Beyonce is on the cover of the September Issue of Harper’s Bazaar sharing her transition through ages as she faces her 40’s on Bey Day, September 4th.
The mom of three, nine-year-old Blue Ivy, and four-year-old twins Rumi and Sir, with husband JAY-Z delivered an amazing interview, one that is a must-read, when the issue drops on August 31st.
So much was shared – She along with JayZ are now the new faces of Tiffany & Co, she is working on new music, and she is protecting her peace and her children ferociously.
Below are some of our favorite parts:
You turn 40 on September 4. Reflecting on your life so far, what has each decade taught you?
The first decade of my life was dedicated to dreaming. Because I was an introvert, I didn’t speak very much as a child. I spent a lot of time in my head building my imagination.
I am now grateful for those shy years of silence. Being shy taught me empathy and gave me the ability to connect and relate to people. I’m no longer shy, but I’m not sure I would dream as big as I dream today if it were not for those awkward years in my head.
About Her Teenage Years
My teenage years were about the grind. I grew up hearing this particular scripture from James 2:17, “Faith without work is dead.” Vision and intention weren’t enough; I had to put in the work.
I committed to always being a student and always being open to growth. No one in my school knew that I could sing because I barely spoke. My energy went into Destiny’s Child and the dream of us getting a record deal and becoming musicians. If something wasn’t helping me reach my goal, I decided to invest no time in it.
I didn’t feel like I had time to “kiki” or hang out. I sacrificed a lot of things and ran from any possible distraction.
I felt as a young Black woman that I couldn’t mess up. I felt the pressure from the outside and their eyes watching for me to trip or fail. I couldn’t let my family down after all the sacrifices they made for me and the girls. That meant I was the most careful, professional teenager and I grew up fast.
I wanted to break all of the stereotypes of the Black superstar, whether falling victim to drugs or alcohol or the absurd misconception that Black women were angry.
I knew I was given this amazing opportunity and felt like I had one shot. I refused to mess it up, but I had to give up a lot.
About her thirties
My 30s were about starting my family and my life becoming more than my career. I worked to heal generational trauma and turned my broken heart into art that would help move culture forward and hopefully live far beyond me.
My 30s were about digging deeper. In 2013, I started BeyGOOD to share the mentality that we could all do something to help others, something my parents instilled in me from a young age—to inspire others to be kind, to be charitable, and to be good.
I have worked to lift my people up, to change perceptions so my kids could live in a world where they are seen, celebrated, and valued.
I’ve spent so many years trying to better myself and improve whatever I’ve done that I’m at a point where I no longer need to compete with myself. I have no interest in searching backward.
The past is the past. I feel many aspects of that younger, less evolved Beyoncé could never f*** with the woman I am today. Haaa!
About protecting her inner self
We live in a world with few boundaries and a lot of access. There are so many internet therapists, comment critics, and experts with no expertise.
Our reality can be warped because it’s based on a personalized algorithm. It shows us whatever truths we are searching for, and that’s dangerous.
We can create our own false reality when we’re not fed a balance of what’s truly going on in the world.
It’s easy to forget that there’s still so much to discover outside of our phones. I’m grateful I have the ability to choose what I want to share. One day I decided I wanted to be like Sade and Prince.
I wanted the focus to be on my music, because if my art isn’t strong enough or meaningful enough to keep people interested and inspired, then I’m in the wrong business. My music, my films, my art, my message—that should be enough.
I’ve fought to protect my sanity and my privacy because the quality of my life depended on it. A lot of who I am is reserved for the people I love and trust.
Those who don’t know me and have never met me might interpret that as being closed off.
Trust, the reason those folks don’t see certain things about me is because my Virgo ass does not want them to see it….It’s not because it doesn’t exist!
About new music
With all the isolation and injustice over the past year, I think we are all ready to escape, travel, love, and laugh again. I feel a renaissance emerging, and I want to be part of nurturing that escape in any way possible. I’ve been in the studio for a year and a half.
Sometimes it takes a year for me to personally search through thousands of sounds to find just the right kick or snare. One chorus can have up to 200 stacked harmonies.
Still, there’s nothing like the amount of love, passion, and healing that I feel in the recording studio. After 31 years, it feels just as exciting as it did when I was nine years old. Yes, the music is coming!
About Chapter 40
My wish is for my 40s to be fun and full of freedom. I want to feel the same freedom I feel on stage every day of my life.
I want to explore aspects of myself I haven’t had time to discover and to enjoy my husband and my children. I want to travel without working.
I want this next decade to be about celebration, joy, and giving and receiving love. I want to give all the love I have to the people who love me back.
More Pictures:
Hairstylist: Jawara; Personal Hairstylist for Beyoncé and Co-Hairstylist: Nakia Rachon; Hair Colorist: Rachel Bodt; Makeup Artist: Francesca Tolot; Manicurist: Miho Okawara;
Read her entire editorial here.
