As Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter tour draws to a close, Blue Ivy emerges as a star
Blue Ivy Carter, the Grammy-winning artist's 13-year-old daughter, is more present than ever on stage, and fans are impressed by the growth from her first performance years ago to now.
Isabella Kerr, 15, has admired Beyoncé for years, but said she attended the Cowboy Carter tour specifically to experience Blue Ivy's moves in person.
'People are saying, 'Oh, she's a mini Beyoncé,' but no, I think she's the first Blue. Everything about her when she's on stage is electrifying,' said Kerr.
The Cowboy Carter tour concludes Saturday in Las Vegas. The tour's 30 previously stops have fans buzzing that Blue Ivy is well on her way to being a next generation powerhouse.
Blue Ivy's stage presence grows on Cowboy Carter tour
Blue first graced the stage at 11 years old during her mother's 2023 Renaissance tour, appearing during the legacy-celebrating anthems 'My Power' and 'Black Parade.' Supporters anticipated her performance at each stop.
She performed again during 'Beyoncé Bowl,' the NFL Christmas Day Halftime Show that was just nominated for four Emmy Awards. She danced alongside the icon as she performed songs from the
'Cowboy Carter' album
for the first time.
'Even the difference between the Renaissance Tour and now, you can tell she's really grown in her confidence,' said fan and artist Olivia Ellis. 'You can tell she has a different vibe about her.'
On the Cowboy Carter tour, she can almost be mistaken for one of Beyoncé's professional dancers. She is on stage for nearly every song and has a solo recreating her mother's choreography from her 2006 'Déjà-vu' music video, a nod to the undeniable similarities between the two.
An inherited professionalism
Online videos of Blue display professionalism comparable to her mother's during the Cowboy Carter tour. During a rainy New Jersey stop, she brought out towels to dry her area of the stage before nailing her 'America Has a Problem' choreography.
In another unexpected moment during a Chicago show, her earring got caught on Beyoncé's hair. Blue remained calm, removed the jewelry and motioned to the singer that it was safe in her hand as they both seamlessly continued.
'It's the family business,' said Kinitra D. Brooks, an academic and author of 'The Lemonade Reader,' a collection that explores the nuances of
Beyoncé's 2016 visual album, 'Lemonade.'
'She is literally studying under the best person doing it out there today. Why wouldn't she take advantage of that opportunity?'
Blue Ivy's fans dub themselves as the 'Ivy League'
In 'Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé,' fans were given a behind-the-scenes look at the decision-making process the first time Blue was allowed to perform. Beyoncé expressed how nervous she was about her child being in front of thousands of people made her, revealing she initially said no.
'I did not think it was an appropriate place for an 11-year-old on a stadium stage,' she said in the documentary. 'I made a deal with her, and I said, 'If you practice and you show your commitment, I'll let you do one show.'' Blue Ivy fulfilled her end of the deal, and a fan base was formed: the 'Ivy League.'
Kerr says Blue's accomplishments inspire her to work harder to achieve her own dreams. 'She worked to be on stage, and look at her now. If I work to what I want to be, I can be killing it like her.'
At last month's Cowboy Carter Paris stop, members of the Beyhive and Ivy League finally got what they had been asking for — Blue Ivy merchandise. Shirts with the teen's face and the phrase 'Déjà Blue' plastered on the front were available for purchase.
Prior to that, fans were creating their own custom pieces that highlighted Blue and Beyoncé's connection.
At the MetLife Stadium show, Ellis wore a custom corset top she painted, showcasing Blue Ivy and her 8-year-old sister, Rumi Carter, on stage with Beyoncé during 'Protector,' a track from the 'Cowboy Carter' album that Rumi is featured on.
'I thought that would just be a really fun moment to highlight on a corset,' she said. 'It's just really cool to see her as a mom because we've all grown up with Beyoncé, and now it's like her show is kind of like a family affair.'
Mother-daughter duos resonate with Beyoncé and Blue Ivy's bond
Blue Ivy's confidence and professionalism are not only a testament to her hard work, but Beyoncé's motherhood.
Mother-daughter duos around the globe filled stadium seats, excited to watch Beyoncé and her daughter display their strong bond for the world to see. In many cases, the mothers have been Beyoncé fans for years and are excited for their daughters to grow up with Blue Ivy, a high-flyer for their generation.
Tanazha Baylis took her now 11-year-old daughter, Aria Brown, to the Renaissance tour, where she did not miss a beat dancing along to Blue Ivy's 'My Power' choreography.
Brown was so determined to attend the Cowboy Carter Tour that she started selling popular toys, such as slime and Squishmallows, and saving her money.
'She literally was like, 'Mom, I don't know what you're going to do, but I have to go to this concert,'' said Baylis. 'I just had to make it happen after that.'
Brown became a Beyoncé fan after participating in a dance recital with a theme centered around the superstar's career throughout the years. Baylis, who says she has always been a big fan, is happy to share these experiences with her daughter.
'It just showed her a cool mom and daughter, and it's just something that she can do as well. Beyoncé is a little older but, with seeing Blue there, it made it tangible for her.'
Although there is no solid answer for what the future holds for Blue Ivy, it is widely recognized that the possibilities are limitless.
'We couldn't imagine that Beyoncé would do all of these things that she could do. All we saw were people trying to put limitations on her,' said Brooks. 'I think one of the things that Beyoncé wants us to do and what she wants for Blue is for us to not put those limitations on Blue.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Post
2 hours ago
- New York Post
Country star Zac Brown ‘going into debt' to fund expensive Las Vegas Sphere residency
You get what you give. Zac Brown has revealed that he is taking on debt to fund his highly anticipated four-show residency at the Las Vegas Sphere later this year. 'Just going into debt to make it happen,' the 'Knee Deep' country star, 46, told Us Weekly in an interview published Friday, July 25. Advertisement 7 Zac Brown attends the 2025 American Music Awards at Fontainebleau Las Vegas on May 26, 2025, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Getty Images 7 The Zac Brown Band performs after the NASCAR Xfinity Series The Loop 110 at Chicago Street Course on July 5, 2025. Getty Images Brown's four-concert run at the iconic Sin City venue is scheduled to kick off in December, and the first night will coincide with the release of the Zac Brown Band's next album, 'Love & Fear,' on Friday, Dec. 5. Advertisement But despite taking on debt to make the performances happen, the 'Chicken Fried' crooner is still looking forward to what he and his band have planned for their countless fans. 'It's a big moment in time,' Brown continued. 'I want to be among the names of the Grateful Dead and the Rolling Stones and the bands that take that lifelong career impact fan journey to be able to do that.' 7 Zac Brown visits 'Fox & Friends' at Fox News Channel Studios on July 24, 2025, in New York City. Getty Images 'This is our statement to try to step into that,' he added. Advertisement The Grammy-winning singer-songwriter is also ready to take on the difficulty that comes with pulling off a concert series at the 20,000-capacity Sphere. 'Whatever adversity, I'm just like, 'Okay, bring it,'' Brown said as he prepares for the shows. 'There are lots of forces that are always trying to distract you from what you're doing, and you just got to keep plowing, keep going.' 7 Zac Brown performs at The Pinnacle on April 1, 2025, in Nashville, Tennessee. Getty Images Unlike most music venues, the Las Vegas Sphere includes a visual element that immerses the audience in a multi-sensory experience. Advertisement Besides collecting images and clips to play alongside his songs, Brown revealed that he is also putting together a unique story for his fans. 'I hope they feel wonder,' he said. 'Unpredictability is something we use in our live shows a lot. I love pulling out covers that no one would ever expect us to play; that's super fun. This is the same thing visually, sonically – everything we're doing.' 7 The Zac Brown Band performs on NBC's 'Today' at Rockefeller Plaza on July 25, 2025, in New York City. Getty Images 'We have all the audio finished. We're putting the video pieces together, stitching it together. I'm finishing the story,' he continued. 'I'm telling a lot of personal things about my life that I've never shared before.' 'Everything hard that we go through as human beings always ends up making us better in some way,' Brown added. Plus, Brown teased a 'theme of redemption' throughout each of the four upcoming shows. 7 Zac Brown performs during the Zac Brown Band Special New Year's Eve Show at State Farm Arena on December 31, 2024, in Atlanta, Georgia. Getty Images 'Taking people on a journey through things that are uncomfortable and then creating that dissonance and then that tension and release is really the art of what we're doing,' he shared. Advertisement 'I haven't seen anything like what we're doing there,' Brown concluded. 'So, it's really exciting.' Shortly before opening up about his four-show residency at the Sphere, the country music icon revealed that he and his girlfriend, Kendra Scott, got engaged. 7 Kendra Scott and Zac Brown make their red carpet debut at the American Music Awards in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2025. Xavier Collin/Image Press Agency/MEGA 'We are so happy and grateful that we found each other,' Brown told People on Thursday, July 24. Advertisement The 'Old Love Song' singer's engagement to Scott, 51, comes less than two years after his contentious divorce from ex-wife Kelly Yazdi. 'I feel great,' Brown said after proposing to Scott. 'I got her good.'
Forbes
2 hours ago
- Forbes
Taylor Swift's Surprise Album Reaches A Major Milestone
Taylor Swift's Folklore celebrates 260 weeks on the Billboard 200, marking five years on the chart ... More and climbing to No. 68 as it hits half a decade. BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 05: Taylor Swift attends the 77th Annual Golden Globe Awards at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 05, 2020 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by) Taylor Swift shocked the world in the summer of 2020 when she surprise-released her album Folklore in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. Nobody was expecting a brand new full-length from one of the world's biggest artists, especially as she had recently been promoting her pop set Lover, which had its campaign interrupted by the global shutdown. Folklore was immediately welcomed as both a critical and commercial behemoth, and it went on to win her another Album of the Year Grammy. Half a decade later, the title remains present on several Billboard rankings, and it even reaches a special milestone this time around. Folklore Reaches Half a Decade on the Billboard 200 Folklore advances on the Billboard 200, pushing from No. 77 to No. 68 at the moment. This week marks its two-hundred-and-sixtieth frame on the most competitive albums tally in the United States, which means it has now lived on the roster for exactly five years. Luminate reports that as Folklore reaches the milestone, it moves another 14,000 equivalent units, almost all of which come from streaming activity. Taylor Swift's Sixth Time Hitting This Milestone Five years on the Billboard 200 is a major accomplishment, one that most artists will never approach…but it's something Swift has managed before. Folklore is her sixth project to rack up 260 stays somewhere on the tally. It follows 1989, Reputation, Lover, her self-titled full-length, and Fearless, which have all previously made it to that landmark. Folklore Nearly Ties Fearless At present, Folklore sits just one week behind Fearless in terms of lifespan on the Billboard 200. Fearless is nowhere to be found at the moment, while Folklore continues to live inside the upper half of the list. There's a good chance that next week, Folklore will tie Fearless as Swift's fifth-longest-running success on the Billboard 200. Then, just days later, it also seems plausible that Folklore will pass Fearless — perhaps for good — and continue to add to its cumulative total. Taylor Swift's Cross-Chart Success Folklore reaches 260 weeks not just on the Billboard 200, but also on the Top Alternative Albums chart, where this week it sits at No. 9. The project also climbs a few spots on the Top Rock & Alternative Albums list, jumping from No. 19 to No. 16. Swift's first pivot into the alternative space lags behind in terms of the number of weeks spent on that ranking, as it is almost exactly 100 frames behind its tenure on both the Billboard 200 and Top Alternative Albums rosters.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Dame Cleo Laine, the ‘First Lady of Jazz', dies aged 97
Veteran jazz singer Dame Cleo Laine, famed for her scat singing style, has died at the age of 97. Nicknamed the First Lady of Jazz, she was a Grammy award-winning, leading figure of the British jazz music scene along with her late husband, saxophonist Sir John Dankworth, for many years and worked with the likes of Ray Charles and Frank Sinatra. A statement from her children, Jacqui and Alec Dankworth, said: 'It is with deepest sadness that we announce the passing of our dearly beloved mother, Cleo, who died peacefully yesterday afternoon. 'We will all miss her terribly. The family wish to be given space to grieve and ask for privacy at this very difficult time.' The Stables, a charity and venue founded by Dame Cleo and Sir John, said in a statement it was 'greatly saddened' by the news that 'one of its founders and Life President, Dame Cleo Laine has passed away'. David Meadowcroft, chairman of the charity, said: 'Dame Cleo was a remarkable performer who was loved by audiences around the world, and her commitment to ensuring young people had access to great music and music education will continue through the work of The Stables.' Monica Ferguson, chief executive and artistic director of The Stables, said: 'Dame Cleo was admired greatly by fans, other musicians and by The Stables staff and volunteers. She will be greatly missed, but her unique talent will always be remembered.' Sir John, who had been a mainstay of the British jazz scene for more than 50 years, died aged 82 in 2010. She was the daughter of a Jamaican father and English mother whose childhood in Southall, west London, was supported by her father's busking talents. Her early singing experience started at home, with group family singalongs alongside her music-loving father. But before her musical career really took off, Dame Cleo was confined to the life of a hairdresser's assistant. She never gave up, entering talent contests and she sang on a semi-professional basis before finally auditioning for the Johnny Dankworth Seven. After that, she never looked back. She and Sir John, who married in 1958, worked with some of the top names in the music business – and she scored a UK top 10 hit in 1961 with You'll Answer To Me. She previously told the PA news agency: 'At the age of three I was singing, because our family sang, and we entertained each other. So right from a very early age there was this kind of Cinderella dream that I was going to do all this. 'When I wrote my autobiography I realised it was quite a Cinderella story in some ways. 'To me the wonderful thing is actually having done it, not the accolade, but to be singing, and to be singing at the age I am now. That is the best part of it.' Laine received a Grammy award for Best Jazz Vocal Performance in 1985. In 2002 the British Jazz Awards honoured her with their Life Achievement Award. Although best known as a jazz singer, Laine was also an accomplished actress, playing at London's Royal Court Theatre in 1958 and starring in Show Boat at the Adelphi. She became a dame in the 1997 Birthday Honours, saying at the time: 'I am of course, deeply honoured, but I think they have got the reason for it slightly wrong. 'It is British jazz that should have received the accolade for its service to me – it has given me a wonderful life, a successful career and an opportunity to travel the globe doing what I love to do, listening to and working with some of the world's most creative musicians. 'I'm a very lucky lady and I'm extremely grateful.'
