With a sprawling empire encompassing chart-topping records, sell-out tours, and on-screen success, it's hardly surprising that Beyoncé ranked 36th on Forbes' 2023 list of the world's most powerful women. She joined the illustrious company of fellow music moguls Taylor Swift and Rihanna, as well as political powerhouses like US Vice President Kamala Harris.

Additionally, Queen Bey is one of the richest self-made women in the world, with an impressive net worth of $800 million (£638m). Read on to discover how she built her mammoth fortune and how she likes to splash her cash, too.

All dollar amounts are in US dollars.

Beyoncé first made her mark on the charts as a member of the R&B girl group Destiny's Child. The group originated in Houston, Texas, in 1997 but skyrocketed to fame the following year with the release of their second album The Writing's on the Wall. This record featured hit singles such as Bills, Bills, Bills and Say My Name, propelling the girls to international stardom.

In total, the band released four studio albums between 1997 and 2004. Destiny's Child is one of the best-selling girl groups of all time, having sold 60 million records worldwide.

Beyoncé has released eight studio albums to date and has amassed over 200 million records in global sales. In 2014, Billboard named her the highest-earning Black musician in history, surpassing icons like Michael Jackson and Prince.

Each of her albums has debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart and has garnered numerous Grammy Award wins and nominations. While rooted in the R&B/hip-hop genre, Beyoncé has explored diverse musical styles, infusing elements of pop, afrobeat, trap, and soul into her music.

Beyoncé recently took her music in a whole new direction with her eighth studio album, the country-inspired Cowboy Carter.

The lead single, Texas Hold 'Em, skyrocketed to the top of the charts, marking Beyoncé as the first Black woman to achieve a number one hit on Billboard’s Hot Country chart. What's more, her foray into country is drawing fresh listeners to the genre, notably boosting streams for other Black country artists and expanding the genre's appeal to younger audiences.

Cowboy Carter is also smashing streaming records. Upon its release on 29 March, Spotify announced it was the most-streamed album in a single day in 2024 thus far (though it's since been surpassed by Taylor Swift's The Tortured Poet's Department). Additionally, Cowboy Carter holds the record for the most-played country album by a female artist on Amazon Music, marking Beyoncé's biggest debut on the platform.

Country-inspired clothing is back on trend, partly thanks to the success of Cowboy Carter. Western-style boots experienced a more than 20% increase in sales the week of the album's release, according to consumer behaviour firm Circana. Meanwhile, Boot Barn, a Western clothing brand, saw its shares rise by over 4% since the beginning of April.

And it's not just boots. Other country clothing staples, like denim, are also benefiting from Beyoncé's influence.

Levi Strauss CEO Michelle Gass emphasised the impact of the song Levii’s Jeans from the Cowboy Carter album, featuring Post Malone, noting that Beyoncé naming a song after them underscores Levi's significance in shaping culture. Gass highlighted that denim is currently "having a moment," with Western style trending in both fashion and music.

Beyoncé was most recently the subject of a documentary titled Call Me Country: Beyoncé and Nashville's Renaissance, which premiered on the streaming platform Max. The documentary explores Cowboy Carter's impact on the country genre. 

It also delves into ongoing conversations about the genre's relationship with Black musicians and prominently features Black artists like banjo player Rhiannon Giddens, who collaborated with Beyoncé on the hit track Texas Hold ‘Em.

In addition to releasing chart-topping records, Beyoncé significantly boosts her fortune through touring. In 2016, her Formation World Tour grossed an impressive $250 million (£198m).

In 2018, Beyoncé and Jay-Z joined forces for the On the Run II tour, with both icons performing their biggest solo hits as well as duets.  The tour included 48 live shows across North America and Europe, grossing a grand total of $250 million (£198m).

Beyoncé's recent Renaissance World Tour marked her most successful to date. It sold 2.8 million tickets across 56 shows in North America and Europe, generating a stunning $580 million (£458m) in revenue. That makes it the highest-grossing tour in history for both an R&B artist and a Black female artist.

Beyoncé not only boosted her own bank balance with the Renaissance World Tour but also made a significant impact on the US economy. Data from Question Pro estimated the tour had a staggering economic impact of $4.5 billion (£3.6bn).

Concertgoers spent an astonishing $1,870 (£1.5k) on average to attend the show, surpassing what Taylor Swift fans spent to attend The Eras Tour by $300 (£237). Notably, the 'Beyhive' – Beyoncés legion of fans – spared no expense when it came to dressing for the glam occasion, spluring an average of $400 (£316) on their outfits.

Despite the hefty costs involved, 91% of fans expressed satisfaction with the concert and said they would pay to attend again.

Alongside her monumental world tours, Beyoncé also earns a fortune from one-off performances. She headlined the Coachella music festival in 2018, making history as the first Black woman to do so. Her estimated paycheque for the performance was $3 million (£2.4m).

Her Coachella performance was also released on Netflix as part of a three-project deal estimated to be worth a total of $60 million (£47m).

In January 2023, Beyoncé performed at the grand opening of the opulent Atlantis The Royal hotel in Dubai, receiving an eye-watering $24 million (£19m) payday for her hour-long private concert (pictured). 

However, Beyoncé has faced backlash for her Dubai performance, with some fans calling the star "hypocritical." Her album, Renaissance, paid homage to LGBTQ+ culture, but same-sex relationships are illegal in the United Arab Emirates and punishable by imprisonment or even death. 

Beyoncé made history last year as the artist with the most Grammy wins in history, after scoring her 32nd Grammy Award at the 2023 ceremony. The pop diva took home four overall awards, including that the Grammy for best dance/electronic album for her album Renaissance. 

The record-breaking victory means that she defeated Hungarian-British conductor George Solti, whose record of 31 Grammys had stood for more than 20 years. 

To cap it all off, Beyoncé was just honoured with the Innovator Award at the iHeartRadio Music Awards (pictured).

Music icon Stevie Wonder presented Queen Bey with the award, stating, "Now Beyoncé is once again changing music and culture, climbing in the saddle as a bona fide country music sensation with her latest masterpiece, Cowboy Carter, which may end up being the most talked-about album this century."

Meanwhile, during her acceptance speech, Beyoncé said, "Being an innovator often means being criticised, which often will test your mental strength. My hope is that we're more open to the joy and liberation that come from enjoying art with no preconceived notions."

Music aside, the multi-talented Beyoncé has also found success on the screen.

She reportedly earned $12.5 million (£9.9m) for her role in the 2006 movie Dreamgirls, plus a further $1 million (£790k) for her work on the soundtrack. Meanwhile, in 2019, Beyonce voiced Nala in Disney’s The Lion King remake, raking in a cool $25 million (£20m) for her efforts.

And remember her 2002 performance as Foxxy Cleopatra in Austin Powers in Goldmember? Groovy, baby.  

In one of her latest lucrative ventures, Beyoncé released the concert film Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé at the end of 2023. The documentary showcases behind-the-scenes footage from her sold-out world tour, including clips of her rehearsing with her eldest daughter, Blue Ivy.

The film earned $44 million (£35m) globally and Beyoncé – who wrote, directed, and produced it – earned 50% of the total box office gross.

Global brands practically line up to cash in on Beyoncé's selling power. For example, she signed a $50 million (£4m) brand deal with Pepsi in 2012, and has further collaborated with other major names such as L’Oréal, American Express, and Nintendo.

One of her most high-profile partnerships, announced in 2021, was with luxury jewellery brand Tiffany. Alongside Jay-Z, Beyoncé starred in a campaign while wearing the iconic 128.54-carat Tiffany Yellow Diamond (pictured). Since its discovery in 1877, only four other women have worn this priceless gemstone: Audrey Hepburn, Lady Gaga, Gal Gadot, and 20th-century socialite Mrs. E. Sheldon Whitehouse, making Beyoncé the first Black woman ever to wear it.

However, the move sparked controversy, and Beyoncé faced accusations of sporting a "blood diamond"; the stone was discovered in the notorious Kimberley mine in South Africa, notorious for its mistreatment of Black workers.

The business-savvy Beyoncé is also an entrepreneur.

One of her earliest business endeavours was the launch of her own perfume brand in 2010. Since then, she has utilized her unstoppable star power to sell approximately $400 million (£317m) worth of her signature fragrance, Heat.

Beyoncé is the first African American woman to fully own her own sportswear brand. Ivy Park was launched in partnership with Topshop in 2016 and then relaunched with Adidas in 2019.

However, Adidas recently ended its partnership with Beyoncé after sales of Ivy Park fell by more than 50% to just $40 million (£32m) in 2022. This was far below the $250 million (£198m) sales figure projected by Adidas.

The decision by Adidas was a financial blow to Beyoncé, who earned $20 million (£16m) in annual compensation from the lucrative partnership.

In her latest entrepreneurial move, Beyoncé launched her own haircare line this year. Called Cécred, the brand offers a variety of haircare products, including shampoos, conditioners, masks, and oils. Prices for haircare bundles range from a modest $42 (£33) to a steeper $265 (£210), according to Forbes.

Commenting on the motivation behind launching the brand, Beyoncé said, “I grew up sweeping hair in my mother’s salon; so much of who I am comes from there. I saw how she transformed hair by mixing mainstream products with textured haircare.”

To celebrate the launch of her brand, Beyoncé is giving away $500,000 (£400k) in cosmetology scholarships and salon grants through her BeyGood charitable foundation. The grants will support cosmetology students and salon owners in five markets, providing both scholarships and business grants.

The savvy star has further boosted her bank balance via investments. In 2022, she invested money in the flavoured water brand Lemon Perfect. The health-conscious company uses zero sugar and no artificial flavours or colouring in its products, which are packed full of Vitamin C.

"I don’t typically enjoy drinks without added sugar, but Lemon Perfect is delicious," Beyoncé said in a statement on the Lemon Perfect website. "It was an easy decision to invest in something that not only tastes great and is healthy but also, and most importantly, allows choosing a healthier lifestyle to be affordable and accessible to everyone."

According to the Lemon Perfect website, a case of 12 450ml bottles costs $29.88 (£23.65).

Now let's delve into how Queen Bey spends her fortune...

Beyoncé and Jay-Z own a seriously impressive real estate portfolio, which includes lavish residences in New York, New Orleans, the Hamptons, Miami Beach, and Los Angeles.

However, the crown jewel of their collection is a sprawling $200 million (£158m) mega-mansion overlooking the ocean in Malibu (pictured). The power couple's recent acquisition set a record for the highest price ever paid for a home in California, surpassing their new neighbour, billionaire venture capitalist Marc Andreessen, who purchased the adjacent property for $177 million (£140m) in 2021.

Designed by renowned architect Tadao Ando, the mansion features a minimalist design characterised by its extensive use of concrete and glass. Not everyone has been complimentary about its bold design, though, with some people comparing the concrete mansion to a supervillain's lair.

In common with many billionaires, Beyoncé and Jay-Z own a fleet of expensive cars including a Maybach Exelero, a Bugatti Veyron, a Rolls-Royce Phantom, and a custom-designed Mercedes.

In 2021, the couple reportedly splashed out on a seriously expensive car. Rolls-Royce unveiled its one-of-a-kind Boat Tail, which boasts a $28 million (£22m) price tag. Although the owner hasn't been confirmed, the fact the luxury vehicle has a "Blue Ivy" leather interior and a fridge holding Armand de Brignac luxury vintage champagne – a brand partially owned by Jay-Z – fuelled speculation that it was built for the couple.

Beyoncé famously spoils her children, once giving her eldest daughter an $80,000 (£63k) diamond-encrusted Barbie doll for her birthday. Meanwhile, ahead of the arrival of their twins in 2017, Beyoncé and Jay-Z splurged on matching gold cribs costing $75,000 (£59k).

All three children are often spotted wearing costly designer clothes, with Blue Ivy once pictured wearing a $5,000 (£4k) dress by popular fashion designer Mischka Aoki.

Beyoncé loves to splash her cash on flashy bling. In fact, during her aforementioned private concert at Dubai's Atlantis The Royal hotel, she wore several items of extravagant jewellery by luxury designer Lorraine Schwartz, with the pieces valued at a jaw-dropping $7.5 million (£5.9m).

The star’s controversial performance included three wardrobe changes, and throughout the night she donned a pair of 100-carat emerald earrings surrounded by 60 carats of dazzling white diamonds, a 30-carat diamond ring, 50-carat pear-shaped diamond earrings, and finally, a pair of diamond pyramid earrings (pictured) that totalled more than 60 carats.

Bling aside, Beyoncé also donates a lot of money to charity, notably giving $100,000 (£80k) to historically Black colleges last year. 

Meanwhile, her BeyGOOD charity, which tackles gender inequality and provides natural disaster relief, pledged $6 million (£4.7m) in support of mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Now discover where Beyoncé and Jay-Z rank among the richest celebrity power couples in the world