Beyoncé Knowles may be a superstar, but she understands she’s not above losing.

In a video on YouTube labeled “Self-Titled: Part 2. Imperfection,” the Houston-born singer admitted she didn’t have measured expectations around losing at the start of her career. Before Destiny’s Child, Knowles was part of Girl’s Tyme. When Knowles was nine years old, the group performed on a show called “Star Search.” She admitted in the video that, at the time, her dream was to win the show and land a record deal; losing was never an option.

“At the time, you don’t realize that you can actually work super hard and give everything you have and lose. It was the best message for me,” she expressed in the video.

“The reality is: sometimes you lose. And you’re never too good to lose. You’re never too big to lose. You’re never too smart to lose. It happens. And it happens when it needs to happen, and you have to embrace those things,” Beyoncé added.

Beyoncé learned to become resilient, and is now the most decorated artist in Grammy history, with 35 wins and 99 nominations, including winning 2025 Album of the Year for “Cowboy Carter,” according to the Grammy’s website.

Knowles is also among the highest-paid musicians in the world, as AFROTECH™ previously reported. This is in part due to her entertainment, production, and management company, Parkwood Entertainment, which has enabled her to pocket a larger share of profits. Parkwood Entertainment produced the 2023 Renaissance World Tour, which grossed an estimated $400 million in ticket sales and an additional $60 million in distribution revenue across AMC Theaters, according to Forbes. The “Cowboy Carter” Christmas NFL halftime special alone led to an estimated $50 million payday, per the outlet.

Beyond music, Beyoncé has pursued other business ventures, though not all of them have met continued success. Her adidas clothing line, Ivy Park reportedly generated $40 million in sales in 2022 despite sales projections of nearly $250 million, reports Fortune. A year later, the partnership ended.

Still, Knowles continued her entrepreneurial pursuits and, in 2024, she launched a haircare brand called Cécred, which is now award-winning and the top “prestige haircare launch” at Ulta Beauty, as AFROTECH™ previously reported. That same year, she doubled down in the business world, also starting her own whiskey brand, SirDavis, in partnership with Moët Hennessy.

Net Worth

Despite business missteps, Knowles has continued to grow her net worth, with Forbes reporting that Beyoncé is officially a billionaire.