12 things you need to know about Beyoncé ahead of Cowboy Carter Tour

Beyonce

The past two decades have been nothing short of defining for Beyoncé, whose influence on both music and popular culture is unmatched.

Since breaking out in the 1990s, she has consistently remained a dominant force, not only staying in step with musical trends but often setting them. Her knack for releasing music that resonates deeply with the current cultural climate has helped establish her as a top industry figure.

Beyoncé’s staggering list of accomplishments—most notably becoming the most-awarded artist in Grammy history with 32 wins—solidifies her place among music’s elite, often eclipsing even her most notable male peers.

The “Spirit” crooner is set to make a powerful return to the stage in 2025 with the “Cowboy Carter Tour,” a more exclusive run compared to her expansive “Renaissance World Tour.” Spanning just 22 shows across the U.S., U.K., and France, the limited number of dates has made Beyonce tickets highly sought-after and you can purchase yours from trusted resellers like Seatsnet.com.

Announced on February 1, 2025, via two Instagram posts just before the 67th Annual Grammy Awards, the tour reveal featured flashing visuals and a new portrait of Beyoncé styled with platinum blonde micro braids and matching brows. These posts confirmed the tour’s official name—“Cowboy Carter Tour 2025”—and gave fans their first hint of what lies ahead.

The full title, “Cowboy Carter and the Rodeo Chitlin’ Circuit,” is rich in cultural meaning. It pays homage to the Chitlin’ Circuit, a historic network of venues that supported Black performers during the era of segregation. This reference honours music icons like Aretha Franklin, James Brown, and Tina Turner, while several of the tour’s cities—such as Houston and Chicago—were pivotal stops on the original circuit, deepening its historical roots.

In the U.K., Beyoncé will perform at North London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on June 5, 7, 10, and 12. Fans with Beyonce London tickets are in for another exhilarating performance. Other major stops include Los Angeles, Paris, Chicago, and her hometown, Houston.

Ahead of the highly-anticipated “Cowboy Carter and the Rodeo Chitlin’ Circuit” tour, we bring you 12 interesting facts about Beyoncé.

 

1: She co-founded a band at nine

Beyoncé’s rise to global stardom began in her childhood through local talent shows, where she developed her stage presence and vocal prowess. At just nine years old, she co-founded “Girl’s Tyme,” a group that would later become the iconic Destiny’s Child, laying the foundation for a career that would redefine pop and R&B.

 

2: Beyonce’s father was the first manager of Destiny’s Child

In 1992, following the attention they garnered from California-based music producer Arne Frager, the group made their television debut on Star Search. Though they didn’t win the competition, the experience proved pivotal. Shortly after, Beyoncé’s father, Matthew Knowles, assumed managerial duties, restructuring the group by replacing Davis and the Taylor sisters with LeToya Luckett.

 

3: She sings some tracks in her self-produced movies

In Disney’s 2019 The Lion King remake, Beyoncé lent her voice to the character Nala. It contributed multiple tracks to the film’s soundtrack, including “Spirit,” an original composition she co-wrote, and her rendition of “Can You Feel the Love Tonight.” Alongside this, she released an inspired album titled “The Lion King: The Gift.” Tracks from this project were later incorporated into “Black Is King” (2020), a visual album that premiered on Disney+. Her single “Black Parade” from the same body of work earned her the Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance in 2021.

 

4: Successful acting career

Beyoncé began her acting career in 2001 with her role in the MTV television movie Carmen: A Hip Hopera. Her portrayal of Foxxy Cleopatra in Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002) launched her film career and paved the way for roles in The Fighting Temptations (2003) and The Pink Panther (2006). That same year, she played Deena Jones in Dreamgirls, a cinematic version of the 1981 Broadway musical about a 1960s girl group.

Her performance earned her a Golden Globe nomination, while her song “Listen” received an Academy Award nomination. She later took on the role of singer Etta James in Cadillac Records (2008), starred in the thriller Obsessed (2009), and voiced a mystical forest queen in the animated feature Epic (2013).

 

5: Modernising album marketing strategy

Beyoncé transformed traditional album marketing by defying industry norms. Artists usually release singles in advance to build anticipation and drive album sales — a method that, while effective, often exposes unreleased material to leaks.

However, on Friday, December 13 2013, she stunned the world by dropping her self-titled album “BEYONCÉ” with no prior announcements or promotions. Relying solely on her global influence and industry stature, she gambled on an unannounced release — and achieved instant, mainstream success.

 

6: Her 2022 single “Thique” took nearly a decade to be released

 Though several songs on “Renaissance” were crafted amid the pandemic, “Thique” traces its origins back much further. Beyoncé first began developing the track in 2014 during the creative sessions for her self-titled album. Nearly a decade later, she returned to it, refining and reshaping the piece into the slick, infectious groove it now embodies — a testament to her unwavering dedication to excellence.

 

7: “Renaissance” inspired a fashion movement

“Renaissance” sparked a bold collaboration between Beyoncé and Balmain’s Olivier Rousteing, culminating in the “Renaissance Couture” line. This historic partnership marked Beyoncé as the first Black woman to lead a couture collection with a Parisian fashion label. Each of the 16 pieces corresponds to a track on the album, merging music and high fashion in an unprecedented way.

“Renaissance” reimagines music’s most liberating and defiant styles, delivered through the vision of an artist who continually transforms yet remains grounded in her essence. Whether you’re energised by “Break My Soul” or lost in the album’s sonic intricacies, “Renaissance” underscores Beyoncé’s unmatched artistry and continual reinvention.

 

8: Beyonce is a descendant of Joseph Broussard, the leader of the Acadians during the French and Indian War

Beyoncé’s heritage traces back to Joseph Broussard, also known as Beausoleil, a key figure of the Acadian resistance during the French and Indian War. Her name honours her mother Tina Knowles’s maiden name, Beyincé. Through Tina, Beyoncé carries Louisiana Creole roots, tracing her lineage to African, Native American, French, and Irish ancestry, linking her to a legacy deeply intertwined with historical resistance and cultural richness.

 

9: “Four” is a unique number to Beyoncé

Beyoncé was born on September 4, her mother, Tina Knowles, on January 4, and her husband, Jay Z, on December 4. The number four holds deep personal meaning for the couple—they married on April 4, 2008, and both have matching “IV” tattoos on their ring fingers. This symbolic number continued to influence Beyoncé’s work, as seen in the title of her fourth studio album, “4”, released in 2011, and the name of their daughter, Blue Ivy, in 2012—a creative nod to the Roman numeral for four.

 

10: A species of horsefly is named after her

In January 2012, research scientist Bryan Lessard identified a previously unnamed species of horsefly discovered in Northern Queensland, Australia. He named it “Scaptia beyonceae” in honour of Beyoncé, inspired by the distinctive golden hairs on its abdomen—leading researchers to dub the insect the “all-time diva of flies.”

 

11: Her most significant musical influence is Michael Jackson

Beyoncé regards the late Michael Jackson as her greatest inspiration. Attending his concert at just five years old—her first live show—sparked her desire to become a performer. While presenting him with a tribute award at the 2006 World Music Awards, she told the audience, “If it wasn’t for Michael Jackson, I would never have performed.” On the fifth anniversary of his passing in 2014, she paid tribute with a heartfelt message on her website, writing, “Michael Jackson changed me and helped me to become the artist I am. Thank you, Michael.”

 

12: Most decorated artist

Beyoncé has once again cemented her legacy as the most decorated artist in Grammy Award history following her triumph at the 2025 awards, where she took home four Grammys—including her first-ever win for Album of the Year for “Cowboy Carter.”

At 43, she now holds a staggering 35 Grammy wins and has earned 99 nominations throughout her career.

“I just feel very full and very honoured,” she said during her acceptance speech for Best Album, reflecting on her long journey. Her win also marks a historic moment—Beyoncé becomes the first Black woman to secure Album of the Year since Lauryn Hill’s “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” in 1999.

 

 

Xsnoize Author
Mark Millar is the founder of XS Noize and host of the XS Noize Podcast, where he interviews top music artists and emerging talent. Known for insightful, in-depth conversations, Mark brings a passionate, fan-first approach to music journalism. Favourite album: Achtung Baby by U2. Follow on X: @mark_xsnoize.

Be the first to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.


*