How Rumi convinced Beyoncé to include her on ‘Cowboy Carter’ tour

When it comes to joining one of the world’s biggest tours, few would expect 7-year-old Rumi to take the spotlight. But Beyoncé’s youngest daughter did just that, charming her way onto the ‘Cowboy Carter’ tour stage.

In an interview with ELLE UK, Beyoncé’s mother Tina Knowles revealed the sweet story behind Rumi’s determined wish to perform alongside her famous family. “Rumi, for the last tour, just every day, said, ‘I want to go out there. I want to,’” Tina shared. 

“She wanted to experience it, too. And so Beyoncé is allowing her to do it this time.”  Despite the enormous scale of the performances, sometimes in front of crowds as large as 70,000 people, Beyoncé ultimately embraced her daughter’s enthusiasm. 

While she initially had reservations about exposing such a young child to the pressures of performing live, Tina explained that Beyoncé’s protectiveness was balanced by a desire to let her children express themselves creatively.

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“It was a heavy thing because it’s a big deal to get in front of that many people,” Tina said. “Her response came from a place of protection, and mine came from a place of, ‘Well, I would have let you do it.’ I just kind of helped the conversation along a bit.”

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The Knowles family has always fostered creativity and independence. Tina recalled encouraging Beyoncé to allow her older daughter Blue Ivy to join the Renaissance World Tour in 2023, emphasizing how important it is for children to explore their passions.

“They were always allowed to express themselves creatively in any way they chose,” Tina said. “If they wanted to perform, then they got to perform. I tried to encourage everything that they wanted to do—every dream that they had.”

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Now, Rumi is delighting fans worldwide with her onstage appearances. Tina shared that despite the big-scale shows, her grandchildren lead normal lives, with Beyoncé ensuring they stay grounded. 

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“They love the stage because they’ve grown up around it. And their mother keeps their lives normal,” she said. “When Rumi gets offstage, she’s right back to being a little seven-year-old, adorable and normal.”