Mathew Knowles, legendary music icon Beyoncé’s father, knew right away at a school talent show that his daughter was born to be a star.
The 73-year-old music executive, who managed the 43-year-old singer during her Destiny’s Child days and early solo career, remembers realising his daughter was destined for stardom back when she was just in primary school.
While having a conversation with The Sunday Times newspaper, Mathew shared: “While she was getting ready to perform, Beyonce said, ‘I want to hurry up and win my $100 prize and my trophy… I know I’m going to win’…. Then she got on the stage and became a different person. I knew at that time that she wanted it.”
However, Mathew proudly says he’s the greatest manager Beyoncé ever had, crediting himself for shaping her first albums and setting the path that led to her massive success.
He added: “After 21 years of managing Beyonce, I smile because even now music magazines talk about her top 20 pop songs, 70 per cent of which are from her first four albums, which are the ones I was part of.
“To know that I was a part of that, that I… let her understand the importance of brand development, and that 30-40 per cent of her team are people I hired 30 years ago… It makes me feel proud and grateful that I built the road map for Beyonce’s success. That makes me feel good,” the singer’s father continued.
But Mathew Knowles further admitted that he’s tired of being just “Beyoncé’s dad,” especially since he’s worked with many other artists in his career.