Beyoncé is very “reserved” after growing up as a shy child, according to her mother Tina Knowles. This revelation offers fans a glimpse into the personal development of one of music’s most powerful performers, whose stage presence contrasts dramatically with her offstage personality.
Tina has revealed the superstar singer got over her shyness as a youngster by enrolling in dance classes, but she is still quiet as an adult and Tina is convinced her daughter will never change. Many performers throughout entertainment history have similarly used creative outlets to overcome personal challenges while maintaining aspects of their original personality traits.
“Performing changed her life. Even when she was shy, she was dancing and putting on shows, and she would just come alive at that time, which is why we got her in the dance class. When she was dancing, there was no shyness,” she told the Guardian newspaper. Creative expression through movement and performance has long been recognized as a powerful tool for building confidence in children and adults alike.
“I don’t know if ‘shy’ is the right word, but she is still reserved. She always has been and always will be. She’s not that person that walks into the room, like, ‘I’m here!’ I don’t think that changed. I just think that she has this other personality when she gets on stage.” This duality between public and private personas is a fascinating aspect of many successful entertainers’ lives, demonstrating the complex relationship between natural temperament and professional identity.
Tina previously revealed the singer and her younger sister Solange were very different as children and they underwent therapy because she was concerned she saw a “wall between them coming” when Beyoncé was around 10 years old. The challenges of navigating sibling relationships can be particularly complex when one child begins receiving significant attention or recognition.
Explaining how Beyoncé, now 43, and Solange, now 38, were “very very different” as children, she told ‘CNN News Central’: “I was terrified when Beyonce turned around 10. She might have been 10 or 11, and she was in the singing group. The formative pre-teen years often represent a crucial period for establishing healthy sibling dynamics that will influence relationships throughout life.
“And the kids would say to Solange every day, ‘Be quiet, Solange,’ because she would try to choreograph and, you know, she wanted to be involved. She bossed it, too. And they didn’t want her involved. Younger siblings often struggle to find their place when an older sibling is part of an established group, especially in creative or performance-based activities.
“And then I started noticing that Beyoncé would allow them to talk to her like that or she would say, ‘OK, Mom, can you get Solange out of here? Because she is’ — and I’m like, ‘Wait a minute, this is her house, and you’ve got to be nice to her.’ And I told her all the things, you know, how important it was for her. “But finally, I realized that they weren’t listening, and I saw a wall between them coming, and so I got them in therapy.” Tina’s decision to seek professional help for her daughters demonstrated remarkable foresight at a time when family therapy was far less common.
Although therapy was “really taboo” at the time and her then-husband, Mathew Knowles, felt they were “too young for you to do that,” Tina was determined to intervene. Her willingness to challenge both societal norms and her husband’s reservations highlights her commitment to her daughters’ emotional wellbeing.
She added: “I’m like, ‘I’m not asking. I’m going to find somebody.’ And I found this wonderful therapist, child therapist.” While Solange “loved” the sessions, Beyoncé wasn’t so keen. This contrast in their approaches to therapy reflects their different personalities and communication styles, which have remained consistent throughout their adult lives.
Tina said: “And it’s funny because he told Beyoncé all the things I had told her, but she listened from him, even though she hated therapy. She hated going. Solange loved therapy. She loved talking and, you know, expressing herself. “And the outcome was great. It was really great because they had been super tight since.” The successful intervention ultimately strengthened their bond, demonstrating how early attention to family dynamics can help foster healthy relationships that endure through adulthood.
The story of Beyoncé’s journey from shy child to global superstar, while maintaining her reserved nature off-stage, serves as a powerful reminder that authentic self-expression can take many forms. Tina’s insights reveal the careful nurturing that helped shape not only Beyoncé’s career but also her relationship with her sister, highlighting the importance of recognizing and respecting individual personalities within family dynamics.
