Beyonce blazes the hotly anticipated September issue of Vogue magazine.
Eagerly awaited, this edition of the fashion bible is reportedly the last from editor Anna Wintour and saw Queen Bey gifted full control over the direction of the shoot and accompanying feature.
The diva supreme handpicked 23-year-old Tyler Mitchell to lens to spread and in her interview goes into abundant depth about why.
Elsewhere, in her most intriguing insight into the world of Beyonce in years, the singer opens up about body image, pregnancy complications, her heritage, her journey, and much more.
Head below to see and here from Beyonce in a way like never before…
On Pregnancy Complications & Her Body After:
After the birth of my first child, I believed in the things society said about how my body should look. I put pressure on myself to lose all the baby weight in three months, and scheduled a small tour to assure I would do it. Looking back, that was crazy. I was still breastfeeding when I performed the Revel shows in Atlantic City in 2012. After the twins, I approached things very differently.
I was 218 pounds the day I gave birth to Rumi and Sir. I was swollen from toxemia and had been on bed rest for over a month. My health and my babies’ health were in danger, so I had an emergency C-section. We spent many weeks in the NICU. My husband was a soldier and such a strong support system for me. I am proud to have been a witness to his strength and evolution as a man, a best friend, and a father. I was in survival mode and did not grasp it all until months later. Today I have a connection to any parent who has been through such an experience. After the C-section, my core felt different. It had been major surgery. Some of your organs are shifted temporarily, and in rare cases, removed temporarily during delivery. I am not sure everyone understands that. I needed time to heal, to recover. During my recovery, I gave myself self-love and self-care, and I embraced being curvier. I accepted what my body wanted to be. After six months, I started preparing for Coachella. I became vegan temporarily, gave up coffee, alcohol, and all fruit drinks. But I was patient with myself and enjoyed my fuller curves. My kids and husband did, too.
I think it’s important for women and men to see and appreciate the beauty in their natural bodies. That’s why I stripped away the wigs and hair extensions and used little makeup for this shoot.
To this day my arms, shoulders, breasts, and thighs are fuller. I have a little mommy pouch, and I’m in no rush to get rid of it. I think it’s real. Whenever I’m ready to get a six-pack, I will go into beast zone and work my ass off until I have it. But right now, my little FUPA and I feel like we are meant to be.
On Pushing Diversity In Representation:
Until there is a mosaic of perspectives coming from different ethnicities behind the lens, we will continue to have a narrow approach and view of what the world actually looks like. That is why I wanted to work with this brilliant 23-year-old photographer Tyler Mitchell.
When I first started, 21 years ago, I was told that it was hard for me to get onto covers of magazines because black people did not sell. Clearly that has been proven a myth. Not only is an African American on the cover of the most important month for Vogue, this is the first ever Vogue cover shot by an African American photographer.
It’s important to me that I help open doors for younger artists. There are so many cultural and societal barriers to entry that I like to do what I can to level the playing field, to present a different point of view for people who may feel like their voices don’t matter.
Imagine if someone hadn’t given a chance to the brilliant women who came before me: Josephine Baker, Nina Simone, Eartha Kitt, Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner, Diana Ross, Whitney Houston, and the list goes on. They opened the doors for me, and I pray that I’m doing all I can to open doors for the next generation of talents.
If people in powerful positions continue to hire and cast only people who look like them, sound like them, come from the same neighborhoods they grew up in, they will never have a greater understanding of experiences different from their own. They will hire the same models, curate the same art, cast the same actors over and over again, and we will all lose. The beauty of social media is it’s completely democratic. Everyone has a say. Everyone’s voice counts, and everyone has a chance to paint the world from their own perspective.
On Her Legacy:
My mother taught me the importance not just of being seen but of seeing myself. As the mother of two girls, it’s important to me that they see themselves too—in books, films, and on runways. It’s important to me that they see themselves as CEOs, as bosses, and that they know they can write the script for their own lives—that they can speak their minds and they have no ceiling. They don’t have to be a certain type or fit into a specific category. They don’t have to be politically correct, as long as they’re authentic, respectful, compassionate, and empathetic. They can explore any religion, fall in love with any race, and love who they want to love.
I want the same things for my son. I want him to know that he can be strong and brave but that he can also be sensitive and kind. I want my son to have a high emotional IQ where he is free to be caring, truthful, and honest. It’s everything a woman wants in a man, and yet we don’t teach it to our boys.
I hope to teach my son not to fall victim to what the internet says he should be or how he should love. I want to create better representations for him so he is allowed to reach his full potential as a man, and to teach him that the real magic he possesses in the world is the power to affirm his own existence.
On Her Journey:
There are many shades on every journey. Nothing is black or white. I’ve been through hell and back, and I’m grateful for every scar. I have experienced betrayals and heartbreaks in many forms. I have had disappointments in business partnerships as well as personal ones, and they all left me feeling neglected, lost, and vulnerable. Through it all I have learned to laugh and cry and grow. I look at the woman I was in my 20s and I see a young lady growing into confidence but intent on pleasing everyone around her. I now feel so much more beautiful, so much sexier, so much more interesting. And so much more powerful.
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These images turned out gorgeous. I love this less is more Beyoncé. She’s really been pushing this motherly, pure beauty thing that I am so here for!!
I love this and the article is great read i like when a star truly open up there feeling makes u relate to her more her and rih is showing women u don’t need to be perfect unlike the dirty kardashians
I love the new photos. Beyonce is slaying every pose. I also like the interview alot. Let me get a wine cooler and twirk to my bootleg B’day album…the one I made myself with Back Up and Lost Ur Mind on it LOL.
lol i love this
Yes! Stunning in a natural and real way! The soul is the star ⭐️ Bey’s outer shell is gorgeous, but these pictures show her inner beauty! ?? When she named some of the wonderful black women that gave her inspiration and courage, I teared up ? Bey is living her best life, raising her family and entertaining with a responsibility for black art and existentialism! I don’t want to get too deep, but Bey is letting black people know exactly where she sees them! That Mona Lisa painting was in the background on the Carter cover art! We’re talking about, and I quote, “the best known, the most visited, the most written about, the most sung about and the most parodied work of art in the world.” Understand your place! ?
She looks like she’s about to have another Csection in that cover pic
I loved what she said about raising her son, that’s powerful & all woman should do the same
I love the progressive growth she’s displayed over the years. Most importantly I greatly appreciate how she’s using her celebrity to level the playing field and give hope to individuals that have the talent and need appropriate avenues to display them on. I love the images and adore her minimum make up as well; she’s gorgeous!
This!
Great interview..Basic Shoot!
I feel like I have seen all these pics before on her Instagram.
Her interview feels a little empty though with the reveal that she hardly had any say on anything regarding the shoot creatively… everything was someone’s idea. even picking the photographer.
Also the flower head piece after Rihanna’s Cover reveal…
Do you ever have anything positive to say
Omg, STFU, with your miserable a//.
Sorry these pictures are maybe made by black artist but theyvare basic just loke her instagram pictures
And about the clothes too not haute vogue like we saw before
and i stop believe her interview when she say :when i give birth to my first child……..liar please we know u didnt
Why this woman want to talk and talk about that girl move on
You obviously know nothing about photography at all. These are far from basic.
I don’t like her facial expressions in those pics
The interview was great but the photos/pictures were a total let down!
This shoot is MEH. Sorry. Not her best. Disappointing.
Looking ugly and basic as usual
Shut up white trash demon. You are an imposter. The real Jasmine would never hate on Queen Bey. You are jealous you UGLY white demon imposter. Make yourself useful and go fetch me some weed and a beer.
And MESS @ y’all thinking she was the one doing the interview when the girl can barely spell her own name ?♂️
She is an international superstar. When she speaks people listen you white cracker. You think you know English but all you know is Redneck Eurotrash Slang with emojis. Good riddance white cracker.
lmao so we’re gonna act like Rihanna didn’t do basically this same exact shoot just last issue??? lmaooo mess. The thief lives on lmfaooooo ? ?? ?
I am so proud of her #AllSmiles
Basic, as expected. She never really slays a photo shoot anyway.
One of the most oberrateoverrated artists of all time. sound illeterite shen she
You just failed ? Take your L
Very overrated
Loved what’s she stands for and the interview! She’s beautiful! Seen her on tour a few weeks ago in Cleveland Ohio stadium was packed but not quite sold out but they still brought people out ! Cleveland was rocking and it was a great show she did look a little tired in the face and doesn’t have to do much to be great on stage that’s forsure!
This photo shoot is average though a little disappointing and underwhelming. She is so ethereal on stage but not in photo shoots for some reason ???? Also noticed she did the floral headpiece which Rihanna just did for her September British Vogue …
@datred these pics were taken before Rihanna’s vogue pics were released (last week)…. not to mention. Beyonce did the head piece thing years ago for the “grown woman”/African theme she had going on. Not to mention the head piece being done by a bagillion other ppl prior to Rihanna. That is NOT a RiRi signature or first AT ALL by any means.
Didn’t say it was a Rihanna signature but why would vogue blatantly do that? What I like about Rihs cover is the eyebrows she always does something different to add a little twist or umph! She’s sooo couture it’s crazy wish Beyoncé would have done the same
British Vogue and American Vogue are not ran by the same people. Vogue in every country is different and has their own teams. I personally hated Rihanna’s eyebrows but I liked the looks. With that being said I don’t wanna see Beyonce be an edgy Japanese character with weird eyebrows. That’s never been her thing, she’s a just an amazingly talented diva who can tear up a stage like nobodies business.
These pics show beyonce the 37 year old wife and mother of 3 like we don’t get to see her. Natural hair, minimal makeup and in a pure form. I appreciate this much more as we don’t get beyonce to open up a lot on top of her opening up while she sits there with her real hair? For a megastar of her caliber it takes a lot more guts to strip it back than to dress it up. She’s done that a billion times. She’s on her grown woman ish
Rihanna’s picture is dramatic while Beyonce’s picture is more on the natural side. I appreciate both photos for what they brought. They look bomb. Two black women covering Vogue’s September issue like heyyyy how could you be mad at that.
She looks absolutely GORGEOUS, Minimal and a whoooole woman. The interview speaks volumes to who she is and has grown to be. Love her always, she’s the truth!!! Slay Bey!
Dam janet nor mariah never covered vogue and never will lmao
Girl bye they not bothered, long face h**.
lmao and roach never makes it to the Greatest of All Time list and never will, she can keep following behind Rihanna and kim Kardashian lmfaooo?
Neglected, lost and vulnerable….three words that sound weird coming from Beyonce. Although it puts the braggart nature of her recent music in perspective. I do like the pictures as I see she is continuing with earth mother – sum goddess theme offstage.
Yes!
The interview was cute and she slayed the poses but facially she’s very one dimensional with her photo shoots but she’s a gorgeous woman nonetheless
she tries to hard……
She looks like a crackhead
Yawn….. this b**** is overrated….
???Y’all & these comments ???
Wow she’s stepping out and I believe she wants what’s best for her children & hopefully this country will follow suit & make sure many ethnicities receive the same love and attention as most Caucasian citizens have been blessed with through their skin tones….????
a hot dry mess…this woman is simply not an artist … a la janet, mj, madonna… she used to dance well in heels tho
The write up portion was dope she came off very relatable to be such a huge star. The photos were cool and she was on her entertainer meets mommy swag I appreciate it.
She is not anging well. She looks like Miss Celie, in the color purple. I could have shot better photos on my phone.
at 50 bey will still look better than you did when you were 17 ? lol so what’s your point?
Bey looks 36. Not aging well is when your 22 already looking like Chris browns mugshot
The cover was lack luster. I really wanted it to be great, because of the historical significance. I tried to like it, but it’s a no for me. She needs a face lift. There is no way in hell she is 36. She is acting like she did something special by getting those test tube babies cut out of her. Girl, Bye.
I am glad my queen and the twines came out safe I pray and love Eric so much i can’t wait to buy my copy god continue to bless protect herb and era family for life
Rih bodied the floral headpiece and Gaga bodied her metallic piece wow Bey you proven time and time again that you lack originality. Find your art Bey you’re pushing 40 and stay stealing from other artists. On the positive side her face is gorgeous.
Loved what she had to say in the article.
The worlds truth: what she says matters to the world; the words she said about diversity touched my heart and I have said this and many have BUT we aren’t at this level; Beyonce is and just her saying what she did will help; the sad truth racisim will never go away until we all go home BUT her voice will cause those who may have a warp sense of what our world should be, like…think FOX is bible or just really confused in this sad time for our world will read who Vogue has allowed to do whatever with whoever for this issue and think twice before they make their next action!!!!! For that she deserves a huge thank you; celebrities voices matter no matter what we think!!!
Thank you Beyonce for making this shoot special. I like that she pulled back the gilts and glam for this. She really opened up about what she experienced as a mother of 3. As far as the interview being empty….where? She talked about almost dying, and learning who she is as black women, She talked about so many topics with relevance, Anyone who has anything to say negative about this side of Beyonce, is they people she is speaking about. She is a human and this interview showed that. Don’t you get tired of hating on a winner because that is what she is to us and so many others
Thanks B
Nice. I like where she is going. I love her All Night video. It shows live in various cilors and diversity