Matthew Knowles is proud of his daughter Solange for turning down a place in Destiny’s Child to “forge her very own path” in music.
The father and manager of Beyonce, 41, and Solange, 36, has admitted he was hesitant about her decision not to join the chart-topping girl group with her older sibling but couldn’t “fight against it anymore” after witnessing her “unwavering belief in herself”.
He began a lengthy Instagram post: “Many of you aren’t aware, but I personally wanted Solange to be in Destiny’s Child.
Matthew continued: “That didn’t appeal to her. You would think joining Destiny’s Child would be a dream to her, and she had every opportunity to seize the success that the group was experiencing—but she wanted to forge her very own path.”
He added: “Solange’s desires and faith in herself trumped my personal desires for her. You see, I realized then that she had an unmatched character and an unwavering belief in herself… I finally supported and encouraged her decision. I didn’t fight against it anymore. (sic)”
The record executive said everyone should be inspired by his daughter’s “bravery” in taking the “less obvious” route to “happiness”.
He went on: “I knew my Solange would be OK in this world of super-stardom that we were all getting used to at the time when I saw this level of resolve in her.
“I would love for all of you to take a page out of Solange’s book.
“Sometimes life brings us to a crossroads and makes us make a choice between the “obvious decision” and the choice our heart knows deep within we should take. I would encourage you to not automatically discount the latter. The universe rewards bravery, and sometimes the less obvious choice is the one that will bring us the most happiness and success. The heart doesn’t lie!”
Matthew concluded: “I am very proud of you Solange … not just for what you’ve accomplished, but for who you are!”
Destiny’s Child – also comprising Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams – were together from 1990 to 2000, and are one of the best-selling trios of all time, with three Grammys to their name.
As for Solange, her third studio album, 2016’s ‘A Seat at the Table’ receive widespread acclaim and saw her land her first number-one in the US.
The lead single ‘Cranes in the Sky’ took home the Grammy for Best R’n’B Performance at the 2017 ceremony.