Beyoncé is determined to take a much-needed vacation. To ensurethat she keeps her word to take about six months off, she has drawn up acontract for herself.
"I made a list of everything I want to do that has nothingto do with music," the "Single Ladies" singer told USAToday."Well, some of it does. But I promised myself that I would not go back on touror in the studio until I finished these things."
Beyoncé described the list as random. It includes eating atparticular restaurants, potentially taking a class, and going to the movies andBroadway shows. She also plans to do more hanging out with her 5-year-oldnephew, Daniel. "He's a wonderful kid, amazing, so smart. And I spoil him, soit's a lot of work. He's a 24-hour job," Beyoncé said of her sister Solange'schild.
This time off will be one of her most difficult tasks yet."It will be the hardest thing in the world for me to make myself not do analbum and shoot a video and turn it in and say, 'I'm ready!," Beyoncé said. "Ialready have all these melodies and ideas in my head. I have to tell myself,'Sit down! Sit down!'"
She does have a few commitments in place that she needs touphold. She will perform at the Grammys on January 31. She received 10nominations, including 3 in the biggest categories, Album, Song and Recordof the Year.
Plus, she is scheduled to perform in South America and the Caribbean for two weeks in February.
This self-imposed break is well-deserved. In the 12 years sinceBeyoncé released her debut album with Destiny's Child in 1998, she has made atotal of eight solo and group albums, not to mention recordings for soundtracks.
For the last two years, her endeavors in music, movies,fashion, and product endorsements have helped her and her hip-hop tycoon husband,Jay-Z, land in the top spot on Forbes' magazine's list of top-earningentertainment couples. In 2008, the power couple made $162 million. Last year,they made $122 million. Beyoncé alone grossed more than $80 million in each of those years.
"It's definitely time to take a break, to recharge mybatteries," Beyoncé said. "I need to just live life, to be inspired by thingsagain."
I bet this news has prompted marathon studio sessions forall the pop divas coveting Beyoncé's spot on the music charts. It would be in their bestinterests to get their new albums out during Beyoncé's downtime.
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