Yesterday, a week after releasing her self-titled album, Beyonce held a screening for the visual effort at New York’s School of Visual Arts. Queen Bey donned a head-turning and reflective mini-dress designed by Tom Ford (who else?), while she played her 17 new music videos and had a Q&A with her fans.
Guests at the event munched on popcorn in "Beyonce" bags and drank soda, while watching the seductive visuals from Bey. Fans submitted questions via Instagram, which resulted in 'Yonce explaining her inspiration for the LP, why she was nervous before dropping it on iTunes and more. Check out her answers below, and peep flicks of Beyonce on the red carpet in the gallery above.
On her inspiration: “It’s interesting how motherhood changes you and it changes your perspective on life. I took all the things that I wanted to change about myself and all the things I wanted to share, and I put it into this record.”
On the message behind BEYONCÉ: “More than the music, I’m proud of myself as a woman. The biggest message is owning your imperfections and all the things that make you interesting because I refuse to allow someone to put me in anybody’s box.”
On secretly releasing it to iTunes: “I just got off the stage, I had a glass of wine and my cousin Angie was like, ‘Are you alright?’ because I was talking to myself and I was terrified. I was so scared. I had already gone through all the horrible ways it could go in my mind… I saw it live oniTunes and I waited for the first comment. Then I woke up the next morning and… [breaks into dance].”
On the birth of ‘Yonce: “We were in the studio, and Justin Timberlake started beating on buckets. So, when you hear the beat, it’s literally a bucket. … And Dream just started, ‘Yoncé on his mouth like liquor,’ and I’m like, ‘What does that mean?’ But I love it, I think Beyoncé is Beyoncé, Mrs. Carter is Beyoncé, Sasha Fierce is Beyoncé. And I’m finally at a place where I don’t have to separate the two. It’s all pieces of me, and just different elements of a personality of a woman, because we are complicated.”
On taking charge of her career: “My father taught me so, so much. When I decided to manage myself, it was important to me not to sign to some big company. I wanted to follow in Madonna’s footsteps and be a powerhouse. When you get to this level, you don’t have to share your money or your success… And we did it. And it’s my company.”