The Rihanna Navy thinks they have it hard? Try being a Blue Ivy stan. The 8-year-old legend rarely deigns to give the public the time of day, but when she does make an appearance … whew. She makes the cutest — dare we say Best Supporting Actress–worthy — cameos in her mom Beyoncé’s pet project Black Is King, a stunning reimagining of The Lion King through the music of the soundtrack The Lion King: The Gift. We gotta give this girl her flowers somehow. She can’t help but steal scenes with shy smiles and dance moves. Of course, she has her solo in “Brown Skin Girl,†for which she won a Soul Train Award and earned her first spot on the Billboard Hot 100. But she also appears in other parts of the visual album, either by herself or with her mom. With every scene, she reminds how powerful she is just by being herself. Here are some of her breakout moments from Black Is King.
Right from the start, in “Bigger,†she’s laying back between her mom’s legs like she just finished getting her hair braided and they’re both worn out. They lovingly look at one another and Beyoncé gently kisses her forehead. Who worships who more?
As Beyoncé sings “Wild, wild child / Look a lot like you,†in “Find Your Way Back,†Blue Ivy appears with glitter on her face, spinning in a gold hoop like a natural.
Later, in the introduction to “Brown Skin Girl,†Beyoncé narrates a fairy-tale-like sequence with little Black girls roaming through a floral forest on a red-curtain-lined stage, wearing frilly dresses, and playing patty-cake. Elsewhere, on a swampy dock, she and Blue Ivy play hand games sitting criss-cross applesauce in coordinating floral dresses, their long hair floating in the breeze. “Brown Skin Girl†is Blue Ivy’s moment. In one scene, she, her mom, her grandmother Tina Knowles, and little sister Rumi proudly stand together, in those coordinating florals. In another, she sits right by her mom’s side in a tableau of Black female excellence. Then, she has her big solo. Not a dry eye in the house.
You saw prim and proper debutante Blue Ivy … here she is getting her life! She makes an appearance during “My Power†featuring Tierra Whack, Nija, and Moonchild, dancing her heart out in a hat and shades. She’s effortlessly cool, just like her momma. Throughout the film, Blue Ivy is a testament to the innate beauty, strength, and grace Beyoncé uses Black Is King to exemplify. The untouchable swag though? That’s all hers.