Beyoncé Opens Up About Getting Into The Whiskey Business

In a rare interview with GQ, Beyoncé opens up about her life, career, SirDavis and so much more. She also addressed not releasing visuals for Renaissance and Cowboy Carter saying that “the music is enough.”

Every member of the Bey Hive knows Beyoncé interviews are few and far between, so when news broke that she was the cover star for GQ’s October issue, the internet exploded.

The superstar looks absolutely stunning in her cover shoot for the magazine, sporting platinum blonde locks in multiple different styles. The cover sees Bey showing off her curves, posing in a form-fitting black dress with a glass of her new SirDavis whisky in her hand.

Another photo from the shoot mimics the birthday pictures she posted to Instagram recently, wearing a curly updo with a cigar hanging out of her mouth.

Beyond the flicks, Beyoncé also opened up a lot about her recent business ventures in the pages of the mag. She, of course, spoke about SirDavis, revealing why she wanted to get into the business of alcohol and why she chose whisky, in particular.

“I’ll never forget the first day I had whiskey,” Bey began. “It spoke to me nice. I remember thinking, Why have I never had this before? It was strong and warm, just the right amount of challenge. I loved the process, the ritual of it. Whiskey isn’t something you just shoot down. It’s a commitment. You gotta have patience. I like that. Then I got into vintage Japanese whiskey and started doing tastings. It opened up a whole new world.”

She continued, “I love everything about whiskey. The color, the smell, the way it dances in the glass.… And I love the stories that come with it. Every bottle has a history. I also like introducing whiskey to people who don’t know they love it yet. I think a lot more women would love it if they tasted it, and if they were really spoken to by the whiskey world. Whiskey isn’t just for old men in smoky bars; it’s for anyone who appreciates depth, complexity, and a bit of mystery.”

The star also spoke on her decision to move away from visuals, not dropping any music videos to accompany her last two albums.

“I thought it was important that during a time where all we see is visuals, that the world can focus on the voice,” she explained. “The music is so rich in history and instrumentation. It takes months to digest, research, and understand. The music needed space to breathe on its own. Sometimes a visual can be a distraction from the quality of the voice and the music. The years of hard work and detail put into an album that takes over four years!”

Beyoncé insisted, “The music is enough. The fans from all over the world became the visual. We all got the visual on tour. We then got more visuals from my film.”

And for any fans worried about all of Bey’s other businesses distracting from the music, she addressed that, too.

“I am a musician first. It has always been my priority,” she insisted. “I didn’t get into anything that could take away from my artistry until I felt I was solidified as a master at my first love, music.”

Beyoncé continued, “When I started my hair care brand, Cécred, I wanted it to be recognized for what it does for real people and their hair. When it launched, I made a conscious decision not to appear in the ads. The brand’s first impression needed to stand on its own merit, not be swayed by my influence. I’ve been using these products for years, so I know firsthand how magical they are.”

Read Beyoncé’s interview with GQ in its entirety here.