Mathew Knowles was enjoying a recent interview before it took a turn for the worse when Beyonce was brought up. While it’s no surprise to hear the businessman, 69, boasting about his superstar daughter, he wasn’t too keen on the topic of comparisons between Beyonce and her young prodigy, Chloe Bailey of the singing duo Chloe X Halle.
“You’ve got to be kidding me, right? You’re asking me that question?” Knowles said on Leah A. Henry’s podcast Leah’s Lemonade — after the host explained that people “constantly” compare Chloe to Beyonce and call her a “younger” version of the Grammy-winner. Henry asked, “The same thing you saw in young Beyonce, do you see that in Chloe Bailey?”
Knowles made a confused facial gesture and asked, “Are you actually serious that you are comparing that young lady to Beyonce?” When Henry specified that the question was aimed at Chloe playing Beyonce in a potential biopic, Knowles said, “Okay, if you’re talking about a movie — not talent-wise. Talent-wise? Are you telling me talent-wise, somebody is an idiot enough to compare her to Beyonce, talent-wise? Are there people saying her talent is equal to Beyonce? They’re idiots. Period,” he continued, adding, “That’s actually insulting to Beyonce.”
When the interviewer attempted to switch the subject to Mathew’s podcast, he said, “I want to get off this topic I don’t even want to talk about it.” After that, he began reading live reactions from YouTube viewers who were upset over his “cringe-y” comments about Chloe.
After Knowles attempted to explain himself, he said, “What’s turned into a wonderful interview, is now ending up on some bullsh*t.” The fiery moment clearly put the kibosh on the near hour-long conversation, because Knowles immediately exited on an evidently frustrated note.
Chloe, for her part, has not addressed the situation publicly, and neither has Beyonce. Fans of Beyonce will know that she has a very close relationship with Chloe and her other half Halle. The singer has helped promote the young duo’s careers in more ways than one.