How Kandi Burruss makes money from Beyoncé

Reality TV star and songwriter continues earning royalties from “Bills, Bills, Bills” as Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter tour generates fresh revenue streams
Kandi Burruss
Photo credit: Shutterstock.com / Quinn Jeffrey

Kandi Burruss revealed during a recent live stream how her iconic composition “Bills, Bills, Bills” continues generating substantial passive income decades after its initial release through Destiny’s Child. The multifaceted songwriter and reality television star explained that Beyoncé’s team properly secured licensing rights before incorporating the track into her Cowboy Carter tour performances, demonstrating standard industry practices that protect original creators while enabling contemporary artistic interpretations.

The licensing process ensures that Burruss receives performance royalties each time Beyoncé performs the song during live concerts, creating ongoing financial benefits from work completed in the late 1990s. This arrangement highlights how strategic songwriting can establish long-term income streams that extend far beyond initial chart success, providing financial stability for artists who understand intellectual property rights and music industry business mechanics.


Burruss emphasized the importance of proper licensing procedures that protect both original creators and performing artists, noting how Beyoncé’s professional approach to securing rights demonstrates respect for songwriter contributions while enabling creative reinterpretation. This collaborative framework benefits all parties involved while maintaining legal compliance throughout the entertainment industry ecosystem.

Achievement displays showcase enduring commercial success

During her live stream, Burruss provided fans with a virtual tour of her achievement hallway featuring multiple gold and platinum certifications celebrating the commercial success of “Bills, Bills, Bills.” These prestigious awards represent significant sales milestones that validate the song’s lasting impact within the music industry and demonstrate its continued relevance across multiple generations of listeners.


The track’s origins trace back to Burruss’s personal experiences with a former romantic partner, transforming individual relationship frustrations into universally relatable musical content that resonated with audiences worldwide. This personal authenticity contributed significantly to the song’s commercial appeal and cultural staying power, proving how genuine emotional expression can create timeless artistic works.

Beyoncé’s own live performance recordings have achieved remarkable commercial success, with concert albums and documentaries reaching significant sales benchmarks that further extend the song’s commercial lifecycle. These secondary revenue streams demonstrate how classic compositions can generate multiple income opportunities through various performance formats and media presentations over extended periods.

Social media celebrates songwriter achievements

Fans have enthusiastically embraced Burruss’s continued financial success from “Bills, Bills, Bills,” creating social media nicknames that celebrate her business acumen and songwriting legacy. Online communities have praised her ability to transform personal experiences into profitable artistic expressions while maintaining authentic creative integrity throughout her career development.

Social media users have highlighted the impressive catalog of hits co-written by Burruss and collaborator She’kspere, including notable tracks like “No Scrubs” by TLC and “BugaBoo” by Destiny’s Child. This extensive portfolio demonstrates her consistent ability to create commercially successful music across multiple artists and musical styles, establishing her reputation as a prolific and versatile songwriter.

The online recognition extends beyond financial appreciation to acknowledge Burruss’s creative intelligence in crafting relatable content that addresses universal relationship experiences. Fans particularly appreciate how she channeled personal relationship challenges into artistic expressions that continue entertaining and inspiring listeners while generating ongoing income streams.

Future opportunities emerge from tour success

The licensing of “Bills, Bills, Bills” for Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter tour has sparked speculation about potential documentary releases that could create additional revenue opportunities for Burruss. Given Beyoncé’s history of producing comprehensive concert films and tour documentaries, fans anticipate similar projects that would extend the song’s commercial reach through new media formats.

The Cowboy Carter tour, currently in its second American leg with a scheduled conclusion in Las Vegas on July 26, 2024, represents significant commercial potential for extended media content. While neither Beyoncé nor her Parkwood Entertainment label has confirmed documentary plans, the tour’s scale and cultural impact suggest strong commercial viability for recorded content.

Burruss’s experience exemplifies how understanding music industry business practices can transform creative work into sustainable income sources that support long-term financial goals. Her success story provides valuable lessons for aspiring songwriters about the importance of protecting intellectual property rights while remaining open to collaborative opportunities that can extend artistic reach and commercial potential across multiple decades.

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Vera Emoghene
Vera Emoghene is a journalist covering health, fitness, entertainment, and news. With a background in Biological Sciences, she blends science and storytelling. Her Medium blog showcases her technical writing, and she enjoys music, TV, and creative writing in her free time.
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