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By Suzanne Blake
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A woman has revealed in a new TikTok video that pop superstar Beyoncé allegedly fired her dad over health issues after 20 years of working for her.
The user who goes by @mairicool on the platform said she considered making the video about her family’s experience with Beyonce for years, but said she is now "at the point, why not?”
Why It Matters
Beyonce, otherwise known as Beyonce Giselle Knowles, is one of the best-selling artists of all time. She was the former lead singer of Destiny’s Child before launching a successful career with albums like Dangerously in Love and Lemonade.
Read More on Entertainment
Publicly, the singer has garnered a reputation for being highly disciplined and controlled, with former dancers describing intense rehearsals and high expectations.
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What To Know
Mairi, a TikTok user with 4,000 followers, said her father, Terry Cooley, was Beyoncé’s stage and production manager for over 20 years.
However, he was let go after he collapsed and had to undergo surgery, Mairi said in the new video.
“They decided that he couldn’t keep up,” Mairi said.
“Here we are in 2026, and my dad has been out of work for a few years.. I worry about my dad because he put his heart and his soul into Beyoncé’s career.”
Cooley also experienced sporadic pay under Beyoncé during the pandemic because tours were stopped, and he was forced to sell the family home.
While touring with Beyonce, whom he worked for since her Destiny’s Child days, he worked 22-hour days.
“They cut him loose and fired him after 20-something years of service. After he gave his health and his body to helping her succeed,” Mairi said.
Despite years of work with Beyonce, Mairi also said her father never got severance or even a get-well card.
“Where we’re at now is my dad is suffering financially and he’s suffering emotionally,” she said.
Mairi called for viewers to tag Beyonce and urge her to “make things right” and “maybe apologize for disregarding the career that they had.”
The viewers poured in with support for Mairi and her father’s story.
One TikTok user wrote: “Tell him to write a book called behind the stage or something like that.”
And another said, “Beyoncé is a business. They should have retirement packages for employees like him.”
Still, some said Beyonce was not responsible for helping out Terry in his time of need.
One user wrote: “you walk away with what you earn. That’s the downside of passion, and unfortunately it’s the risk you take when you work outside of the traditional business structure.”
Newsweek reached out to Beyonce’s publicist for comment via email.
What People Are Saying
Mairi Cooley said in her new TikTok video: “They cut him loose and fired him after 20-something years of service. After he gave his health and his body to helping her succeed… Where we’re at now is my dad is suffering financially and he’s suffering emotionally.”
One TikTok user wrote in the comments: “Beyoncé is a business. They should have retirement packages for employees like him.”
What Happens Next
Beyonce has so far not responded to the Cooleys’ claims online.
The pop star most recently went on her Cowboy Carter tour from April to July of last year, and her next tour dates have not been officially announced.
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