If you know Beyoncé, chances are you know Tina Knowles, too. The elegant matriarch of one of pop culture’s most powerful families, Knowles made a stunning appearance at the 2025 Grammy Awards – reminding the world that she is far more than just the mother of megastars.
Known affectionately as “Ms. Tina,” Knowles is the mother of pop icon Beyoncé and Grammy-winning artist Solange. She’s also the mother-in-law of rapper and billionaire entrepreneur Jay-Z and grandmother to their three famous children: Blue Ivy, Sir, and Rumi Carter. But in her own right, Knowles is a successful businesswoman and fashion designer whose legacy extends beyond her famous family.
Her early venture, Headliners, a popular Houston beauty salon, not only launched her career but helped fund her daughters’ early forays into music—from Girl’s Tyme to Destiny’s Child. A Black woman raised in the American South during the turbulent 1960s and ’70s, Knowles’ story is one of resilience, rising above adversity, violence, and discrimination to build a legacy grounded in creativity, entrepreneurship, and family.
Now, she’s telling that story herself. Her new memoir, Matriarch, published April 22 by One World, offers a deeply personal account of her journey as a mother, entrepreneur, and survivor. The book’s release was immediately met with acclaim, including a coveted endorsement as an Oprah’s Book Club selection—an honor that has transformed dozens of authors into household names and millionaires.
Oprah announced on May 1 that Matriarch had already reached the No. 1 spot on The New York Times bestseller list. The financial impact could be significant: Oprah’s Book Club, launched in 1996, has generated over $80 million in book sales and averages 500,000 additional copies sold per pick. With Matriarch priced at $35 and standard author royalties around 10%, Knowles could earn an estimated $1.75 million from Oprah’s influence alone.
The memoir’s success cements Knowles’ place not just as a backstage force behind her daughters’ careers, but as a cultural figure with a powerful story of her own. In Matriarch, Tina Knowles proves that she’s not just the mother of superstars—she’s a star in her own right.
