Beyoncé’s mother condemns ‘racists’ who accused singer of lightening her skin

Beyoncé‘s mother has defended her daughter from “sad little haters” and “racists” who accused the singer of lightening her skin for the premiere of her new film, Renaissance.

Tina Knowles, 69, hit back at “ignorant, self-hating, racist” comments on social media that asked why Beyoncé “looked so white” with platinum blonde hair and a silver dress on the red carpet on Saturday.

Acknowledging that her daughter would be “p—ed” with her for getting involved in the row, Ms Knowles attacked the “bozos” who had criticised the singer and said she was “fed up” with online commentary on her race.

On Saturday, the 42-year-old star wore a custom-made metallic silver gown from Versace to attend the Los Angeles premiere of her film at the Samuel Goldwyn Theatre.

Designer Donatella Versace, who designed the dress she wore, described the singer as “a vision in Versace”. “You are unique. One of one, the number one, the only one!!! I can’t wait to see the Renaissance tour movie,” she wrote on Instagram.

After Twitter and Instagram users criticised Beyoncé for a “white” look, Ms Knowles said a US media outlet had contacted her daughter’s hairstylist for comment.

“She does a film, called the Renaissance, where the whole theme is silver with silver hair, a silver carpet, and suggested silver attire and you bozos decide that she’s trying to be a white woman and is bleaching her skin?,” she said in a post on Instagram.

“Duh, she wore silver hair to match her silver dress as a fashion statement, clown.”

She added: “How sad is it that some of her own people continue the stupid narrative with hate and jealousy?”

“I am sick and tired of people attacking her,” she continued.

“Every time she does something that she works her ass off for and is a statement of her work ethic, talent and resilience, here you sad little haters come out the woodwork.”

Ms Knowles said her daughter “helps people whenever she can”, as well as lifting up and promoting “black women and underdogs at all times,” noting that black women had worn platinum hair “since the Etta James days”.

She wrote: “I just went and looked at all the beautiful talented black celebrities who have worn platinum hair and it has been just about everyone of them at one time or another. Are they all trying to be white?”

The post was applauded by Jessie J, another singer, who said: “A mother standing up for her daughter. Well said!”

Chrishell Stause, an American actress who appears in Selling Sunset, said: “Protect your little girl always. Love this!”

Renaissance, Beyonce’s film, shows clips of her singing in concert interspersed with behind-the-scenes footage that promoters say shows her “hard work, involvement in every aspect of the production, her creating mind and purpose to create her legacy, and master her craft”.

It will premiere in London on Thursday, before being released worldwide on Friday.

The Los Angeles premiere on Saturday drew a gaggle of celebrities, including Lizzo, a singer, and Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams, former members of the band Destiny’s Child.

Beyoncé is a vocal anti-racism campaigner, giving a 2020 speech in support of Black Lives Matter urging her followers to “continue to take action, continue to change and dismantle a racist and unequal system”.

She has previously said her mother, who is a fashion designer, has “always been invested in making women feel beautiful”.

The artist told the New York Times in 2017 that Tina Knowles cared about women’s appearance “whether it was through someone sitting in her hair chair or making a prom dress for one of the girls at church”.

Beyoncé is the latest of several black female celebrities who have been accused of lightening their skin.

In 2020 Lil’ Kim, a rapper, described people claiming her skin had been lightened as “miserable morons”, while Nicki Minaj, was accused of “hating her blackness” after photos emerged that appeared to show her with lighter skin than before.

In 2011, Vogue Magazine was embroiled in controversy after claims it had lightened the singer Rihanna’s skin in post-production.

Alexandra Shulman, then editor, released a statement responding: “If her skin does look pale it is probably because of the very strong sunlight in LA that day.”