When you’ve been on the kind of career rip that Beyoncé‘s had for the past two decades, you get used to winning. That was the message from the singer’s mother, Tina Knowles, when TMZ caught up with her on Tuesday (Dec. 3), just hours after Billboard revealed that Bey was named the No. 1 Greatest Pop Star of the 21st Century.
Asked to respond to the honor, Knowles said, “that’s nice… very nice.” As for the follow-up question about whether the family ever gets used to the accolades heaped on their their daughter, Knowles offered up a succinct, “yeah.”
The expectation of excellence was mirrored by Bey’s father Matthew Knowles as well, who boasted about the singer’s accomplishments in a loving post on X on Tuesday. “Beyoncé was shy growing up. But, as soon as she started singing, it was like a different person emerged and we knew from a very young age that she was destined to pursue her passion in music,” he wrote. “She turned everyone around her into a believer with her determination, work ethic, stage presence and talent.”
He also addressed his daughter directly, saying, “Beyoncé, I am so proud of you. This is another one of your many major distinctions, yet I sit here not surprised because I knew you were meant for greatness from the moment I held you in my arms for the first time!”
“While Taylor Swift is the century’s biggest pop star by the numbers — from album sales to streams to touring dominance — our editorial staff chose Beyoncé as our Greatest Pop Star of the Century, based on her full 25 years of influence, evolution and impact,” readsd the intro to the essay about the Beyoncé.
The No. 1 slot placed Queen Bey over Swift (No. 2), as well as the rest of the top 10, which included Rihanna, Adele, Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, Kanye West, Britney Spears, Lady Gaga and Drake.
