My Girl Crush – Beyoncé Knowles-Carter

When I was 15, I fell in love with Beyoncé Knowles (there was no Carter added to her last name then). No, I am not a lesbian nor am I the proverbial bisexual — in fact, I’m hunting for a husband, but that’s another article for another time. But, there is no doubt that Beyoncé and I are kindred spirits.

Her second album, B’Day had just been released and Bey had named this tour, “The Beyonce Experience.” I was sitting – impatiently – for the budding superstar to grace the stage at my local arena. It was 10:30 p.m. and the curtain still hadn’t risen. The sold-out crowd was all waiting for the show to begin and restlessness was consuming me. But as soon as the curtain rose, I was transformed from a lukewarm fan to a true believer.

The opening drum roll sounded and we were mesmerized. Beyoncé owned the stage as she belted out hit after hit from her days as a child of destiny, her debut solo album Dangerously in Love, and her newest #1 masterpiece.  As her perfect falsetto moved the crowd and she flamboyantly traipsed across the stage in dazzling costumes, I realized that Beyoncé is a once-in-a-lifetime phenomenon.

From her all-woman band to her empowering lyrics that told women that no man is irreplaceable and if he disrespects us, we are entitled to ring the alarm, Beyoncé is the proverbial musical womanist. She is the millennial generation’s consummate performer. By the time the curtains closed, I was officially on the bandwagon.

She seemed like the humble homegirl with an amazing career that doesn’t define who she is.

And that elegance has carried her from music to film and now, into marriage and motherhood. In interviews, Beyoncé is poised and graceful; she waves to the paparazzi and signs autographs without complaint. But what is admirable about Beyoncé is that she never attempts to be superwoman.

She cries at video shoots and while performing intimate material and leaves her heart and soul on the stage every night – just as most of us do at our 9-to-5s.

Yes, I’m sure that the triple-threat has her challenges with superstardom and life in the glare of the spotlight, but accomplishing as much as she has in three decades should be inspiring for all women.

All of her accomplishments and flaws led me to the conclusion that Beyoncé and I are sisters in spirit. No, I have no intentions of pursuing a career as a world-renowned musical star, but like Bey, I want to empower women to change the world.

Like she is Tina Turner 2.0, I aspire to be the modern Alice Walker and Zora Neale Hurston mixed with Carrie Bradshaw, Dream Hampton, and a little bit of Amy DuBois-Barnett. Oh, and throw in a few slices of Tyra Banks for funkiness. Because like them, I want to be the best at what I do – perpetually learning and improving while also finding that nothing in life is ever complete. I want to continually challenge myself, break records, and have fun while doing it.

Beyoncé makes excellence look simple. So, she’s my girl crush. Who’s yours?