Photo Story Of How Blue Ivy Prepared to To Slay The Cowboy Carter Stage

From Beyoncé’s 2011 pregnancy reveal all the way to the performing in arenas, Blue Ivy was bound to be an icon.

If there’s any one celebrity kid we’re all rooting for, it’s Blue Ivy Carter! The oldest daughter of Beyoncé and Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter has been a star all her life, but in recent years, Blue Ivy stepped into the spotlight and onto the big stage, making a name for herself and showing off her moves.

Video will return here when scrolled back into view
Meet the Masterminds Behind the Beats: Celebrating Black Music Producers by Region

After touring and performing at stadiums with her mother for the “Renaissance World Tour,” Blue Ivy is back for more on the “Cowboy Carter Tour.” And this time, she’s showing out! To celebrate just how far the 13-year-old has come from when we watched Beyoncé reveal her pregnancy in 2011, here’s the story of how Blue Ivy Carter became a dancing star.

Beyoncé at the 2011 VMAs

In order to tell the story, we have to start with the moment the world found out about Beyoncé’s pregnancy. Dressed in a glittery tuxedo, the Texas superstar performed “Love on Top,” and literally dropped the mic before revealing she and her husband were pregnant with their first born. Beyoncé went on to perform several more times as her due date approached, and that’s probably how Blue got all her moves.

Blue Ivy in Rehearsals With Beyoncé

@popniche

Adorable moment of blue interrupting her mamas performance #beyonce #fyp #beyhive #backstage #rehearsal

♬ original sound – Pop niche

When Blue was as young as two years old, she was spotted helping Jay and Bey rehearse. Most notably, ahead of the couple’s 2014 Grammy performance of “Drunk in Love,” Blue could be heard singing along to the lyrics while watching her mom practice.

‘Brown Skin Girl’

We first got a glimpse of Blue Ivy’s stardom on the Grammy Award winning song, “Brown Skin Girl,” in 2020. Blue was featured on the track and in the music video.

Performing in Dubai

What better way to perform your award winning song than at an exclusive performance in Dubai with you own mother??

Watching Blue Ivy Grow

Photo: Getty Images Kevin Winter

Throughout her early childhood, Blue Ivy stayed mostly away from the spotlight… but obviously, she had bigger and better dreams for herself.

The Story Behind Blue Ivy at the ‘Renaissance’ Tour

Photo: Getty Images Ezra Shaw

According to Beyoncé, it was Blue who told her mom she wanted to perform. Bey was hesitant at first, saying “Blue told me she was ready to perform, and I told her no.” She continued saying “I did not think it was an appropriate place for an 11-year-old on a stadium stage.” Eventually, the mother and daughter made a deal: “If you practice and you show your commitment, I’ll let you do one show,” the singer said.

Blue Ivy Joins for the ‘Renaissance’ Tour

Screenshot: Instagram

In 2023, Blue Ivy officially hit the stage at the Paris stop of the “Renaissance World Tour.” The crowd went wild as the then-11-year-old showed off her moves during the “Power” dance break.

Haters Gon’ Hate

Following Blue’s debut, the reviews were mixed. While many folks were proud of her for performing on one of the biggest stages in Europe, others had a lot of criticism for her dance skills. @Lumiiii2028 wrote on X saying “So stiff. Shaped like her dad… Please stop lying to this child.” Another user, @sisibah4, tweeted “i’m sorry no disrespect but she’s so boring.”

Getting Better

Blue didn’t let the haters get to her. Instead, she kept practicing and performing as the tour went on. If you look close enough, you can tell when Blue became more confident on stage.

Blue Ivy and Amari Marshall

As the shows went on, Blue got better and better. Here, you can see Beyoncé’s dance captain, Amari Marshall, in close proximity to Blue. According to Bey herself, she trusts Marshall with watching over her daughter.

The Final Night

By the final night of “Renaissance,” Blue Ivy was a certified star.

World Premiere Of Disney’s Mufasa: The Lion King

Photo: Getty Images Jesse Grant

Blue Ivy wasn’t just trying her hand at dancing. She was also getting into her acting bag with Disney’s “Mufasa: The Lion King” in 2024. In the film, she voiced Kiara.

Beyoncé Bowl

Even though the “Renaissance Tour” was over, that didn’t mean Blue Ivy was! She joined Beyoncé during the 2024 Christmas NFL halftime show.

Night 1 of ‘Cowboy Carter Tour’

It looks like fans can expect to see Blue Ivy perform throughout the “Cowboy Carter Tour.” She helped kicked off the summer tour in Los Angeles. Not only did she steal the shine during “America Has a Problem,” but Miss Carter also held her own during a dance break for “Deju Vu,” one of Beyoncé’s earliest hits.

Blue Ivy, Rumi Carter and Beyoncé

Photo: Mason Poole

Rumi Carter also hit the stage alongside her older sister and mother to perform “Protector” off the “Cowboy Carter” album.

Straight From The Root

Sign up for our free daily newsletter.

Latest from The Root

13 Reasons Why 2026 Is Already A Hot Mess

13 Reasons Why 2026 Is Already A Hot Mess

From U.S. airstrikes and political shakeups to celebrity scandals and AI disrupting jobs, 2026 has already delivered chaos that’s impossible to ignore — and we’ve rounded up 13 of the wildest moments so far …
Exclusive: AG Andrea Campbell, More Black Leaders, Celebs Share Life-Changing Lessons

Exclusive: AG Andrea Campbell, More Black Leaders, Celebs Share Life-Changing Lessons

The Root Exclusive Series: Black History Month was established 100 years ago, in February 1926. To commemorate this momentous occasion, 100 Black thought leaders and creators share their collective wisdom and insight for the culture in this ongoing series …
The Internet is Losing Its Mind Over Oprah's Crop Top and  Fly Looks

The Internet is Losing Its Mind Over Oprah’s Crop Top and Fly Looks

Oprah Winfrey has been spotted with bestie Gayle King at Paris Fashion Week. Now, one red carpet look has the internet talking …
Trayvon Martin and Other Black People Who Were Unjustly Killed in America

Trayvon Martin and Other Black People Who Were Unjustly Killed in America

14 years after Trayvon Martin was killed, these other Black men and women were also murdered in shocking similarity …
Austin Police Release Body Cam Footage of Black Shooter at an Austin Bar

Austin Police Release Body Cam Footage of Black Shooter at an Austin Bar

Austin police are piecing together the motive behind Ndiaga Diagne, the Black man who killed three and injured over a dozen in a March 1 mass shooting …
F1 Champion Lewis Hamilton Calls for a Movement to 'Take Africa Back' as He Tries to Bring Racing to the Continent

F1 Champion Lewis Hamilton Calls for a Movement to ‘Take Africa Back’ as He Tries to Bring Racing to the Continent

The first and only Black driver in F1 history is empowering the people of the continent to “take Africa back” from European powers …
Jill Scott's Break From Music is Part of a Growing Trend of Black Women Pausing With Purpose

Jill Scott’s Break From Music is Part of a Growing Trend of Black Women Pausing With Purpose

Jill Scott, Beyoncé, Teyana Taylor and Simone Biles are part of a growing wave of Black women who have embraced the idea of stepping back …
Selma Was Not Just History, It Was a Warning

Selma Was Not Just History, It Was a Warning

Opinion: Sixty-one years after “Bloody Sunday” in Selma, we are once again watching the machinery of state violence turn toward Black and Brown communities …
Melyssa Ford Reveals the Unexpected Remedy That Helped Her Cope With Her Mother’s Death

Melyssa Ford Reveals the Unexpected Remedy That Helped Her Cope With Her Mother’s Death

Melyssa Ford is pulling back the curtain on her mental health journey, proving that sometimes, unconventional healing can help with unimaginable grief …
Big News On Sidney Dorsey, The Ex-Georgia Sheriff Convicted of Murder Conspiracy

Big News On Sidney Dorsey, The Ex-Georgia Sheriff Convicted of Murder Conspiracy

Sidney Dorsey died in prison after serving a life sentence for the shocking 2000 political murder after losing his reelection bid …
Eric Benét's Viral New War Protest Song is Exactly What We Needed

Eric Benét’s Viral New War Protest Song is Exactly What We Needed

The “Spend My Life With You” singer gave us a much-needed soulful protest anthem calling out the Trump administration decision to bomb Iran …
This Viral Content Creator is Keeping Our Black Food Traditions Alive - And Looking Great While Doing it!

This Viral Content Creator is Keeping Our Black Food Traditions Alive – And Looking Great While Doing it!

Sonja Norwood (aka Wick’d Creations) has built a massive social media following sharing the Black recipes you won’t find in cookbooks …
Queen Latifah Death Rumor Spurs This Unusual Development

Queen Latifah Death Rumor Spurs This Unusual Development

After a viral rumor spread on Facebook that Queen Latifah was dead, she hopped on Instagram to address her fans’ concerns …
Viral 'Sinners' Test Footage Has Fans Wanting More Behind-the-Scenes Content

Viral ‘Sinners’ Test Footage Has Fans Wanting More Behind-the-Scenes Content

Test footage from the first days of filming “Sinners” has fans wanting more behind-the-scenes content …
Why Stefon Diggs Is Having The Worst Week Ever, Black Twitter Responds

Why Stefon Diggs Is Having The Worst Week Ever, Black Twitter Responds

The NFL veteran wide receiver has been racking a bunch of L’s this week …
Black America Explodes After Trump Fires Kristi Noem

Black America Explodes After Trump Fires Kristi Noem

Kristi Noem spoke in Nashville during a conference right as Trump dropped the bombshell news of her replacement …
Is the Fear of Getting ‘Too Dark’ in the Summer a Personal Choice for Black Folks or Deep-Rooted Colorism?

Is the Fear of Getting ‘Too Dark’ in the Summer a Personal Choice for Black Folks or Deep-Rooted Colorism?

After a tweet calling out Black folks who avoid the summer sun went viral, a debate about loving one’s complexion versus colorism had the timeline on fire …
What Will Happen to Rep. Al Green Now That He Is Forced into a Runoff Against Rep. Christian Menefee?

What Will Happen to Rep. Al Green Now That He Is Forced into a Runoff Against Rep. Christian Menefee?

Rep. Al Green up against Rep. Christian Menefee– the new kid on the block– in the upcoming Texas runoff election …
Teyana Taylor Wants 'One Battle After Another' Sequel, But Fans Aren't Feeling It

Teyana Taylor Wants ‘One Battle After Another’ Sequel, But Fans Aren’t Feeling It

Though Teyana Taylor’s role in ‘One Battle After Another’ earned her an Oscar nomination, it looks like fans aren’t so hyped to see a spinoff of her character …
Black ‘Klan Whisperer’ Has Led Hundreds Away From White Supremacy —And Has the Robes to Prove It

Black ‘Klan Whisperer’ Has Led Hundreds Away From White Supremacy —And Has the Robes to Prove It

Daryl Davis has used open conversation and music to persuade hundreds to leave hate behind, collecting their Klan regalia as symbols of change …