Beyoncé Recalls Using Skype to Call Jay-Z When They Were First 'Falling in Love' as She 'Couldn't Afford International Hotel Bills'
Things have come a long way for Beyoncé in both her marriage and career in the years since she first met her husband, Jay-Z, at age 18.
Crossing paths sometime between 1999 and 2000, the 43-year-old's success had only just begun when she and the "Empire State of Mind" hitmaker, 54, started dating in 2001.
In a new interview published on Tuesday, September 10, the "Single Ladies" singer reflected on the early days of her romance with Jay-Z, recalling times she couldn't even "afford" to give the "Run This Town" rapper a phone call because of how expensive it was to call internationally.
"We live in a world of access. We have access to so much information – some facts, and some complete bulls--- disguised as truth. Our children can FaceTime and see their friends at any given moment," Beyoncé, who shares her daughter, Blue Ivy, 12, and twins Rumi and Sir, 7, with Jay-z — explained while addressing how advanced technology has become in comparison to when she was growing up.
"My husband and I? We used calling cards and Skype when we were falling in love. I couldn’t afford the international hotel bills, so I literally would get international calling cards to call him," she admitted. "Just recently, I heard an AI song that sounded so much like me it scared me. It’s impossible to truly know what’s real and what’s not."
Another thing different about Beyoncé and her children is the way they were born into extreme fame as the offspring of two of the most powerful faces in the music industry.
"One thing I’ve worked extremely hard on is making sure my kids can have as much normalcy and privacy as possible, ensuring my personal life isn’t turned into a brand," the "Halo" singer noted. "It’s very easy for celebrities to turn our lives into performance art. I have made an extreme effort to stay true to my boundaries and protect myself and my family. No amount of money is worth my peace."
She added: "I build my work schedule around my family. I try to only tour when my kids are out of school. I always dreamt of a life where I could see the world with my family and expose them to different languages, architecture and lifestyles."
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Just as much as Beyoncé has shown her and Jay-Z's kids the way, they have also provided her with numerous life lessons.
"Raising three kids isn’t easy. The older they get, the more they become their own individuals with unique needs, hobbies, and social lives. My twins are God-sent. Parenting constantly teaches you about yourself. It takes a lot of prayer and patience. I love it. It’s grounding and fulfilling," the "Crazy in Love" vocalist gushed.
Most recently, the couple's daughter Blue made her entertainment debut when she joined her mom on stage as part of The Renaissance World Tour.
Regarding her decision to allow Blue a spot in the award-winning artist's concert, Beyoncé declared: "My kids come with me everywhere I go. They come to my office after school, and they are in the studio with me. They are in dance rehearsals. It’s natural that they would learn my choreography."
"Blue is an artist. She has great taste in music and fashion. She is a fantastic editor, painter and actress. She has been creating characters since she was three. She’s a natural, but I did not want Blue on stage. Blue wanted it for herself. She took it seriously and she earned it. And most importantly, she had fun! We all watched her grow more and more every night before our eyes," the mom-of-three shared.
GQ interviewed Beyoncé