Tina Knowles Recalls Beyoncé’s Strength During 2011 Concert While Pregnant

A Throwback Memory

Tina Knowles recently shared a poignant memory of her daughter, Beyoncé, during the taping of her A Night With Beyoncé concert special in 2011. Posting a clip of Bey performing “Best Thing I Never Had” on Instagram, Knowles wrote: “This just came across my feed! It took me down memory lane.”

Performing Through Pregnancy

At the time, Beyoncé was two months pregnant with Blue Ivy and battling severe nausea. Knowles revealed that her daughter powered through the show despite the physical toll. “This is one of the hardest shows we’ve ever done,” she recalled. “In between songs, she would run back and throw up and come out and do the next song.”

Knowles said this moment cemented her admiration for Beyoncé’s resilience: “This is when I knew without a doubt how strong and resilient of a performer she was. We couldn’t tell anyone about the pregnancy … As sick as she was, she got through the show and killed her performances.”

The Big Reveal

The ITV special aired in December 2011, but Beyoncé formally announced her pregnancy months earlier at the MTV Video Music Awards in August, famously opening her jacket after performing “Love On Top” to reveal her baby bump.

Family Milestones

Blue Ivy was born in January 2012, and Beyoncé later welcomed twins Rumi and Sir with Jay‑Z in 2017.

Tina Knowles’ Reflections

Knowles often revisits defining moments in her daughter’s career on Instagram. She also explored these experiences in her 2025 memoir, Matriarch, published in April. The book topped The New York Times bestseller lists in hardcover nonfiction and combined print & e‑book nonfiction, offering fans deeper insight into Beyoncé’s journey and the family’s perspective on her superstardom.