What stresses out Beyoncé the most? Managing her mom guilt

Ring the alarm! Beyoncé has deigned to be interviewed, and it was her Beyhive of fans who were given the rare honor.

The pop superstar fielded burning questions submitted via email and social media for the January issue of Elle magazine. The cover story, published Monday, was formatted as an “Ask me anything� Q&A rather than a traditional glossy-mag profile and was chock-full of candid, motivational revelations about the uber-private singer’s inner workings.

Not surprisingly, it was Beyoncé’s idea to have fans interview her ahead of the relaunch of her Ivy Park athleisure brand next month, a spokesperson for Elle confirmed to The Times. The open-ended questions and answers focused on Beyoncé’s legacy, specifically when it comes to running an empire and a household. (Fun fact: She even uses emojis.)

“The Lion King� star, 38, opened up about why she, as the chairwoman and CEO of Parkwood Entertainment, keeps a firm grip on her projects (or, as the fan put it, “own your narrative as an artist and creator�):

“The more I mature, the more I understand my value,� the “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)� singer said. “I realized I had to take control of my work and my legacy because I wanted to be able to speak directly to my fans in an honest way. I wanted my words and my art to come directly from me. There were things in my career that I did because I didn’t understand that I could say no. We all have more power than we realize.�

The Grammy winner also explained why it’s important for her to empower women by hiring them for top roles at her company.

“I believe in giving a voice to people who are not always heard,� she said. “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.�

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However, that doesn’t always assuage her own mom guilt, which the mother of three revealed is her main source of stress. (She and celebrated rapper Jay-Z are parents to daughter Blue Ivy, 7, and 2-year-old twins Rumi and Sir.)

“I think the most stressful thing for me is balancing work and life,� she explained. “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.�

Superstars, they’re just like us.

With the plethora of titles bestowed upon her as an entertainer, the one that brings her the greatest joy is “being Blue, Rumi and Sir’s mom.� Suffering miscarriages, she added, also taught her how to parent before she even had kids and drastically altered the way she thinks.

“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,� she said. “Being ‘No. 1’ was no longer my priority. My true win is creating art and a legacy that will live far beyond me. That’s fulfilling.�

Other important takeaways for the parents out there? She hates being asked if she’s pregnant, making the quote “get off my ovaries!� the go-to answer for anyone similarly miffed. And she still goes to Target but hasn’t been to a supermarket in a while.

“The last time I went to a supermarket, it was more like a bodega before a Madonna concert. Jay and I snuck into one in Crenshaw and bought some Cuervo and Funyuns chips. And … y’all know you see me at Target and I see y’all trying to sneak pics,� she said.

We see you too, Bey.