May 2, 2025: Beyoncé turned her Cowboy Carter Tour into a multigenerational celebration on Thursday, May 1, when she brought her mother, Tina Knowles, onstage at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles to honor a major personal achievement.
After performing the heartfelt track “Protector” — joined by her daughters Blue Ivy, 13, and Rumi, 7 — the 43-year-old superstar surprised fans by welcoming Knowles to the stage. The crowd erupted as Beyoncé proudly announced her mother’s memoir Matriarch had reached No. 1 on the New York Times Best Sellers list.
“Today is a big day because my mother, who worked so hard on her book, has the No. 1 book,” Beyoncé told the audience, leading them in a unified chant of “Congratulations, Mama T.”
The special appearance marked a powerful moment for the Knowles-Carter family. It was also the second consecutive night Rumi joined her mother onstage for “Protector,” a touching ballad that resonates deeply with Beyoncé and her family. Blue Ivy, a seasoned performer since the Renaissance World Tour in 2023, also stood alongside her younger sister and grandmother.
Though Rumi and her twin brother Sir have largely remained out of the public eye, Beyoncé recently shared a rare home video featuring Sir, though he has yet to appear during the tour.
The Cowboy Carter Tour launched on April 28 and spans more than 35 songs over a three-and-a-half-hour set. Knowles later took to Instagram to say “Protector” is her favorite performance from the show, writing, “The tears, the love, the protection… it’s one of my favorite songs because it talks about allowing your children to grow and shine, but still being a protector.”
Knowles’ memoir Matriarch, released on April 22, quickly became a bestseller. Beyoncé posted a tribute on Instagram, expressing how proud she is of her mom’s achievement.
In a PEOPLE interview, Knowles shared that she initially hesitated to write the book, fearing readers would only care about her famous children. “I thought they’re not going to be interested in me,” she said. But as she began documenting her life, she recognized the importance of telling her own story.
The memoir began as a deeply personal project over a decade ago, intended for her great-grandchildren. “I never met my grandparents and I wish I had more of their stories,” Knowles explained. “I realized the value in preserving that history.”
She hopes Matriarch will inspire others to do the same: “I want to encourage young people and older people to go and record their parents and get those stories,” she said.