Beyoncé reveals how her views on body image have changed since becoming a mum

Beyoncé has opened up in a rare interview about her successful career, suffering miscarriages before the birth of her children and how she reacts to negative comments about herself.

The superstar, known for her massive solo hits 'Halo', Crazy In Love' and 'Best Thing I Never Had', joined ELLE to talk about a number of different topics, in an 'ask anything' interview where she answered questions from her fans.

Explaining that her view on success has changed, Beyoncé said, "I began to search for deeper meaning when life began to teach me lessons I didn’t know I needed. Success looks different to me now. 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."

She went on to explain how being Number 1 in the charts was no longer as important, "Then I had Blue, and the quest for my purpose became so much deeper. 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."

The mum of three was also asked by a fan what stresses her out, and it seems that like many she finds being a working mum hard. "I think the most stressful thing for me is balancing work and life. Making sure I am present for my kids – dropping Blue off at school, taking Rumi and Sir to their activities, making time for date nights with my husband and being home in time to have dinner with my family – all while running a company can be challenging. Juggling all of those roles can be stressful, but I think that’s life for any working mom." sic

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Of course it's important to look after yourself, whether you're a pop superstar, or not, so when it comes to self-care Beyoncé revealed that although many women are brought up to 'tough it out', she is no longer like that, "After having a difficult pregnancy, I took a year to focus on my health. I have researched information on homeopathic medicines. I don’t just put any prescription in my body. My diet is important, and I use tools like acupuncture, meditation, visualisation and breathing exercises."

With her image often under scrutiny, the topic of conversation turned to her weight fluctuations, with the singer admitting that she now feeling more secure with her curves. "Children and maturity have taught me to value myself beyond my physical appearance," Beyoncé explained saying, "Giving zero 🤬s 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."

Now take a look at Beyoncé through the years:

The full interview features on ELLE's website.

You can hear songs by Beyoncé on Downtown Radio.

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• Beyoncé