Beyoncé Knowles struck a pose for the September 2011 issue of InStyle, which is on newsstands Friday. The superstar is doing the press rounds to chat up her latest album, 4, and has been in NYC performing a string of shows at the Roseland Ballroom. A reviewer was highly complimentary of her Sunday concert, writing in The New York Times, “She is thunder, Beyoncé is. Fire and quake. A thing that can’t quite be contained. There is not any better advertisement for Beyoncé than Beyoncé herself, a hard worker who makes effort look like the most glamorous thing in the world.” Beyoncé herself spoke about her work in the magazine, also touching on why she took time off and how she’s ready to have a family with husband Jay-Z. Jay has his own music to celebrate with the release of Watch the Throne, and he was off in Miami over the weekend dropping $300,000 on a party at the Fontainebleau. Beyoncé revealed more about herself, including a love of TV that includes Jersey Shore. She said:

  • On why she slowed down her career: “It was difficult. I had to turn down great things, but I did it for my sanity, my life, my relationships, my nephew, my husband, my sister, and my friendships. I deserved to give myself time to focus on things besides performing, filming, and recording.”
  • On starting a family: “I sacrificed so much as a kid and as a teenager. I have no regrets because my job kept me focused. When you’re young — 18 or 19 — you have the energy and drive. That’s the time to work as hard as you can. Now I’m a woman, and because I gave it my all, I can focus on my marriage. I can decide I want to have kids. I can be the mother I want to be and dedicate myself to my children. I want to make my job a part of my lifestyle so that I always enjoy what I’m doing.”
  • On her guilty pleasures: “In my free time I prefer to do nothing but sit on the couch and watch TV. I have to confess that my guilty pleasure is Jersey Shore. I love going to the movies and to Broadway plays too. When I get home, the first thing I do is take off my stilettos!”
  • On a surprising fact about her: “You might be surprised to know that the last thing I want to hear at a club is one of my own songs. I get so uncomfortable. It’s that awkward moment when you know that everyone is watching you to see if you’re gonna bust a move to your own song.”