happy bey-day!

Beyoncé's big birthday: Diana Ross, mom Tina Knowles, and more A-listers toast Houston's queen

Tina Knowles shared this intimate photo of Beyoncé's birthday moment with her children.

Tina Knowles/Instagram

This has been a year of landmark numbers for Houston's queen Beyoncé: a record-breaking 32 Grammy Awards, 20 years since the debut of her red-hot solo album Dangerously in Love, and 42 — the age she turned on Monday, September 4.

Queen Bey, who's in the midst of her Renaissance World Tour (which hits Houston this month), celebrated as a true performer should — onstage. Some 70,000 adoring fans — and a swarm of A-list celebs — packed SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California to watch the pop icon ring in her 42nd.

Diana Ross and 60,000 of the Hive sing Happy Birthday to Beyoncé! #BEYDAYLA #RENAISSANCEWorldTour pic.twitter.com/QIOOzgsyY7
— BEYONCÉ LEGION (@BeyLegion) September 5, 2023

Her SoFi night included a surprise serenade from OG queen Diana Ross, who popped up on stage to sing "Happy Birthday" to her fellow music goddess. The 79-year-old Ross was backed by a who's-who list of stars in the audience, include fellow Houstonian Lizzo, Adele, Katy Perry, Brandy, Chris Rock, Kim Kardashian and family, Heidi Klum, Taraji P. Henson, Tyler Perry, Justin and Hailey Bieber, Zendaya and Tom Holland; and more. Timothée Chalamet and Kylie Jenner's kiss also briefly broke the internet.

Queens and a Duchess sighting

Speaking of queens, a power trio of founding Destiny's Child member Kelly Rowland, Kerry Washington, and Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle some royal shine to the shimmering crowd. (Markle was seen dancing with Prince Harry at an earlier show.)

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A post shared by Meghan (fan page) (@_duchess_of_sussex)

What could top a cameo by Diana Ross and Kendrick Lamar, who also jumped onstage? Queen Bey's emotional speech and thank you to her family and friends.

$Beyonc\u00e9 SoFi concert Renaissance Tour$ Beyoncé was radiant on her big birthday gig. Beyoncé/Instagram

“I’m thankful to be alive,” she told the crowd. “I’m thankful to be on stage. I’m thankful to look out and see your faces. I’m thankful to be able to provide a safe space for all of y’all. I’m thankful for music, for the ability to heal myself through music which then heals all of you. I’m thankful for every tear, for every year.”

“I’m thankful for my children. I’m thankful for my husband. I’m thankful for all the sh*t we’ve been through,” she declared. “I’m thankful for my beautiful father, who is here tonight… I’m thankful for my mother, my beautiful queen…” And then, in a nod to her Destiny's Child bandmates: “I’m thankful for Kelly Rowland, Michelle Williams, LaToya, LaTavia Roberson.”

A moving message from Mom

Queen Mother Tina Knowles, Beyoncé's mentor, role model, fashion designer, and more, offered a moving tribute to Beyoncé on Instagram, including an intimate photo of the megastar blowing out birthday candles with her three children — and a rare glimpse into a pet name for Beyoncé we're guessing only Queen Tina is allowed to use.

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A post shared by Tina Knowles (@mstinaknowles)

“I thank God, for choosing me to be the vessel in which you traveled to get to this world,” Tina Knowles wrote to her daughter.

“You are such rare and precious gift to the world not only as a genius entertainer. You are a gift because of your beautiful generous heart , the love you give. The grace you give , the wisdom that you show. I could go on, and on but every word is true you deserve to have the happiest day ever because you give your heart and soul to the world happy birthday my firstborn snoogams.”

From Dad, with love

Mathew Knowles, Beyoncé's father and the founder of Music World Entertainment, crafted a letter to his daughter that he shared on Linkedin.

“On top of watching your incredible talent displayed in full force on stage, I also see each show bringing people together from all creeds, backgrounds, races, ages and identities,” he wrote. “It’s an incredible sight witnessing complete strangers talk, dance, laugh, and celebrate together at each show with no judgement—just love. Beyoncé you've given the world more than a concert. You have started a movement. Today is your day to dance, laugh and celebrate. Dance to the music that is bringing the whole world together. Laugh with the amazing people around you. Celebrate the lives you have touched, the impact you’ve made, and the amazing person that you are. Happy birthday my daughter.”

Music feature

Texas country star Cody Johnson's new album goes to 'Banks of Trinity'

Photo by Cameron Powell

Cody Johnson.

There's a moment at every Cody Johnson show where the Texas-born-and-bred country star asks the crowd, “How many of you tonight are watching me and this band live for the very first time?” he told The Associated Press. “And every night, I would say at least 80% of the crowd raises their hands.”

It's not the kind of reaction most veteran artists receive. “And I’m thinking, you know, 20 years is a long time to work for something. But when you see that … What’s the next 20 years look like?” he asks.

The rancher, rodeo competitor, and onetime prison guard started his two-decade career playing honky tonks and dive bars. That led to slow and steady growth for the country traditionalist, but in the last few years, something has shifted. He landed his fifth career No. 1 song with “The Fall.” He was named Entertainer of the Year at the 2026 Academy of Country Music Awards, the show's highest honor. That was a month after he headlined Stagecoach Music Festival. For an artist with legions of fans, it looked like he was accessing new heights.

“I feel like I’m closing a book and I’m opening another one and it’s all blank pages,” he says of this period. “Let's get to the next chapter." On June 26, that new era began with the release of his latest album, Banks of the Trinity.

Traveling to the Banks of the Trinity
It hasn't been an easy road. Last fall, Johnson had to cancel a bunch of tour dates after upper respiratory and sinus infections caused a burst eardrum that required surgery — an intimidating medical procedure for anyone, but especially nerve-wracking for a musician. “I was scared,” he said simply. But “in a roundabout way, it’s one of the best things that’s ever happened to me.”

It forced him to take three months off, which allowed him to be home during the birth of his son. It also rejuvenated his approach in the studio. Before the incident, he thought the album was complete. It was not. The additional time resulted in the inclusion of a few songs that now feel inextricable from the record: “Thank Somebody Country,” “Take Me Back (Leave Me There),” “Cricket on a Hook,” and the resilient “I Have” among them.

“What a blessing to have that kind of song fall in your lap when you’re kind of up against the ropes,” he says of the latter. “I mean, we thought we had the record done. It wasn’t done.”

A title track with real resonance
At the heart of Banks of the Trinity is its title track, which recalls Eagles' cover of “Seven Bridges Road” meets bluegrass and Southern gospel.

Lyrically, it's an ode to Johnson's childhood. “I grew up on the banks of the Trinity [River.] Fishing for catfish, not so much out of pleasure or sport but for necessity to put food in the freezer. Deer season for me was not a trophy thing,” he said.

And while that track inspires a feeling of nostalgia within the listener, he doesn't consider this album a throwback collection. He says it's about showcasing his evolving sonic diversity.

"The rest of the album for me is a musical journey from track one to track 16,” he said. “There’s a little bit of a flavor for everybody. It does kind of hit Motown. It does kind of hit bluegrass. It does hit progressive country. It does it old country. It does a little rock here and there.”

It's the result of a new kind of freedom, one that is at least partially due to his recent accomplishments, including taking home the top prize at the ACM Awards.

“I just did the thing that I’ve aspired to do in my career my entire life,” he says. “A really good place is a really good way to describe where I am.”

And now that the album is out, he's ready to take a breather.

“I will be shirtless with no shoes on a beach at an undisclosed location,” he jokes about the days after record release. “'Cause I have already done all the prep work. I've been working on this album for two years. I’ve done all of the interviews. I’ve shook all the hands. Me and my wife and kids are gonna disappear for 10 days and I’m gonna become, I guess, every Kenny Chesney song ever.”

texas country artist cody johnson interview music