Beyoncé’s historic Cowboy Carter Tour has officially come to an end.Grossing $407.6 million, the 32-show tour isthe highest-grossing country tour ever, also serving as the shortest tour in history to surpass $400 million in revenue. This accomplishment also makes Beyoncé the first American artist to have two tours gross over $400 million. Objectively a massive success, many grieving fans are now left to reminisce on its most defining moments, from guest appearances byMiley CyrusandDestiny’s Child, to custom designer outfits that stunned music and fashion enthusiasts alike. Everything about the show was electrifying and immersive,one of Beyoncé’s most ambitious feats.
What stands as the Cowboy Carter Tour’s most profound highlight, however, was without a doubtBlue Ivy Carter. Beyoncé andJay-Z’s 13-year-old daughter captivated audiences with full-out choreography for more than half of the show every night, her power and poise one of the most moving elements of the entire experience. Like a lioness passing her kingdom to her cub, the pride beaming from Beyoncé as she watched Blue Ivy command stadiums humbled the larger-than-life superstar into the bare bones of motherhood. As Blue Ivy was emotionally stunned to receivea roaring standing ovationduring the last show in Las Vegas on July 26, audiences made it a point all throughout the tour to communicate how proud they were of her, wearing “Deja Blue” shirts and holding up posters with messages that celebrated her. However, it would be irresponsible to ignore the fact that this is in sharp contrast to the tone Blue Ivy used to be met with publicly. As only a toddler, she was relentlessly bullied by the internet, ridiculed for her looks and natural hair. A young child showered with hate and blatant racism,it’s time to admit that we collectively owe Blue Ivy an apology.
The Harsh Scrutiny Blue Ivy Faced in the Public Eye
Beyoncé and Jay-Z stunned the world by revealing they were expecting during Beyoncé’siconic on-stage bump reveal at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards.But before Blue Ivy officially entered the world, she was already under public attack. A baseless narrative that Beyoncé was faking her pregnancy caught fire, a dehumanizing rumor that tainted what should have been a time of support and celebration. Once Blue Ivy was born on July 13, 2025, and the superstars proudly shared more and more glimpses of their daughter, the negative attention turned from her mother to her. There wererelentless comments about Blue Ivy’s natural hair, starting when she was only two years old. Her curls and coils were the center of brutal online discourse, as if she wasn’t an innocent spirit surviving her most formative years.
There were countless Hive members and sane bystanders who made it their duty to come to Blue Ivy’s defense, with zero tolerance for a child having to undergo such incessant ridicule. But the volume of hate was far too overpowering, aligning with a tragic truth that most young Black girls are forced to deal with. Being filtered through a racist and misogynistic lens has left Black girls with no room to be honest expressions of themselves, no appreciation for the distinction of their beauty. A vibrant light rooted in resilience, fortified by a family who has made it their duty to pour into her,Blue Ivy has never let the hate shrink her.It’s easy to assume the bullying she received as a mere infant and toddler was as concealed from her as possible, though as she got older, that became a less easy task.
Beyoncé Closes Cowboy Carter Tour in Las Vegas with Surprising Reunion No One Expected
Beyonce closed her tour with a jaw-dropping reunion.
Blue Ivy Rewrites Her Story With Confidence and Grace
During Beyoncé’s 2023 Renaissance Tour, a brave 11-year-old Blue Ivy surprised the world by joining her mom on stage. She was clearly building up her courage and coming into her own, a core experience the mother-daughter duo would share forever. However, the trolls from her infancy came back with a vengeance, criticizing her dancing as if she were a professionally trained adult.
During the tour’s documentary film,Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé, it was revealed that the singer hesitated to let her daughter dance onstage in the first place, both because of her young age and awareness of how unrelenting the world has been.But that pressure was only a driving force for Blue Ivy,who made a deal with her mom that if she practiced hard enough, she could make a one-time appearance. After managing to see her critics’ harsh comments online, however, she made it a personal mission to dance for the remaining dates as well. “That’s when Blue Ivy went and started practicing and practicing, and basically saying, ‘I’ll show you,’" her grandfather,Mathew Knowles,recalls in the film. “That’s a Knowles right there.”
What was meant to tear her down only deepened her willpower, which led to the fierce and hungry Blue Ivy that set all 32 Cowboy Carter Tour shows on fire. And while she’s now being showered with praise, it’s important to acknowledge that this was once an avalanche of hate. It’s amazing that the support is now outweighing all else, but Blue Ivy deserves an apology for having to survive a public hazing in the first place. Beyond the ridicule and attempt to tear her down, Blue Ivy now stands proudly with countless earned accolades. She is the second-youngest person to win a Grammy Award,a Guinness World Record holder, narrator of a New York Times bestselling book,and starred as Kiara in Disney’sMufasa.She has proven her ability to rise beyond the noise,with only a promising future awaiting her.
