Even though her latest album has been a big success, Beyoncé did not attend this year’s VMAs. Before the event, she shared some personal insights about her life as an artist, which might explain why she wasn’t there.
Many of the biggest stars in the music industry showed up for this year’s Video Music Awards (VMAs) in Elmont, New York. Celebrities dazzled in stunning outfits as they posed for photos. But one star missing from the spotlight was Beyoncé, even though she was nominated for three awards.
Beyoncé, known for her hit song “Countdown,” was nominated for **Song of the Year**, **Best Trending Video**, and **VMAs Most Iconic Performance**. The last two categories are fan-voted, allowing her supporters to have a direct influence on the outcome. Despite these nominations, she was notably absent from the event.
Beyoncé received two of her nominations—**Song of the Year** and **Best Trending Video**—for her hit song *”Texas Hold ‘Em,”* the lead single from her latest album *”Cowboy Carter.”* The album has been a global sensation, further cementing her influence in the music industry despite her absence from the VMAs.
Beyoncé’s third nomination, for **Most Iconic Performance**, was for her beloved classic *”Love on Top.”* Despite not having released official music videos for her latest album *”Cowboy Carter,”* she still managed to secure these impressive nominations, showcasing her enduring influence and the impact of her music.
Beyoncé did release an official lyric video for *”Texas Hold ‘Em.”* The video is simple yet striking, featuring bold red capitalized letters displaying the lyrics. The backdrop includes imagery of a building, barbed wire, and a satellite dish, adding a gritty, atmospheric feel to the song, even though there’s no full music video yet.
At the VMAs, *”Texas Hold ‘Em”* faced stiff competition, going up against other critically acclaimed songs by some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry. Despite the tough competition, Beyoncé’s track still managed to stand out, earning her nominations in key categories.
Beyoncé was in impressive company for the **Song of the Year** award, with fellow nominees including Taylor Swift and Post Malone for their song *”Fortnight,”* Kendrick Lamar for *”Not Like Us,”* Teddy Swims for *”Lose Control,”* Jack Harlow for *”Lovin On Me,”* and Sabrina Carpenter for her hit *”Espresso.”* These stars, each with their own critically acclaimed tracks, made the competition for the award especially fierce.
Although Beyoncé was not present to celebrate her nominations at this year’s VMAs, which were ultimately won by other artists, this isn’t the first time she’s missed the event. The last time she attended the VMAs was in 2016, making her absence this year less surprising to long-time fans.
Before the 2024 VMAs, Beyoncé gave an interview with *GQ*, where she opened up about her career and what it’s like being one of the biggest stars in the world. In the interview, she shared personal insights and reflections on her journey, offering fans a rare glimpse into the pressures and rewards of her life as a global icon.
During the interview, Beyoncé was asked about her **reputation as a perfectionist**, a trait often reflected in her exceptional work, including her songs and documentaries like *”Homecoming”* and *”Renaissance.”* She discussed how this drive for perfection influences her creative process and the high standards she sets for her projects.
Beyoncé was asked if her reputation for perfection ever feels like a burden, as if she’s trapped or carrying a heavy weight. She was probed about whether the pressure to maintain such high standards ever feels overwhelming.
In response, Beyoncé said, “Working on the music for *‘Cowboy Carter’* and launching this new project don’t feel like a prison or a burden at all. Actually, I only focus on what makes me feel free and inspired.”
Beyoncé did admit that fame can sometimes feel like a prison. She explained, “So, when you don’t see me on red carpets or when I take a break until I have new art to share, that’s why.”
The beloved singer, who once held the Guinness World Record for the most MTV Video Music Awards wins (30) between 2000 and 2021, also talked about her creative process. She emphasized that she works at her own pace and hopes that her music inspires listeners to reflect on themselves and develop their own resilience, strength, and creativity.
In the interview, Beyoncé shared, “I focus on storytelling, growth, and quality. I’m not concerned with perfectionism. My focus is on evolution, innovation, and changing perceptions.”
“I Would Try for My Girl,” Rihanna Shares She’s Ready to Have More Kids With ASAP Rocky
After dedicating herself to a career to shape her life and business empire, Rihanna is now embracing a more laid-back approach to the future. Currently, a mother to two sons, RZA and Riot, expressed her desire to expand her family.
Rihanna reflects on growing her family and rapidly deepening her bond with Rocky.
Rihanna talked about her expanding family in a recent interview. The singer mentioned her openness to having more children, saying, “I will have as many kids as God wants me to have.” She also expressed her desire for a daughter, “I don’t know what God wants, but I would go for more than two. I would try for my girl. But of course, if it’s another boy, it’s another boy.”
Reflecting on their relationship’s beginning, Rihanna described their cautious approach, allowing things to unfold naturally, “I just let whatever was supposed to happen, happen. It was just, This is a flower. It’s either going to die or blossom. But I’m going to let it decide itself.”
She acknowledged that the lockdown in 2021 accelerated their relationship, leading them to start a family sooner than planned. Despite the unexpected timing, Rihanna emphasized how becoming a family was the best thing for them.
Their partnership, she explained, thrives on mutual trust and acceptance rather than striving for perfection. Rihanna expressed gratitude for Rocky’s belief in her and his vision of her as a great mother. Likewise, she believed in him as a great father. She’s happy with how everything turned out, stating, “I let God lead and just let go. Because in previous relationships, I tried and tried and tried my best, and you still feel like it’s not enough. So when someone sees you and believes in you, and thinks you’re worthy of being the mother of their kids, it’s a great feeling. I felt the same about him. I knew he would be a great dad.”
Her life has been more colorful since becoming a mother.
The Barbadian singer also opened up about what it’s like to be a parent and how that affected her. “I’m living for my son,” Rihanna said. “Everything matters now. You really start to take a lot into account.”
The 34-year-old also explained that her life took a turn for the better after giving birth and that she thinks twice before taking unnecessary risks. “Skydiving?! You think about stuff like that — it’s not worth it,” she continued. “Everything is different, life before my son seems very obscure. It’s very small and cloudy, it just got better with him.”
And this isn’t the first time Rihanna has gushed about the joys of motherhood and how much she’s enjoying her new role. In a previous interview, she lit up when asked what her favorite thing about being a mom was.
“Oh my god, the mornings, like, seeing his morning face! Seeing a baby with, like, little bags and waking up, and they’re just, like, startled. They’re trying to figure out where they’re at. It’s the cutest, it’s my favorite part of the day,” she replied.
How motherhood changed her perspective on work.
On 12 February 2023, Rihanna stepped on stage to perform a selection of her hits after being away from music for almost a decade. The stage was none other than the halftime show at the Super Bowl, which has a long tradition of featuring iconic acts from a variety of music’s biggest names. When asked, during the podcast recording, about how she reacted when she got the invitation for it, the singer admitted that she was fearful of how it would go.
“It was so scary because it was kind of unexpected to come back from zero to Super Bowl. That’s kind of nuts,” Rihanna replied. She also wanted to make sure the show would be good enough to warrant the time spent away from her son. “Getting back to anything right now has to feel worth it. Nothing is worthy of your time away from your kid,” she added.
But what took the world by surprise during her Super Bowl Halftime Show was the announcement that she is pregnant with her second child, with the performance beginning with the singer rubbing her baby bump at the start of the first song. RiRi created a new pop culture moment, and since then, fans can’t wait to see how her motherhood story continues to unfold and blossom!
We compared 18 star couples’ photos when they were early in the relationship and right before they broke up. Click here to see photos.
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