Beyonce has said that suffering miscarriages and becoming a mother has helped her to become stronger and change her outlook on life.
The US music star and actress said that success “looks different to me now” and that she no longer focuses on chart positions or awards.
Beyonce has daughter Blue Ivy, seven, and two-year-old twins Rumi and Sir with husband Jay-Z, and she has previously talked about having a miscarriage two years before her eldest child was born.
Rapper Jay-Z later appeared to refer to her suffering several miscarriages in his song 4.44 in 2017.
Beyonce, 38, told Elle UK magazine: “I began to search for deeper meaning when life began to teach me lessons I didn’t know I needed. 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.
“Then I had Blue, and the quest for my purpose became so much deeper.”
The Crazy In Love singer added: “I died and was reborn in my relationship, and the quest for self became even stronger. It’s difficult for me to go backwards.
“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.”
She said that having children and growing older has also changed her opinion on herself, and that she is more than her appearance.
“If someone told me 15 years ago that my body would go through so many changes and fluctuations, and that I would feel more womanly and secure with my curves, I would not have believed them,” she said.
“But children and maturity have taught me to value myself beyond my physical appearance and really understand that I am more than enough no matter what stage I’m at in life.
“Giving zero f**** is the most liberating place to be. Also knowing true beauty is something you cannot see. I wish more people focused on discovering the beauty within themselves rather than critiquing other folks’ grills.”
Beyonce also said that it has “always been important for me to hire women” at her company Parkwood Entertainment and that “as a woman, if you are too opinionated, too strong-willed, too anything, you are disregarded”.
She said she believes in “giving a voice to people who are not always heard”, adding: “One of the first presidents of my company was a woman. My current GM, head of production, head of PR, and other leaders are women.
“I hire women not to be token voices in the company but to lead. I believe women are more balanced and think with compassion in deciding what’s best for the business.
“They see the big picture absent of personal agendas. Most women are loyal and commit with 100% follow-through.”
The January issue of Elle UK is on sale from December 12.