In her new memoir, Tina Knowles, mother of Beyoncé and Solange, tells her own story

Summary

NPR's Book of the Day: Tina Knowles' Memoir "Matriarch"

Introduction

In the May 5, 2025 episode of NPR's "Book of the Day," host Michelle Martin delves into Tina Knowles' newly released memoir, "Matriarch." This insightful episode explores Tina's journey as the matriarch behind superstars Beyoncé and Solange Knowles, shedding light on her influential role in shaping their careers and personal lives. The conversation offers listeners an intimate look into Tina's experiences with Black entrepreneurship, motherhood, and the complexities of her personal relationships.

Tina Knowles' Background and Motivation for Writing

Tina Knowles, widely recognized as the creative force behind the stylish personas of Beyoncé and Solange, transitions from her behind-the-scenes role to the spotlight in "Matriarch." Initially, Tina intended to write about her career in the music business. However, as she began writing, her focus broadened to encompass her personal story and the broader themes of motherhood and entrepreneurship.

Notable Quote:

"Once I started writing, it was like I just wanted to tell my story." — Tina Knowles [02:30]

Black Entrepreneurship and Building a Brand

"Matriarch" is not only a personal memoir but also a narrative on Black entrepreneurship. Tina and her former husband, Matthew Knowles, navigated the challenges of building a successful business in the competitive music industry. Their partnership laid the foundation for Beyoncé and Solange's rise to prominence, highlighting the importance of vision, resilience, and strategic branding.

Advocacy for Authenticity in Style and Image

A significant portion of the memoir discusses Tina's relentless efforts to maintain her daughters' unique styles amidst industry pressures to conform to mainstream aesthetics. Tina emphasizes the importance of authenticity and cultural heritage in their public personas.

Key Story: The Maxwell Magazine Cover Shoot During a pivotal moment, Tina recounts an interaction with Maxwell, the R&B star, during a magazine cover shoot. Both Beyoncé and Maxwell were pressured to alter their signature looks—Beyoncé’s iconic curly hair was to be styled in a bun, and Maxwell was asked to wear a hat that would mask his distinctive hair.

Notable Quote:

"I took his hat off. I didn't even know him, but he looked sad... We connected that day, and we are really good friends." — Tina Knowles [03:20]

Tina’s intervention not only preserved their authentic styles but also forged a lasting friendship with Maxwell, illustrating her commitment to individuality over conformity.

Standing Up Against Industry Norms

Tina faced repeated challenges from music companies aiming to reshape Beyoncé and Solange to fit prevailing pop trends. These companies preferred more subdued and conventional appearances, contrasting sharply with the Knowles sisters' bold and distinctive looks.

Notable Quote:

"We were from Texas. They looked different. And I think that was refreshing to the audience." — Tina Knowles [04:11]

Her resistance to industry pressures ensured that the sisters remained true to their roots, contributing to their unique appeal and enduring success.

The "Badass Teeny B" Persona

Tina introduces the alter ego Badass Teeny B, symbolizing her fierce protection of her daughters' identities and careers. This persona empowered her to confront and challenge industry expectations assertively.

Notable Quote:

"Badass Teeny B was this little girl who had to protect herself... I fought for it. I fought with people, and I'm really proud of that." — Tina Knowles [05:37]

Navigating Personal Relationships and Authorship

"Matriarch" also delves into Tina's personal life, particularly her relationship with her ex-husband, Matthew Knowles. The memoir offers a candid portrayal of their on-and-off relationship, highlighting mutual support and the challenges they faced together.

Notable Quote:

"He was always my biggest cheerleader, and that's hard to give up." — Tina Knowles [06:32]

Tina reflects on the complexities of their partnership, acknowledging both the strengths and the difficulties that led to their separation.

Family and Legacy

Despite writing a deeply personal account, Tina maintains that her daughters, Beyoncé and Solange, have not read the entire book. They only reviewed sections directly involving their experiences, respecting their busyness and professional commitments.

Notable Quote:

"I just think everyone should write their story for their kids and their grandkids and their great, great, great grandchildren." — Tina Knowles [07:20]

Her motivation to document her story stems from a desire to create a legacy and provide an authentic narrative for future generations, contrasting with the myriad of external narratives and speculations surrounding her family.

Embracing Vulnerability and Courage

Tina expresses a mix of fear and empowerment in sharing her story, acknowledging the vulnerability that comes with opening up her personal life to the public.

Notable Quote:

"It's a big deal because you're opening yourself up, but it's important to me to tell my own story." — Tina Knowles [07:20]

Her courage to narrate her experiences underscores the memoir's significance as both a personal testament and an inspirational guide for others navigating similar paths.

Conclusion

Tina Knowles' "Matriarch" offers a compelling blend of personal memoir and professional insights, highlighting her pivotal role in shaping not only Beyoncé and Solange's careers but also contributing to broader conversations on Black entrepreneurship and authentic self-expression. Through her honest reflections and engaging storytelling, Tina provides a nuanced portrait of resilience, creativity, and maternal strength.

Final Mention:

"Tina Knowles. Her new book is called Matriarch and it's out now." — Michelle Martin [07:58]

Notable Quotes at a Glance

• Tina Knowles [02:30]: "Once I started writing, it was like I just wanted to tell my story."
• Tina Knowles [03:20]: "I took his hat off... We connected that day, and we are really good friends."
• Tina Knowles [04:11]: "We were from Texas. They looked different. And I think that was refreshing to the audience."
• Tina Knowles [05:37]: "Badass Teeny B... I fought for it. I fought with people, and I'm really proud of that."
• Tina Knowles [06:32]: "He was always my biggest cheerleader, and that's hard to give up."
• Tina Knowles [07:20]: "It's important to me to tell my own story."

About "Matriarch"

"Matriarch" is Tina Knowles' first-hand account of her life, career, and the challenges she overcame to support her daughters' rise to global stardom. The memoir is an essential read for those interested in the intersections of family, business, and cultural identity within the entertainment industry.

Transcript

[Andrew Limbong]

Hey, it's NPR's Book of the Day. I'm Andrew Limbong. Mother's Day is coming up and there are the type of moms who are moms not just to their own kids, but play a motherly role for other people in their orbit, if even for a second. Tina Knowles is one of those moms, if that last name rings a bell. Her kids are Solange and Beyonce, or maybe you've heard of them. Anyway, Tina Knowles has got a new book out titled Matriarch, all about the inside story of how she got her girls to superstardom. But in this interview with NPR's Michelle Martin, the part that stuck out to me was her interaction with Maxwell, the R and B star. Of course, he wasn't a star when they first met. The way Tina Knowles tells it, he seemed just like a shy kid. So shy, in fact, that she had to step in and play the role of mother for just one moment. That's ahead.

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[Michelle Martin]

Before Tina Knowles became known as the behind the scenes force, helping to style and guide Beyonce and Solange, she owned a beauty shop. She liked to cook and care for her family and friends. And she prided herself on helping other people achieve their dreams. Now in a new book, Tina Knowles steps into the spotlight herself with the inside story of how she helped her girls achieve rare heights of stardom. The book is called Matriarch. I spoke with her recently. I was at our Studios in Washington, D.C. and Tina Knowles was in a studio in Los Angeles. Welcome. Thank you so much for talking with us.

[Tina Knowles]

Oh, thank you for having me.

[Michelle Martin]

May I call you Ms. Tina?

[Tina Knowles]

Of course.

[Michelle Martin]

I was struggling with how to describe your book. It tells the story of black entrepreneurship, how you and your former husband, Matthew Knowles, built your business. And it's also the story of mothers being a mother. The mothers we had, the ones we wished we had. It's a lot. And I was wondering, when you started writing this book, is that what you started with or did it just become that?

[Tina Knowles]

You know, I actually was gonna write a book about behind the scenes things with My career in the music business. But it just came out of me. Once I started writing, it was like I just wanted to tell my story.

[Michelle Martin]

One of the things that I got from the book was how hard you had to fight to allow the girls to express their style. There was a magazine cover shoot where they wanted to put Beyonce's hair in a bun. And you were like, they're not gonna put your hair in a bun. Why does her hair have to be in a bun? And also, Maxwell was in that same cover shoot. And you talked about the fact that this was at a point where if people know Maxwell, he had this crown of hair that was kind of his signature, but they wanted him to put on a hat. And you were like, don't let them make you put on a hat. You took his hat off and were picking out his hair, right?

[Tina Knowles]

I took his hat off. I didn't even know him, but he looked sad. And so I walked over and I said, why do you look so sad? And he said, oh, they made me put this hat on. And I took it off. And I took my pick and started picking his hair out. And Beyonce was mortified. She was like, mom, what are you doing? But Maxwell and I connected that day, and we are really good friends. And, you know, he tells that story all the time. Because why did they want Beyonce to put her hair in a bun and for him to put a hat on? I didn't like that.

[Michelle Martin]

This happened, like, over and over again. And in fact, one of the music companies that you talked to actually talked to your ex, Matthew Knowles, who was their manager, and actually said that you were holding the girls back.

[Tina Knowles]

Well, they were just doing what they knew. And they felt like four black girls, curvy country black girls from Texas with big hair and very Motown esque costumes, were not. That wasn't the style. They were right. And that wasn't the style. Then there were all these pop icons with huge careers, and they felt like they should look like them and they should wear jeans and midriff tops. And they were like, this is so Motown. It's so over the top. But we liked over the top. We were from Texas. They looked different. And I think that was refreshing to the audience. Cause in the meantime, people were coming up to us all the time saying, we can't wait to see what you guys are gonna have on next. And some of it looked a little crazy. I mean, I look at it like now. We look at it now. We were like, what were we thinking? But it was that time.

[Michelle Martin]

Well, how did you get the chutzpah. This is not a Texas word. I'm from New York, so I'm gonna say it. The chutzpah to say to what they want to wear.

[Tina Knowles]

I'll tell you, I was a sort of laid back, behind the scenes person. A little, I wouldn't say shy, but when it came to my girls, I was a beast, like most mothers are. You know, the mother bear comes out and I would bring out Badass Teeny B.

[Michelle Martin]

Who's Badass Teeny B?

[Tina Knowles]

I would stand up to people. Who is Badass Teeny B. Badass Teeny B was this little girl who had to protect herself from the nuns and from the message that I wasn't enough and I didn't belong and I had to fight. So I didn't have any problems saying, this is who they are, this is what they like. And people would be like, oh, God, who is somebody's mama coming in here trying to tell me my job? But I fought for it. I fought with people, and I'm really proud of that.

[Michelle Martin]

You write a lot about your relationship with your ex in the book. It's moving and it's deep, and it had to have been hard to write about. Very on and off and on and off. And I will say, for people who haven't had a chance to read the book yet, you don't let yourself off the hook. You talk about the ways in which you kind of participated in this.

[Tina Knowles]

Well, it takes two people to be in a relationship, and I just, for so many reasons, stayed in this relationship for way longer than I should have. But he was the first person in my life to really say. I won't say the first, but the second person that told me I could do anything and always said, oh, you got this. You can do this. He was always my biggest cheerleader, and that's hard to give up.

[Michelle Martin]

Did your daughters get input or a read in the book? Do they get.

[Tina Knowles]

They haven't read the book.

[Michelle Martin]

They haven't read it.

[Tina Knowles]

They only read their parts.

[Michelle Martin]

Interesting.

[Tina Knowles]

The parts that they're involved in, they are kind of busy.

[Michelle Martin]

So how do you feel now that you've put your story out there, that you've got it down on paper and it's out there for the world?

[Tina Knowles]

It's kind of scary. It's kind of scary. I tell you. Sometimes I wake up and I'm like, did I just really do that? You know, it's a big deal because you're opening yourself up, but it's important to me to tell my own story, especially in my family, because there's been so many narratives and so many, so much speculation. And I just think everyone should write their story for their kids and their grandkids and their great, great, great grandchildren. I wish I would have had that for my mother.

[Michelle Martin]

That's Tina Knowles. Her new book is called Matriarch and it's out now.

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