American journalist J Randy Taraborrelli’s book, Becoming Beyonce, is one of the most anticipated biographies of the year – and heat can promise you it doesn’t disappoint. From revealing the real story behind the rumours that Jay Z cheated on Beyonce with Rihanna to Jay’s jealousy over Beyonce keeping in contact with her ex boyfriend, her childhood sweetheart Lyndall Locke, who she dated for ten years before meeting Jay, it’s an incredible look into the super-secretive star’s life.
And, in a world exclusive first look at the book, heat can reveal that Beyonce isn’t always the confident performer she appears. In fact, her make-up artist Billy B tells the author that on the video shoot for Listen – yes, that iconic Dreamgirls anthem that sings on* The X Factor* – Beyonce felt like she had to corset her waist with gaffer tape to look thinner."
“I’m going to corset my waist with this tape”
“Momma, hand me that masking tape,” Beyoncé said, pointing to a roll of gray gaffer’s tape on a table. Wearing a form fitting black catsuit, she was standing in front of a tall mirror while critically examining her reflection. “I don’t like the way this looks,” she said, examining her outfit. “The lines aren’t sleek enough,” she added. Beyoncé peeled the top of the outfit down past her waist.
“What in the world are you going to do?” Tina asked as she handed her daughter the roll of tape. “I’m gonna fix it,” Beyoncé said. She took the strong cloth tape - pressure sensitive and most certainly never intended to be used on one’s skin – and started wrapping it around her bare waist. “I’m gonna corset my waist with this tape,” she concluded. “Oh my God, Beyoncé,”
Tina exclaimed. “You can’t do that! Do you know how that’s gonna hurt when you take it off?” “Momma, please!” Beyoncé said as she continued to wrap the tape round and round her waist, so tight she could barely breathe. She then pulled the top of her outfit over her shoulders and examined herself in the mirror.
“There. That’s looks pretty good,” she said, satisfied. “Don’t you think?” she asked, turning around and facing her mother.
After the successful video shoot, Beyoncé was faced with having to remove the gaffer’s tape from around her waist. “Oh my God, the screams!” exclaimed Billy B. “It was very, very painful. She was absolutely wailing, and Tina was trying to help her, saying, ‘I’m sorry, Beyoncé, but I told you this was gonna happen!’”
Copyright: Rose Books, Inc. 2015
Becoming Beyonce: The Untold Story by J. Randy Taraborrelli (Macmillan, £18.99) is out on 29 October.