Contrary to popular belief, Beyoncé is indeed human. Despite her status as a generation-defining artist, she is affected by the constant scrutiny . . . and then she handles it like you might imagine she would: “In moments of vulnerability, I try to remind myself I’m strong and I’m built for this,” Beyoncé said in a recent, wisdom-filled interview for Elle‘s January 2020 issue to tease her forthcoming Ivy Park collection with Adidas.
Answering questions sourced from her fans, Beyoncé spoke about how she’s stayed true to herself after over two decades in the industry. “The predictable rock star DNA is a myth. I believe you don’t have to accept dysfunction to be successful,” she said. “This is not to say that I have not struggled. I have the same pain that life brings to everyone else. I try to shift the stigma that says with fame there has to be drama.”
“You don’t have to accept dysfunction to be successful.”
On the topic of controlling her professional and personal narrative — which she is quite famous for — Beyoncé said, “The more I mature, the more I understand my value. I realized I had to take control of my work and my legacy because I wanted to be able to speak directly to my fans in an honest way. I wanted my words and my art to come directly from me. There were things in my career that I did because I didn’t understand that I could say no.” She added, “We all have more power than we realize.”
Though she certainly is powerful and successful, many of Beyoncé’s fans feel as though she is often snubbed at major award shows. When asked about her critically acclaimed album Lemonade not winning in the four major categories at the 2017 Grammys, Beyoncé said, “Success looks different to me now. I learned that all pain and loss is in fact a gift. Having miscarriages taught me that I had to mother myself before I could be a mother to someone else.” She added, “Being ‘number one’ was no longer my priority. My true win is creating art and a legacy that will live far beyond me. That’s fulfilling.”
See photos of Beyoncé modeling a selection of her new Ivy Park designs in the Elle shoot ahead.