Oh, honey, Beyoncé has broken her royal silence! Yes, the Queen Bey herself sat down for a rare GQ cover story, and it’s spilling more tea than a broken kettle at a southern sweet tea competition.
Let’s dive into the good stuff, shall we?
On “Cowboy Carter” and “SirDavis Whiskey” Names:
Beyoncé was like, “Y’all think ‘cowboy’ is just some dude with a hat and a horse, right? Wrong! Let’s get our history books out, babes! Turns out, up to a quarter of cowboys were Black, but no one ever tells you that. In fact, they’d call these Black men ‘boys’ – like, excuse me, BOY?! So when I say ‘SirDavis,’ that’s a whole moment of respect. Respect for every single person who’s had to work twice as hard for half the credit. I don’t know about y’all, but I’m ‘Sir’ to nobody except the IRS.”
On Her Trilogy’s Origin:
Beyoncé spilled that she’s been working on Cowboy Carter for five years – which in Beyoncé time is like… five lifetimes of perfection. She said if you listen closely to 16 Carriages (like, REALLY listen), you’ll see she’s mixed genres like a DJ at a wedding reception with no playlist. Country, rap, opera, zydeco (Google it), she’s done it all, hun. Queen Bey’s music library is more diverse than a karaoke night in Vegas, and she wants you to know that Black artists have been mastering all the genres since day one. “Genres are just boxes, and honey, I’m a star-shaped peg.”
Oh, and she sampled Joseph Bologne, a.k.a. the original Chevalier de Saint-Georges, ‘cause Beyoncé’s taste is so refined she’s out here flexing with 1700s violin concertos. Your fave could never.
On Privacy and Access:
“Y’all, back in my day, we had to use calling cards and Skype—yes, that old thing—to keep in touch. Now? Kids are out here FaceTiming their goldfish. I swear, I heard an AI song that sounded so much like me I almost sued myself. It’s a wild world we live in. But listen, I’m serious about keeping my kids out of the spotlight. I’m not turning my life into a reality show. You want tea? Go watch The Real Housewives of Wakanda. I’m Beyoncé, not the Truman Show.”
On Expectations:
Beyoncé is officially out here dropping wisdom bombs like your favorite cool aunt. She’s not chasing perfection, she’s chasing evolution. “When I disappear off the face of the Earth for a while, it’s not because I’m hibernating like a bear. I’m out here evolving, leveling up, and making music that makes you want to rethink your whole existence. Fame is the prison; the art is my escape plan. The Shawshank Redemption of stardom, baby!”
On Raising Kids:
Queen Bey has a whole routine worked out. She’s out here being a pop icon while also juggling school drop-offs, dance rehearsals, and snack times. “My kids are basically my entourage. They’re in the studio with me, they’re at dance rehearsals. They’ll probably start asking for a cut of the profits soon. Blue Ivy’s already a full-on artist. She’s been painting, editing, acting—at this point, she’ll probably have her own Netflix deal by 12. I didn’t even want her on stage, but she insisted, and honestly? She killed it. I’m just trying to keep up.”
On Her 4 Album:
Remember when everyone was on that pop-dance craze? Beyoncé was NOT feeling it. “Look, I respected it. It was fun and bubbly, but like… not my thing. I was out here trying to make music with some depth. I needed some soul, not just beats that sound like a carnival ride. That’s when I dropped 1+1 and Love On Top because honey, I was trying to feel something, not just bounce.”
On Why There Are No Videos from Her Last Two Albums:
“So everyone’s glued to their screens, right? Well, I thought, let’s pull a reverse Uno. No videos. Let’s make everyone listen for once. I made albums with history in every note. It’s not background music for your TikTok dances, okay? This stuff needs a whole dissertation. My fans became the visuals—when they’re out here recreating it on tour, THAT’S the video. You got the whole cinema experience for free.”
On Retiring and That Knee Injury:
“I’m basically like an Olympic athlete, except I do it in stilettos and a bodysuit. And yeah, sometimes my body’s like, ‘Girl, SIT DOWN.’ But I’ve been doing this for decades, and my knee injury was just a little reminder that I’m a whole new animal. Retirement? Please. I left that pop star factory line years ago. I’m here for the long haul, babes.”
On the New Generation:
Beyoncé is obsessed with the new wave of artists, like a proud mom at a talent show. “Y’all, I love Raye, Victoria Monét, Chloe x Halle (of course), and my girl Miley Cyrus—my backseat baby. I’m a Smiler for life! Also, can we talk about GloRilla and Doechii? I mean, wow. These women are out here killing it. And Thee Sacred Souls? Chappell Roan? Incredible. I’m basically living my best fangirl life.”
On Her Self-Care Routine:
Beyoncé has a whole self-care ritual. She’s out here playing sound bowls, making honey (because duh, Queen B), and painting. Oh, and she’s written children’s books too. Is there anything she can’t do? Probably not.
