Vogue’s September issue is here and we are loving it!
Beyoncé was given unprecedented control over the September issue by US Vogue editor Anna Wintour.
Not only did the singer get to organize the photo shoot (and make sure very little make-up and hair extensions were used), but she also switched out a traditional sit-down interview for a more narrative essay piece with the help of writer Clover Hope.
In the piece, Beyoncé shared how she wants to open doors for other Black talent. She also gave us an example of that by recruiting 23-year-old photographer Tyler Mitchell, who’s now the first black photographer in the magazine’s 126-years of publication.
"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," Beyoncé told the magazine. "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."
The singer also opened up about how she wants the same opportunities and greatness for her own children.
“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,” she said.
In addition, Beyoncé shared that she wants the world for her son, Sir, as well.
“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,” she wrote.
“It’s everything a woman wants in a man, and yet we don’t teach it to our boys.”
Going further, Beyoncé opened up and revealed for the first time how taxing giving birth and motherhood were for her.
First, Beyoncé shared that she had to go through a caesarian section to give birth to her twins.
“My health and my babies’ health were in danger, so I had an emergency C-section. We spent many weeks in the NICU (intensive care unit),” she wrote.
“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.”
As if that wasn’t hard enough, the singer adds that she still had to worry about her body image.
When she gave birth to her first child, Blue Ivy, back in 2012, Beyoncé forced herself to lose weight in three months and went on a mini-tour to force herself into it.
She then decided to take her time to recover after giving birth to her twins. Of course, the C-section saw to that. That then led her to thinking about her body image and appreciating it more.
“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,” the singer wrote.
That didn’t stop her from working hard to be a performer however, as six months later she got on stage at Coachella. To prepare for that, she temporarily became a vegan while giving up alcohol, coffee, and sweet drinks.
While Beyoncé is a loving and dedicated mother/wife, she’s also a world-class performer who’s driven to pursue her craft.
Even now, she’s out on the On the Run II tour with her husband Jay-Z, which will end on October 4 in Seattle.
I love Beyonce as we all do,
I love Beyonce as we all do, and the pictures look terrific. I do have to note, that exact same gold halo was featured in Empire of the Sun's "On our way home" video, released back in November 2017. Inspirational of course, but I'm surprise they didn't customize it for her. #firethatstylist!