Tina Knowles has lengthy been the brains behind her daughters’ musical endeavors, having raised each Beyoncé and Solange and instilling in her ladies a energy that she has been carrying since her days as Celestine Beyoncé, Tina’s delivery identify. In her newly revealed guide Matriarch: A Memoir, Tina lastly shares her personal story.
Matriarch traces again Tina’s household lineage throughout centuries, detailing recollections of rising up in Galveston, Texas, in addition to her Louisiana roots. She vividly recounts harrowing incidents of racism, bullying, and household turmoil that formed the girl she is at the moment. Amid the heartache, Tina holds onto pleasure, remembering the life classes from her late nephew John “Johnny” Rittenhouse — also known as “Uncle Johnny” by Beyoncé — constructing her profession in Houston, channeling pure emotion when designing costumes and fashions, and studying to show her ache into artwork.
To her family and friends, Tina was and remains to be identified by a number of nicknames. Tenie by her mom; Badass Tenie B by her siblings; Lucy by Johnny; Mama by Bey and Solange; and Miss Tina by her daughters’ followers. On the basis of all of those identities are resolve and perseverance, and at 71 years outdated, these hallmarks of her persona haven’t pale. Even after a stunning breast most cancers analysis final July, Tina refuses to decelerate, and credit her household for serving to her get by means of attempting occasions. A non-public particular person, Tina bares her soul in Matriarch, reminding readers and followers that vulnerability forges deep connections.
The Hollywood Reporter caught up with Tina shortly earlier than Matriarch’s publishing day. On the time of our dialog, she, unsurprisingly, was juggling so much. Along with assist Bey plan for the upcoming Cowboy Carter Tour, she can also be gearing up for a guide tour to advertise Matriarch. Evidently, Tina has her palms full, however as longtime followers know, that is nothing she will be able to’t deal with.
I’m certain individuals have been asking you to jot down a guide for years. Why did you’re feeling now was the appropriate time to share your story?
Properly, they’ve, and I had began over 10 years in the past, simply recording my life story into my cellphone — to not publish, however for my grandchildren and my great-grandchildren. I by no means obtained to satisfy my grandparents, and I used to be at all times bugging my mama to know issues about them. And a few issues, she didn’t even know! When this chance got here up two years in the past, there have been quite a lot of issues that occurred. I used to be having a dialog with Beyoncé, and she or he learn this quote to me — “the most effective factor you are able to do to your youngsters is to arrange them for if you’re not going to be right here anymore” — and that simply actually struck me, since you don’t take into consideration your individual mortality. I’m 71 years outdated, however at the moment, I believed, “I gotta actually get severe about this.” The intention was to return to recording, as a result of I hadn’t completed it in a number of years. After which hastily [Penguin Random House] known as me. They’d known as me earlier than to say, “Oh, somebody made you a proposal for a guide deal.” And I’m like, I’m not doing a guide as a result of I didn’t need to. First off, I didn’t really feel like individuals could be that involved in my story. They’d need to know issues about my children. Nevertheless it simply got here at a time that I used to be open to writing my historical past down.
I like the way you highlighted Galveston’s wealthy historical past. I’m from Dallas, and I really feel like Galveston typically goes ignored within the dialog about cultural significance. Would you agree?
Oh completely. I’ve been speaking about Galveston ceaselessly. I’d discuss to individuals about Central Excessive College, which was so totally different, and so forward of its time. They’d a state-of-the-art constructing, they’d an Olympic swimming pool. It was the primary Black highschool to have all these items, and other people got here from all throughout the nation to show there. It simply has such a wealthy historical past. And I didn’t know the entire issues in regards to the Black Wall Avenue there, in order that’s been a historical past lesson for me. I knew Galveston was distinctive and totally different and forward of its time in comparison with different cities. I’m actually blissful to speak about that due to course, you hear about Houston, you hear about Dallas, however you by no means hear about Galveston. No person ever is aware of what Galveston is, aside from the Glen Campbell tune that he did. Which is earlier than your time.
I can let you know did quite a lot of thorough analysis on Galveston, Weeks Island, and naturally, your loved ones lineage. What did the analysis course of entail for this guide?
I had somebody that helped me, his identify is Kevin Carr O’Leary, and he’s wonderful. I had completed no matter [research] I may, however he was in a position to actually dig deep and get all this historical past collectively. The tales are my genuine tales. They’re my phrases. However when it got here to fact-checking and researching, Kevin was the one that did that. He’s really wonderful, and I couldn’t have completed this guide with out him.
It’s wonderful that you simply keep in mind all of those moments so vividly! Did you retain diaries rising up?
No, I didn’t maintain diaries, however I’ve an unbelievable reminiscence of issues that occurred once I was a toddler. I’m the youngest of seven children, however 5 of us grew up collectively, and I needed to hear the tales of Badass Tenie B all my life, and the loopy stuff that I did. Typically my sister and I have been speaking, and I used to be like “I keep in mind these issues, however generally I’m wondering if I really keep in mind each element,” and I’ve my older siblings to remind me. They at all times jogged my memory of the issues that I did, so I’m certain that I’ve a superb reminiscence about it, however I’ve heard the tales, and I’m nonetheless listening to the tales.
I actually love the tales about your sister Flo and her rebellious nature. Was Flo the inspiration behind Solange’s tune, “Keep Flo?”
I don’t suppose so, however that’s a superb analogy. I’ll should ask her. Flo nonetheless has that spirit. She’s 81 years outdated. She’s nonetheless not taking shit from anybody, and she or he’s a firecracker. I used to be born on her birthday, so we’re each firecrackers.
I’ve seen that quite a lot of the tales you recounted within the guide have repeated themselves years later. Just like the story about a health care provider not believing you throughout a go to and providing you with a painful examination. Years later, individuals like Bey and Serena Williams have shared related tales. And it makes me marvel, why racism remains to be prevalent inside the medical subject.
I don’t perceive it, as a result of it has no place there. I assume it simply comes again from years and years of not pondering of Black individuals as human. It nonetheless permeates in medication and it’s very unlucky.
All through the guide, you recall dealing with traumatic conditions alone. Like coming dwelling after getting married when your dad has a coronary heart assault. How have you ever discovered to embrace neighborhood at the moment?
I’m so much higher with it, however it’s a continuing battle. I’m very unbiased, and I love to do every thing myself, and so I continually battle with not desirous to do all of it on my own. That also is part of my persona, believing that I can do all of it on my own with out assist.
Along with the tales of traumatic moments, there may be additionally quite a lot of pleasure within the guide. I beloved the tales about going to Kon Tiki together with your nephew Johnny.
If there’s one thing that I really feel so good about and that makes me smile, it’s recounting the entire recollections with Johnny. We had such an in depth bond and such a singular story, and that has been a terrific pleasure for me — for individuals to get to know him. Bey made the tune “Heated” and she or he talks about Johnny making her gown. Individuals are saying Johnny’s identify, and they’re desirous to learn about him. So I’m loving the truth that they’ll get to know his persona and the way fantastic he was, not only for making attire, however simply being essentially the most distinctive human being on the planet.
One among my favourite quotes that you simply recounted from Johnny was “don’t sleepwalk by means of life.” What are another classes of his you’ve carried with you all through your journey?
Johnny simply lived out loud. He didn’t care what individuals thought or what they might say. I believe that’s one thing that he taught me — simply to stay out loud, and to chortle, and to make enjoyable of stuff and never be so rattling severe about it, as a result of it ain’t that severe. You recognize, this too shall cross. That’s one thing that my mother at all times stated to us, however me and Johnny stated it on a regular basis too. Thank God, he grew up in a household that was accepting of him and appreciated and celebrated him. He needed to be daring, nonetheless, with different individuals outdoors of that household, as a result of individuals have been actually imply again then. Properly, they nonetheless are, however particularly again in that point. So he had quite a lot of philosophies.
In a single passage, you recall Beyoncé’s early days in Ladies Tyme and Future’s Little one, and the way they made certain they have been frugal as a result of they must pay that cash again to the label. You write, “For generations, Black artists had been focused with dangerous royalty charges, dropping the management of and revenue from the music they made.” Having been within the enterprise so a few years, have you ever discovered that this has gotten higher or worse now?
That’s what they did. They superior all this cash, and you understand, you’re caught up in it. You haven’t had cash, and so that you get misplaced in it, and also you suppose that you simply don’t should pay this a refund, as a result of it’s not made very clear. I don’t suppose that’s the case now, as a result of these younger artists are tremendous sensible. They’re proudly owning their masters, they’re preventing, they usually’re they’re negotiating higher offers due to training. They don’t let individuals do this to them. I don’t suppose that they solely did that to Black artists, however I believe they did it to artists usually. Report labels did it to all artists, Black and white. That was simply the sport. They maintain you so indebted and it’s type of like sharecropping. That’s what I liken it to. You by no means get forward. You’re like a prisoner.
One factor I’ve lengthy admired about you and your loved ones is your potential to show ache into artwork. You channel a lot emotion into your fashions, and we’ve additionally heard it with Bey’s Lemonade and Cowboy Carter and Solange’s A Seat At The Desk. We even see it together with your granddaughter Blue on the Renaissance World Tour, when she labored on her dancing after the suggestions on social media. Is that this one thing you’ve at all times hoped to instill — turning your ache into artwork?
Completely. I imply, that’s the logical factor that you simply do. Out of your ache comes energy and comes one thing stunning. I got here from a household the place my mother took nothing and at all times turned it into one thing, and turned it into one thing stunning. I got here from a line of girls who’ve had to try this. Within the guide, you learn that each of my great-grandmothers have been slaves, however they managed to maintain their children with them and never be separated, and to create stunning issues. They have been all seamstresses. They have been all artists. I come from a line of that, and I handed it on to my ladies. Thank God.
In a single passage, you discuss becoming a member of social media, in opposition to your daughters’ needs as a result of they’re very protecting, and individuals are imply on-line. And I believe “corny joke time” has grow to be a favourite among the many followers. Has there ever been a time when Bey and Solange have been like “Mother, cease?”
Oh, on a regular basis. They nonetheless do. They didn’t need me on social media once more as a result of they have been attempting to guard me. And you understand, I make errors, I’m an older girl, however I embrace these I I click on on the flawed factor, or misspell phrases… It simply comes with the territory. I’ve inspired quite a lot of my associates to get on social media as a result of it’s simply enjoyable, they usually have been so terrified of it. And I’m like, “In the event you make a mistake, so what, simply right it as quickly as you possibly can.” They nonetheless are at all times saying “It’s worthwhile to take a break from social media. It’s worthwhile to get off Instagram.” And I’m like, “Instagram is enjoyable for me,” and I can hear Johnny’s voice in my head saying, “Neglect them. Don’t fear about that. So what.”
In elements of the guide, you discuss your mother’s sophisticated relationship with the church — notably about how she wasn’t in a position to take communion as a result of she was divorced. And within the acknowledgements, you thank God. What would you say was the important thing to sustaining your spirituality?
The instance that my mother set for me and the teachings she taught me about religion and having God in my life and, and simply having the ability to rely on Him and Jim defending me and holding me protected is the explanation why I’ve made it by means of all of the issues that I’ve made it by means of and nonetheless stay constructive. It’s my religion in God and God’s instructing that has saved me so many occasions. Nobody on the planet can persuade me that God will not be defending us. There was quite a lot of unhappiness and ache in my life, however I at all times am hopeful. I at all times have religion that I’m gonna get by means of it as a result of I do know that He’s there.
Over the course of a number of a long time, you haven’t stopped working. Even now, you’re laborious at work because the vice chairperson of Cécred. Is the plan to maintain working till you possibly can’t anymore?
That’s not the plan, however it at all times appears to be that approach, and I believe working retains me youthful. It retains me energetic. It retains me having one thing to look ahead to day by day. So it really works for me. I’d go to my grave with a cellular phone in a single hand and a product within the different.
This interview has been condensed and edited for readability.
