Time goes by fast when you’re taking the world by storm.
It may be hard to believe, but the baby bump Beyoncé debuted at the 2011 MTV VMAs has blossomed into a beautiful teenager. Blue Ivy Carter, Beyoncé’s eldest child with husband Jay-Z, is officially 14!
Born on Jan. 7, 2012, Blue Ivy has built quite the iconic resumé throughout her young life. She first climbed the Billboard charts when she was merely hours old, after Jay-Z sampled her cries for his song “Glory. Since then, she’s won a Grammy, featured in several of her parents’ videos, made her feature film debut and toured the world with her superstar mama.
Below, check out some of Blue Ivy Carter’s biggest accomplishments to date — from touring with Beyoncé to starring in The Lion King!
She Stole the Show During Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter Tour
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On the heels of her buzzy appearances at her mother’s halftime show performance and Renaissance World Tour, Blue Ivy stepped up another level for the 2025 Cowboy Carter Tour. For three months and 32 shows, the then-13-year-old prodigy danced alongside her mom throughout the three-hour concert. She even took center stage for a few solo moments, including a viral dance cover of Beyoncé’s 2006 hit “Déjà Vu” that fans affectionately referred to as “Dèjà Blue.”
She Performed During the NFL’s Christmas Day Halftime Show
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When Beyoncé hit the turf to perform during the Christmas Day Halftime Show in her hometown of Houston, she had Blue Ivy by her side. The 12-year-old donned a cowboy hat and a “Cowboy Carter” sash as she performed with her mom and all the other dancers.
She Starred in Her First Feature Film
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Blue Ivy capped 2024 with yet another milestone — she made her feature film debut playing Kiara in The Lion King prequel, Mufasa: The Lion King.
“Her parents weren’t involved in her booking this film,” the film’s director, Barry Jenkins told PEOPLE.
“You know, she had read this book, this audiobook Hair Love with my friend Matthew Cherry. And I just really loved her voice. Because [when] this movie begins, it’s all voices. I could just tell that she was going to bring this really wonderful innocence, but also the knowingness of a highly evolved child,” he explained.
She Joined Beyoncé on the Renaissance World Tour
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You don’t become a backup dancer for Beyoncé without putting in some work — even if you’re Blue Ivy.
Back in 2023, Blue Ivy joined Beyoncé onstage, serving as one of her dancers while on the Renaissance tour. Her multi-show stint was meant to be for only one night; however, after reading some negative comments about her first performance, the then-11-year-old insisted on trying again.
Like her famous mom, Blue went to work and put in more rehearsal time until she perfected her craft.
“I still get goosebumps seeing her walk onstage,” proud dad Jay-Z said during an interview with Gayle King on CBS Mornings.
“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,” he said. “So for her to be on that stage and reclaim her power, and the song is called ‘My Power,’ you can’t write a better script.”
She Danced at the Oscars
Blue Ivy made a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it appearance at the 2022 Academy Awards while her mom was performing her song “Be Alive” from the film King Richard. Towards the end of the dramatic number, viewers spotted Beyonce’s mini-me in the center of the show (find her at the video’s five minute mark). Blue donned neon green and silver jewels like the other performers; the only indication of her special status as Bey’s daughter was the pair of sunglasses worn over her eyes.
She Helped Induct Her Dad into the Rock Hall
In a pre-recorded video released in November 2021, Blue Ivy (then age 9) joined mom Beyoncé and other celebrities in reciting some of her rapper dad’s famous lyrics in honor of his Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction.
“Congrats S. Carter, ghost writer/You paid the right price, so we just make your hits tighter,” she said, adorably laughing as she read out the censored line from Jay-Z’s 1998 track “Ride or Die.”
She’s a Grammy Winner
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Blue Ivy Carter won her first Grammy Award alongside her superstar mom at the 2021 Grammys, taking home the prize for best video for “Brown Skin Girl.” At 9 years old, she became the second-youngest winner in Grammy Award history.
The mother-daughter duo shared the award with “Brown Skin Girl” collaborator Wizkid, as well as the video’s director Jenn Nkiru.
She’s a BET Award Winner, Too!
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In early 2020, Blue received her first-ever BET Award nomination — and won while she was at it! Over that summer, she picked up the outstanding duo/group prize for her contributions to “Brown Skin Girl.”
She Narrated an Audiobook
Hair Love author Matthew A. Cherry announced on Instagram and Twitter on Nov. 9, 2020, that Blue was the narrator of his children’s book’s audio version.
Alongside the announcement, Cherry shared a short clip of Blue’s voice, in which the star introduced the book and herself, over a photo of the cover.
“Dreamscape presents Hair Love, by Matthew A. Cherry,” she said. “Narrated by Blue Ivy Carter.”
Hair Love tells the touching story of a Black father who learns how to do his young daughter’s hair while his wife is in the hospital. As the young protagonist soon finds out, her father isn’t quite sure what to do with her locks — but they work together to find a solution.
She’s Talented with Makeup
Little Miss Carter is not to be questioned on her makeup skills — just ask her grandma, Tina Knowles. The fashion designer and businesswoman shared a photo of her granddaughter’s incredible work on Instagram on Halloween, writing, “My Blue is a great make up artist ! She made me into Grandma Skeleton !!❤️❤️”
In the photo, Knowles-Lawson was flawlessly transformed into the spooky specter, with dark, hollowed-out eyes and cracks in her skull.
She Gives Beyoncé Direction
Beyoncé is a director par excellence, but even she is willing to take notes from Blue Ivy. For mom Tina’s 2020 Wearable Art Gala, Beyoncé was asked to contribute her best “corny joke” — one of Tina’s signature bits.
In this clip shared by the Waco Theater, we see Beyoncé give her first take on her joke: “Why does Snoop Dogg need an umbrella?”
“Mom, the voice, no,” Blue scolded her mother, before finally trying to physically stop her from talking — proving that even superstars embarrass their preteen children.
A famous clip behind the scenes of the Renaissance World Tour also revealed that Blue has a say in her mother’s setlist. When the singer floated the idea of cutting her song “Diva,” her daughter protested (successfully!).
She’s a Video Star
Beyonce/ Instagram
While it was impossible to steal the show from her mom in the Black Is King visual album, Blue shined during her multiple cameos throughout, even showing off her impressive dance skills.
Other notable cameos included the star’s younger siblings, twins Rumi and Sir, her dad Jay-Z, and Naomi Campbell, Pharrell, Jessie Reyez, Lupita Nyong’o, Tiwa Savage, Tierra Whack and numerous other Black and African actors and Afrobeats stars.
She’s a Powerful Example for Young Girls Everywhere
Perhaps the most memorable part of Beyoncé’s “Spirit” video is in the beginning when she is joined by her mini-me. Less than a minute into the video, as the singer sits by herself in the middle of the desert, the camera suddenly flashes to Blue, who is wearing a dress nearly identical to her mom’s gown. Blue is captured staring off into the distance, the wind blowing in her hair, before she begins to approach Beyoncé and come into focus. She then reaches out for her mother’s hand and gives a soft smile.
She’s an NAACP Award Winner
Queen Blue won the outstanding duo/group prize for her contributions to “Brown Skin Girl” at the 2020 NAACP Image Awards, making her the youngest artist to win a major award. Tina Knowles praised her granddaughter’s major milestone on Instagram, writing, “Grandma is soo proud of you❤️❤️❤️ 8 years old!!!!🙏🏾❤️ You are giving all the beautiful little brown girls a voice ❤️.”
She Has Her Own Animated Likeness
When his daughter revealed herself to be a gifted freestyle rapper at a young age, dad Jay-Z found a way to highlight his baby girl’s talent just in time for her birthday.
The rapper dropped a video titled “Blue’s Freestyle,” which is a cut from his 4:44 album, for his daughter’s 6th birthday. The video – which was first released on his TIDAL service – shows a school talent show in progress with little Blue waiting in the wings as her ballet routine is introduced.
Parents Beyoncé and Jay-Z, along with siblings Rumi and Sir, are shown watching her perform. Wearing a pink ballerina outfit, Blue performs a bit of her routine before she flips her head up and raises her fist to accept a falling microphone into her hand and launches into a freestyle rap.
Blue has been featured heavily in her father’s work, including his “Family Feud” music video, along with her mother and several other A-list stars.
She Hit the ‘Billboard’ Charts as a Newborn
Before the young star had even been potty trained, her newborn cries were sampled on dad Jay-Z’s song “Glory.” Her adorable voice made her the youngest person to ever grace the Billboard charts.
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