At a Glance
- Blue Ivy Carter, daughter of Beyoncé and Jay-Z, turned 14 on January 7, 2025
- She became the youngest person to chart on Billboard as a newborn and won a Grammy at 9
- Her recent achievements include starring in Mufasa: The Lion King and dancing in Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter Tour
- Why it matters: Blue Ivy is redefining what it means to grow up in the spotlight, turning early fame into a growing list of career milestones
Blue Ivy Carter, once introduced to the world as a baby bump at the 2011 MTV VMAs, is now a 14-year-old with a résumé most adults would envy. From charting on Billboard hours after birth to winning major awards and touring the globe, her journey has been anything but ordinary.
From Newborn Noises to Grammy Gold
Hours after her birth on January 7, 2012, Blue Ivy became the youngest person to appear on the Billboard charts. Jay-Z sampled her cries in the track Glory, a tribute to his newborn daughter.
By age 9, she had already won a Grammy for Brown Skin Girl, making her the second-youngest winner in Grammy history. That same year, she also won a BET Award and an NAACP Image Award for the same song.
Stepping into the Spotlight
Blue Ivy’s on-stage journey began in 2023 when she joined Beyoncé’s Renaissance World Tour. Originally slated for one performance, she continued after facing online criticism, rehearsing harder and returning stronger.
Her father, Jay-Z, told CBS Mornings:
> “I still get goosebumps seeing her walk onstage… for her to be on that stage and reclaim her power… you can’t write a better script.”
She later danced at the 2022 Oscars during Beyoncé’s performance of Be Alive and performed alongside her mom at the NFL’s Christmas Day Halftime Show in Houston.
Film Debut and Voice Work
In 2024, Blue Ivy made her feature film debut as Kiara in Mufasa: The Lion King. Director Barry Jenkins said her casting had nothing to do with her parents:
> “I just really loved her voice… I could tell that she was going to bring this really wonderful innocence, but also the knowingness of a highly evolved child.”
She also narrated the audiobook version of Hair Love, a children’s book celebrating Black hair and father-daughter bonds.
Behind the Scenes Influence
Blue Ivy isn’t just a performer-she’s also a creative force behind the scenes. She’s helped shape Beyoncé’s setlists, including successfully lobbying to keep Diva on the Renaissance Tour.
She’s also shown a flair for makeup, once transforming her grandmother Tina Knowles into a skeleton for Halloween, a look Knowles praised as professional-quality.
Key Takeaways
- Blue Ivy Carter turned 14 on January 7, 2025
- She is a Grammy, BET, and NAACP Award winner
- She danced in two of Beyoncé’s world tours and performed at the NFL halftime show
- She made her film debut in Mufasa: The Lion King without parental involvement in casting
- Beyond performing, she’s narrated audiobooks and influenced creative decisions in Beyoncé’s tours
From her first cry on a Billboard hit to commanding global stages, Blue Ivy is steadily building a legacy that stands on its own-far beyond her famous last name.
