Beyoncé was a shy girl who was bullied as a child, but she eventually found the courage to stand up to bullies to defend a friend, her mother recalled.
Tina Knowles revealed her famous daughter wasn’t always the confident, self-assured artist fans know and love. During a recent interview, the 70-year-old businesswoman shared her pride at Beyoncé coming to the aid of a friend and fighting back against the bullies.
Vogue asked Knowles about her favorite memories of her daughters’ childhoods as a mother to Beyoncé and younger daughter, Solange.
“She was very shy, and she got bullied a bit,” she said of Beyoncé. “But the day that she stood up for someone—she didn’t stand up for herself she stood up for them. I’m getting emotional talking about it. I was just, I couldn’t have been more proud of her.”
She also recalled Solange becoming an advocate for change from a very early age.
“Solange was her signing a petition in school,” Tina continued. “She was only in, like, fifth grade and she was up getting petitions signed. So she’s always been an activist.”
Tina Knowles also shared a precious memory of Kelly Rowland, who lived with the Knowles in her youth and is considered a daughter to the family.
“Kelly was always this kid that just tried to protect everybody,” Knowles added. “I have a memory of her with her best friend Barbara and her being a mediator and just being this little peacemaker.”
Knowles gave her “three girls” their flowers in her Instagram caption, praising them for being special. She also urged “Never compare the negatives, always praise the positive differences.”