This September, the force that is Beyoncé will turn 40, solidifying more than two decades in the spotlight. Ahead of the singer's milestone birthday, she's opened up about a number of things — and shared those hallowed words every fan longs to hear: "Yes, the music is coming!"
In a new Harper's Bazaar cover story, Beyoncé reflected on her years before fame, competing in singing and dance competitions when she was just seven years old. "I was often the only Black girl and it was then that I started to realize I had to dance and sing twice as hard," she recalled. She started taking voice lessons from an opera singer at age nine, and by age 10, she'd already recorded 50 to 60 songs.
Her work ethic only grew stronger with time, explaining her "teenage years were about the grind," before she could build the foundation for her artistic legacy in her 20s. In her 30s, Beyoncé turned her focus to family, with life finally superseding her 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," she said, referring to 2016's masterwork Lemonade, which made Exclaim!'s list of Best Pop & Rock albums for that year.
The artist went on to discuss self-care, diet culture, motherhood, the influence of her Texas upbringing and the community of women in her life — including her Destiny's Child collaborators Michelle Williams and Kelly Rowland, as well as her sister Solange.
And finally, Beyoncé opened up about new music, saying:
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!
Knowing her and her meticulous approach as a producer, it will undoubtedly be worth the wait.
"Black Parade" from Beyoncé's visual album for Disney+ Black Is King won the 2021 Grammy for Best R&B Performance. Her remix of (and featured appearance on) Megan Thee Stallion's "Savage" also took home two trophies for Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song.
Last year, the superstar shared her ironic beekeeping hobby. Mind the Beyhive!
In a new Harper's Bazaar cover story, Beyoncé reflected on her years before fame, competing in singing and dance competitions when she was just seven years old. "I was often the only Black girl and it was then that I started to realize I had to dance and sing twice as hard," she recalled. She started taking voice lessons from an opera singer at age nine, and by age 10, she'd already recorded 50 to 60 songs.
Her work ethic only grew stronger with time, explaining her "teenage years were about the grind," before she could build the foundation for her artistic legacy in her 20s. In her 30s, Beyoncé turned her focus to family, with life finally superseding her 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," she said, referring to 2016's masterwork Lemonade, which made Exclaim!'s list of Best Pop & Rock albums for that year.
The artist went on to discuss self-care, diet culture, motherhood, the influence of her Texas upbringing and the community of women in her life — including her Destiny's Child collaborators Michelle Williams and Kelly Rowland, as well as her sister Solange.
And finally, Beyoncé opened up about new music, saying:
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!
Knowing her and her meticulous approach as a producer, it will undoubtedly be worth the wait.
"Black Parade" from Beyoncé's visual album for Disney+ Black Is King won the 2021 Grammy for Best R&B Performance. Her remix of (and featured appearance on) Megan Thee Stallion's "Savage" also took home two trophies for Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song.
Last year, the superstar shared her ironic beekeeping hobby. Mind the Beyhive!
