Beyoncé
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These days, the superstar-turned-supermogul is slaying—pop charts, music-industry standards, societal labels, and now, the athleticwear biz—all on her own.

This article originally appears in the May 2016 issue of ELLE, available digitally on April 5, on newsstands in select cities starting April 6, and nationwide on April 19.

In this worldwide ELLE exclusive, Beyoncé gives a rare in-depth interview, in which she speaks candidly about how the first Destiny's Child album helped her discover she had real power, why she approached Topshop to be her 50-50 partner in Ivy Park, the true meaning of feminism, what she wants to accomplish next, her "Formation" message, and much more.

Here, a sneak preview of Beyoncé's conversation with Tamar Gottesman in the issue…

How important was the ethos of the brand—the idea of self-love, of girls and women coming together?

"It's really the essence: to celebrate every woman and the body she's in while always striving to be better. I called it Ivy Park because a park is our commonality. We can all go there; we're all welcomed. It's anywhere we create for ourselves. For me, it's the place that my drive comes from. I think we all have that place we go to when we need to fight through something, set our goals and accomplish them."

You've talked in the past about the pressure of perfectionism.

"It's really about changing the conversation. It's not about perfection. It's about purpose. We have to care about our bodies and what we put in them. Women have to take the time to focus on our mental health—take time for self, for the spiritual, without feeling guilty or selfish. The world will see you the way you see you, and treat you the way you treat yourself."

How do you feel about the role of businesswoman, running your own company?

"It's exciting, but having the power to make every final decision and being accountable for them is definitely a burden and a blessing. To me, power is making things happen without asking for permission. It's affecting the way people perceive themselves and the world around them. It's making people stand up with pride."