Beyoncé Talks About Becoming an Icon in Throwback Interview

Shoulder, Joint, Waist, Thigh, Elbow, Lace, Fashion, Neck, Beauty, Fashion model, — (Image credit: Getty Images)

When you think about Beyoncé, the words "icon" and "mogul" easily come to mind. Also "flawless" and "PRAISE," but we digress. The star's transition from pop star to icon has been relatively seamless, but behind that seamlessness lies an astute intentionality. Bey had her world domination planned AF, and a throwback interview from 2008 makes it abundantly clear just how much she thought about her celebrity.

"There is a time limit on being a pop star, yes," Beyoncé told Marie Claire U.K. eight years ago. "Being a legend, an icon? Absolutely not. I'm over being a pop star. I don't wanna be a hot girl—I wanna be iconic. And I feel like I've accomplished a lot. I feel like I'm highly respected, which is more important than any award or any amount of records. And I feel like there comes a point when being a pop star is not enough."

Goals = realized, amirite?

In the same interview, Beyoncé touched on the desire to use her platform as a means to support women of color: "I think I'm opening doors for more black women, just like Halle Berry and Diana Ross opened doors for me."

Bey's one of the most powerful celebrity voices in the Black Lives Matter movement, so yeah, she called it. Side note: it appears as though Beyoncé can predict the future, so plan accordingly.

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Mehera Bonner is a celebrity and entertainment news writer who enjoys Bravo and Antiques Roadshow with equal enthusiasm. She was previously entertainment editor at Marie Claire and has covered pop culture for over a decade.