Knowles . Photo by Catherine Servel- Wikimedia Commons

After turning 19, Tina moved to California where she began working as a makeup artist for Shiseido Cosmetics. However, she moved back to Texas a year later after her parents fell ill. With Mathew’s help, Tina opened a salon called Headliners in Houston. The super-successful 12-seat hair salon helped Tina and her family lead an affluent life, even after Mathew quit his job as a salesperson to pursue his music career.

4.Tina Knowles is a businesswoman and owner of fashion brands House of Dereon and Miss Tina by Tina Knowles

Destiny Child performing at the superbowl . Picture by Pete Sekesan- Wikimedia Commons

Beyonce’s mom became a global fashion icon in the 1990s because of her work as Destiny’s Child’s costume designer. Tina, who was the daughter of a longshoreman and a seamstress from Galveston, Texas picked up her mother’s craft at a young age and started making dresses while in high school. The success of Destiny’s Child in the 1990s propelled Tina into the public eye as she became famous for designing iconic stage outfits for the girl group.

Tina wrote the book Destiny’s Style: Bootylicious Fashion, Beauty and Lifestyle Secrets from Destiny’s Child, where she emphasizes on the impact of fashion and style to the group’s success. In 2004, Tina partnered with her daughter Beyoncé to launch the chic, budget apparel line House of Dereon, as tribute to her seamstress mother, Agnes Dereon.

Later, she opened the Miss Tina apparel line, which targeted older ladies in varied sizes. The idea behind Tina’s clothing line was to design high-end, stylish, and reasonably priced designs for all women, regardless of size. To date, Tina’s business interests account for the majority of her estimated $25 million net worth.

5.Tina and Mathew Knowles are Divorced

Divorced . Photo by Jennifer Pahika – Wikimedia Commons

Tina and Mathew Knowles got married in 1980 but in 2009 Tina Knowles filed for divorce following Mathew’s infidelity. Tina later dropped the separation suit in 2010 as the couple tried to mend fences. However, Tina re-filed for divorce in August 2011 and the divorce was finalized in November 2011. The two parted ways after being together for 31 years. That same year, Beyoncé announced that she was pulling out of professional ties with her father.

After the birth of Beyoncé’s first child, Blue Ivy, a year later, the father and daughter are said to have patched things up. Following the celebrity couple’s divorce, the two have remained cordial in co-parenting their adult children. In 2013, Mathew remarried former model, Gena C. Avery while Tina married American TV actor Richard Lawson in 2015.

6.Mathew Knowles Was Diagnosed With Breast Cancer in October 2019

An event to educate and inform about breast cancer. Picture by Lance Cpl. Sarah Cherry – Wikimedia Commons

In mid-2019, Mathew began discovering blood stains on his clothing, and his wife discovered a blood stain on their bedsheet. Initially, Mathew didn’t think that it was cancer, but due to the fact that his family had a history of breast cancer, he decided to get a mammogram to be sure.

The test was positive, and he was diagnosed with breast cancer. He underwent a double mastectomy to lower his chance of developing cancer by 2%. Mathew utilizes his personal experience with the illness to inform people about the condition and how to detect it early on. Additionally, he has authored essays to raise awareness of the importance of men to speak openly about breast cancer.