Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard. This is true for many artists, and Beyonce in particular, who has proven time and again that she is the hardest worker in the room. While many of us may look at the lavish lifestyle she leads and want a piece of it, the side she hardly shows is what it takes to reach and sustain that level of success.
The world first met and fell in love with Beyonce when she rose to prominence as part of the girl group Destiny’s Child. She’s since carved a super successful solo career, and grown to become one of the most awarded artists by the Grammys. With millions of records sold and an empire that already renders her great-great grandchildren filthy rich, here’s an account of the very thing that got her to the top: her insane work ethic.
8 She Does Not Feel Entitled To Win
In her address to the class of 2020, Beyonce said of the many Grammys she has: “ I’m often asked, ‘What’s your secret to success?’ The shorter answer; put in that work. There may be more failures than victories. Yes, I’ve been blessed to have 24 Grammys but I’ve lost 46 times. That meant rejection 46 times. Please don’t ever feel entitled to win. Just keep working hard. Surrender to the cards you are dealt. It’s from that surrender that you get your power.”
7 Ownership Is Key
Although Beyonce has always put in the work, she credits a pivotal point in her life where there was a sudden shift in how she looked at artistry. She chose to run her label and management company, signing top talented artists like Chloe and Halle. Beyonce also chose to direct her films and produce her own tours. “That meant ownership. Owning my masters. Owning my art. Owning my future, and writing my own story.” The "Single Ladies" singer said in her commencement address.
6 Not Enough Female Role Models?
The entertainment industry does not have many women at a decision-making level, and Beyonce highlighted this in her speech. “ I know how hard it is to step out and bet on yourself. There was a pivotal turning point in my life when I chose to build my own company many years ago…The entertainment business is still very sexist. It’s still very male-dominated, and as a woman, I did not see enough female role models given the opportunity to do what I knew I had to do…Not enough black women have a seat at the table. So I had to go and chop down that wood and build my own table.” She said.
5 She Slaves Until She’s Happy With The End Product
The one person who knows Beyonce, at least from a work perspective, is dancer Ashley Everette, who’s worked alongside her for more than a decade. Her biggest takeout is the singer’s work ethic and her attention to detail. “ She will slave until she’d happy with the finished product. She’s always trying to outdo herself, and she succeeds at that. It puts another drive in me to always keep pushing myself further and to the next level.” Everette said.
4 16-Hour Work Days
Montina Cooper, who’s worked with Beyonce in the past, attests to the ‘Halo’ Singers crazy work ethic. “ When you guys see a show, just know that every day that we’ve rehearsed, she’s gone in before us and left after us. And we’re working 14-16 hour days. There’s breaks in between. Because she’s creative, and sometimes it never stops…she’s up! But she’s not just up, she’s in it. She’s present.”
3 She Pays Attention To Detail
Montina Cooper’s sentiments about Beyonce being present have been proven time and again. It’s in the Homecoming documentary, where we saw the process of making her iconic Coachella performance, and it boils down to the simplest of things, like including change of nails between sets. Cooper says Beyonce knows a lot about what happens in her productions, and that includes the names of the lights.
2 She Treats Everyone With Respect
Almost everyone who has worked with Beyonce attests to how sweet she is, regardless of whether she’s talking to a fellow celebrity, a dancer, or the person who handles the stage. Jennifer Hudson said of working with Beyonce on Dreamgirls, “ The person is so normal, and she’s so normal. Very timid. Very sweet. Quiet and just…just a person. It’s not the goddess that we know her to be. It’s just this beautiful, sweet girl.”
1 Is It All Worth It?
When discussing the song "Pretty Hurts," Beyonce touched on how she felt about most if not all of her achievements. “ And at the end of the day, when you go through all of these things, is it worth it? You get this trophy, and you’re like ‘ I basically starved. I have neglected all of the people that I love. I conformed to what everybody else thinks I should be, and I have this trophy. What does that mean?’ The trophy represents all of the sacrifices I made as a kid. All the time that I lost being on the road, in the studios. I have a lot of awards and a lot of these things. I worked harder than everybody I know to get those things, but nothing feels like my child saying, ‘Mummy’.”