Beyoncé
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It's hard to believe that it was only eight years ago that Beyoncé released her debut solo album (and appeared on her first Complex cover). Today, she moves like a seasoned vet, blowing her pop peers out of the water with her professionalism and power on stage. With her latest album 4, it seems like B is pushing every aspect of her career in bold new creative directions, which makes her the perfect person to cover our annual Style & Design issue, where we showcase all the cutting edge developments in Complex's world. For the cover story, we recruited photographer Thierry Le Gouès and artist Ebon Heath, who created the unique typography sculptures that surround B. The August/September issue doesn't officially hit stands until August 9, but we're giving you a chance to check out the full cover story, extended gallery, and behind-the-scenes video now.

Beyoncé Knowles’s latest chart-topping album hit stores less than a month ago. But it is not the singer’s music that has the fashion world buzzing. The fourth album by the artist, titled “4,” features a fold-out cover that looks more like a glossy fashion magazine spread than a record sleeve. As with other leading pop music divas like Lady Gaga, Rihanna and Katy Perry, fashion has always played a big role in Ms. Knowles’s artistic persona. In her music videos, she uses outfits to take on different roles — from sexy diva in sky-high heels and a leotard in “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)” to joyous bride in a wedding dress for her latest video “Best Thing I Never Had” — while onstage, revealing ensembles spice up her live performances. The difference, this time, is in her choice of designers. Instead of sticking to major fashion houses like Versace, Gucci, Prada or Chanel, the singer has thrown the spotlight on a number of up-and-coming designers whose names are likely to be unfamiliar to all but the most diehard fashion followers. Ms. Knowles’s creative director, Jenke-Ahmed Tailly, along with the singer’s stylist Ty Hunter, pointed her in the direction of these designers. “The album is a musical gumbo of everything Beyoncé likes,” said Mr. Tailly in an interview by telephone. “Each song really has a different personality so we decided to do the cover like an editorial for a magazine, with each song having its own style.”

"I try to write songs that will bring out the best in all of us and keep us close together. I think about saying the things that women want to say but sometimes are not confident enough to say. I’m going to continue to write those songs that give women strength."

"I have always wanted to work with Beyoncé. I wrote one of my best songs, 'I Was Here,' and I thought that the one artist who would be my dream to sing this would be Beyoncé. This is one of those magical stories where what is meant to be actually happens. I played it for her, and she loved it and said she was going to record it immediately. This kind of thing never happnes! Without even hearing it a second time, two days later she was recording it!!! I've never had chills through my entire body like I had from hearing Beyoncé sing this song. 'I Was Here' came from my soul and became the song that was coming from hers. In all my life, I have never heard anything as amazing as this. Hearing her sing 'I Was Here' will forever be one of the best moments of my life, and I know that this song will touch many other lives as well." - Diane Warren

"I listened closely to a lot of the rock musicians I saw at music festivals around the world, paying attention to their lyrics, melodies, and the mixture of their different instruments. The instrumentation was just so beautiful. I felt I needed some classics like that."

"I really liked mixing the 90s with the 70s. I put those two together and it was so much fun putting bridges back into songs, all the things in music that I love that I feel I just want to hear again."

"When I played Etta James it was the most I'd learned about myself until the recording of this album. When I went into the studio I used the same passion, honesty; and approach with my vocals I channeled as Etta James. It does not sound like the vocals on my past albums. It's a lot rawer. It comes from a deep place."

"For the first time in my life I was able to travel the world, hear different influences, see different types of dance and choreography and taste different types of food. It was important that I was able to digest everything. It inspired purity; more heart and more love."

"I really want people to think when they listen to my music. I want it to help them through their painful memories, their painful moments, and their most happy moments. I want it to be a conversation."

In the latest issue of TIME, the venerable magazine compares Beyoncé to a well-performing stock portfolio. Market comparisons aside, TIME comes to the same conclusion we do: "bottom line," it's her music and dance moves that are the reasons "everyone loves Beyoncé". No argument there. The latest issue of TIME is on newsstands today.

"I've always felt Beyonce one of the best performers of our time so to collaborate with her was an honor and a pleasure." - Andre 3000

4 showcases Beyonce's voice as a formidable instrument throughout. She effortlessly goes from a smoky alto to a sexy, powerful soprano that is equally at home on ballads as it is on head-bopping jams.

"What is the definition of perfection... or the closest thing to it? Beyonce. Icons are made. Stars are born. From the moment Beyonce took her first breath, her star was shining. What an honor it is for me to say that I danced with a true star. Or wrote. Same thing. :)" - Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds

"The album is definitely an evolution. It's bolder than the music on my previous albums because I'm bolder. The more mature I become and the more life experiences I have, the more I have to talk about. I really focused on songs being classics, songs that would last, songs that I could sing when I'm 40 and when I'm 60."

4 takes on matters of the heart with a mixture of ballads, mid- and up-tempos, all built around classic songwriting.