By comparing two contemporary musical documentary portraits, the Scandinavian newcomer Jada in Jada ‐ lillebitte kæmpestor (‘Jada ‐ super tiny mega big’) (2019) and the global pop artist Beyoncé in Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé (2019), the article examines how ‘being ordinary’ in behind-the-scenes sequences can be used as a marker of authenticity.