Beyonce: "I strive to be like Gwyneth Paltrow"

She's one of the most powerful woman in the world - but Beyonce wishes she could be just like Gwyneth Paltrow.

In the new issue of Harper's Bazaar UK, Queen B talks about the importance of female friendships and her admiration for her BFF Gwynnie.

She says: "She pushes her boundaries all the time. You go to her house and she makes you feel like you never want to go home. She is what I strive to be one day."

Beyonce also explains why she and her husband Jay Z have become great friends with Gwyneth and Chris Martin.

"We have very similar values," she says. "We have also been able to become each other's support systems over the years, as none of us needs anything from the other."

And it sounds like Gwyneth is Beyonce's biggest fan, too.

She says: "She is what it means to be a superstar. No one else can sing and dance like that, while having humour and genuine bursting sweetness. She has her own recipe for it... I wanted my own character (Gwyneth has a musical role in Country Strong), to have some of that mega-wattage. So I studied B. She was my homework."

But Gwyneth isn't Beyonce's only gal pal - she thinks that Gaga, who she collaborated with on the hit single Telephone, is great, too.

Beyonce says: "She's not afraid. I love that. She wanted me to do something crazy, and so I just rolled with it. I told Gaga I thought I should have a honey bun. It's the worst food you could eat, but it is the best thing for me because I haven't had one since I was a kid."


In the accompanying photographs, shot by photographer Alexi Lubomirski, Beyonce looks like the ultimate modern diva as she poses in a selection of dresses by Azzedine Alaia, Armani, Hermes and Lanvin.

But despite being one of the most successful women in the entertainment industry, Beyonce is reluctant to label herself a feminist.

She says: "I don't really fell that it's necessary to define it. It's just something that's kind of natural for me, and I feel like... you know... it's like, what I live for. I need to find a catchy new word for 'feminism', right? Like 'bootylicious'..."

Nevertheless, she says that performing Irreplaceable in Egypt is one of the most memorable moments of her career.

"There were a lot of women in the audience in burkas. They were singing along to Irreplaceable - it was amazing! Some of the men got really upset! They were like to their women, 'We have to get you out of here!'... I guess some of them (men) do get annoyed. But I never want to do 'the banner thing'."

Beyonce, who turns 30 next month, admits that she's looking forward to the next chapter in her life.

She says: "This is such a pivotal moment in my life! I'm transitioning as a woman, and I'm finally able to express myself as I am... I can't wait to start the next chapter."



The full feature appears in the September issue of Harper's Bazaar UK, on sale Saturday 6th August.

You can also watch a behind the scenes video of Beyonce being photographed by Alexi Lubomirski for Harper's Bazaar.

Do you think that Beyonce is a good role model for women? Let us know below...

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