‘Diva’ singer Beyonce was the source of many compliments in a recent chat with PrideSource magazine. In the extensive interview, King B chatted about the inspiration she draws from gay fans as well as admiration for ‘Telephone’/‘Video Phone’ co-star Lady Gaga.
See what else the ‘Best Thing I Never Had’ singer had to say after the jump:
Via PrideSource:
I know, according to you, the girls run the world – but what do you think about the girls and the gays teaming up and running the world together?
Well, that’s what I meant when I said girls. (Laughs)
You don’t do a lot of gay press, but you have to know that you have a huge a gay following.
Yes, I do.
When did you feel a real connection with your gay fans?
I’ve always had a connection. Most of my audience is actually women and my gay fans, and I’ve seen a lot of the younger boys kind of grow up to my music. It’s great when I’m able to do the meet and greets, because I’m able to really connect and have conversations. People look at some of the artists that I admire – like Diana Ross and Cher – and they identity that glamour with Sasha Fierce, and I’ve been really inspired by the language. I have my (gay) stylists and my makeup artist, and all of their stories and the slang words I always put it in my music. We inspire each other. Like I said, we’re one.
Yes, you’ve inspired lots of drag queens out there. What tips can you give them to be a better Beyoncé?
I have many different looks, so finding what works best for your silhouette and your face, because I’ve had every kind of hair style and I know for me there are certain things that I love to wear and there’s certain makeup and colors – bright colors on my eyes – that just don’t compliment my features. So I think just figuring out which Beyoncé works best for your figure and features.
For your upcoming role in the remake of “A Star Is Born,” you’ll be part of a lineage of gay icons including Judy Garland and Barbra Streisand. How does it feel knowing that? Is it intimidating?
I’m slightly a bit intimated, I have to say. I feel a bit overwhelmed, and I’m still in shock. (Laughs) But the studio and Clint (Eastwood, the director) believe in me, and I feel like I’ve been really selective and I’ve waited and worked really hard and I’ve done different types of movies – from comedies to thrillers to drama when I played Etta James – and I really wanted to make sure I was ready. I do believe that at this point I am ready and I’ve been disciplined and I’ve surrounded myself with really good actors. I hope this is going to be as wonderful of an experience as I feel it’s going to be.
I just remember growing up seeing Barbra Streisand and knowing that she represented that generation’s star, and being an African-American woman and being the person that’s represented is such an honor. I respect it and I cherish it and I’m going to work so hard – harder than I’ve ever worked – to make sure that I live up to filling the shoes of those other women.
Last year, Lady Gaga made this remark in an interview with E!: “I was very excited to be working with Beyoncé again. It just sort of works out because we both like women.” What did she mean by that?
(Laughs) Well… I’m all about women working together and supporting each other and learning from each other, and I feel like sometimes women get a bad rap. It’s like we’re competitive and we can’t respect each other especially if we’re both out around the same time – they think we’re going to kill each other. And it’s all about women learning from each other, and I respect talent and I respect people that work hard – and good people.
I love Gaga. I mean, if she didn’t perform and she wasn’t a singer, just as a human being I love her to death. But on top of it, she is the most talented pop star right now, and I’m so happy for her. It’s just really inspiring to see someone who just creates their own destiny and comes up with their own looks and writes their own songs and choreographs and is in control and is not contrived. If you took away every bit of costume and she just sat in front of a piano, she would still tear it down. She’s just that talented, and she deserves it all. And I’m just happy to work with her. I love her.
That’s what [we] love about this album – you did what you wanted to do. Through that, you’ve taught gay fans how to stay true to themselves. What have you learned from them, though?
If anyone is brave and true to themselves, it’s my gay fans. The amount of confidence and fearlessness it takes to do what maybe is not what your parents expect you to do or what society may think is different – to be brave and be different and be to yourself – is just so beautiful. It’s the most beautiful thing you can be, and it’s what we all want to be at the end of the day. And not worrying about satisfying or becoming what other people think you’re supposed to be, that’s like the ultimate dream – to just be that brave.
Mrs. Knowles-Carter also chatted more about ‘A Star Is Born’, her recent #1 album ‘4’, and much more. Read the interview in its entirety here.