Tina Knowles, the mother of Beyoncé and Solange, has revealed a key moment in her daughters’ upbringing where she took action to strengthen their relationship.
In her new memoir Matriarch, Tina reflects on how she addressed growing tensions between the two sisters and took steps to ensure they built a strong bond.
Speaking to CNN’s Sara Sidner, Tina shared that when Beyoncé and Solange were younger, she noticed a distance between them, especially as Beyoncé began to experience more success in her singing career.
“I was terrified when Beyoncé turned around ten,” Tina admitted. She described how Beyoncé would allow other children to speak harshly to Solange, which concerned her.
Tina realized that despite her efforts to mediate, a wall was growing between her daughters, and she decided to take action. “I got them in therapy,” she revealed.
In the early 1990s, therapy was still considered somewhat taboo, and her then-husband, Mathew Knowles, was hesitant, believing the girls were too young. But Tina persisted, finding a child therapist who helped the sisters work through their issues.
“It’s funny because he told Beyoncé all the things I had told her, but she listened from him, even though she hated therapy,” Tina said. “Solange loved therapy. She loved talking and expressing herself.” The outcome, Tina said, was “great,” and it helped forge a lasting relationship between her daughters.
Today, both Beyoncé and Solange are mothers themselves, with Beyoncé raising three children with husband Jay-Z, and Solange with her son from a previous marriage. Their strong relationship as sisters now stands as a testament to Tina’s commitment to their well-being, even when the path wasn’t easy.
