Blue Ivy Carter, 11, Refused to Quit Performing After Reading Hateful Comments About Herself Online—and Instead Buckled Down and Worked Harder

It takes a certain level of commitment, resilience, and grit to reach success like Beyoncé and Jay-Z have, and the couple’s eldest daughter Blue Ivy Carter has very much inherited that gene from her parents.

Blue performed onstage with her mom, Beyoncé, throughout most of the icon’s Renaissance World Tour this summer, dancing to thunderous applause from concertgoers. But, as is so often the case, the trolls of the Internet pounced—but Blue wouldn’t let critics get her down, even after reading their hateful comments. (Keep in mind, if you will, that Blue is just 11 years old.) In her new concert film about the Renaissance World Tour—which premiered this weekend—proud mom Beyoncé said that Blue used negative comments only to fuel her more, and that she used the criticism as motivation; Blue “was determined to prove any naysayers wrong and devoted herself to working even harder on her dancing,” People reports. (Blue joined Beyoncé for the songs “My Power” and “Black Parade.”) 

Beyoncé also admitted in the film that the idea of her daughter joining her onstage in the first place was not something she was excited about. Originally, the idea was that Blue would make just one onstage appearance, “and even that wasn’t a plan that the singer was exactly thrilled about,” People reports. “She said in the film that performing in front of thousands was no place for an 11-year-old.” Beyoncé added that she almost passed out the first time Blue joined her onstage back in May.

Of the early conversations, Beyoncé said in the film, “She told me she was ready to perform, and I told her no,” per The New York Times. But perform she did—and the improvement that Blue showed throughout her five months on tour, as well as an evident spike in confidence, was praised by fans. In September, a TikTok compilation shows Blue’s growth as a performer even in just four months; in May “she was quite timid with the moves,” People reports, but by September, it was obvious “how confident she appeared.” 

The New York Times wrote that it “thrilled her mother that instead of quitting, she decided to put in the work and train even harder for future stops.” 

Blue’s grandmother Tina Knowles said “She is 11 years old, and she had one week to prepare, and she’s just getting better and better. So I’m the proud grandma, always. This is a heels family. You’re trained early to walk in heels.” She added of Blue “She’s having the time of her life, and I couldn’t be more proud of her, because she really worked hard.”

Dad Jay-Z is proud, too, telling Gayle King on CBS Mornings “I still get goosebumps seeing her walk onstage.” He added “She’s been born into a life she didn’t ask for. So since she was born, she’s been in scrutiny and the public eye and everyone having an opinion of even a little girl—how she keeps her hair. So for her to be on that stage and reclaim her power, and the song [she dances to] is called ‘My Power’—you can’t write a better script.”

Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé hits theaters on Friday.