Jill Scott covers Billboard Magazine’s latest issue (week of July 2). Earlier this week, she released her fourth studio album after a 4-year hiatus that saw her get engaged and pregnant but, ultimately, left single. Inside, she talks about how she overcame the heartbreak and what she’s learned.

On her new album “The Light Of The Sun”:
“It’s exciting, because it’s on my own terms. I feel like my eyes are going to bulge out of my head. It’s like starting all over again. Music shouldn’t be a chore or feel like any kind of burden. It’s free and alive. And that’s where I am.”‘

On what she’s learned over the last 4 years:
“I’ve missed myself. I’m sassy again, stronger. Now I understand this industry to a certain extent, and know how I work best. Having my son was one of the key factors in me leaving the old label. I need him to see me be as amazing as I can be so he feels fearless. I haven’t arrived at amazing yet. I’m in the process. But I want him to see me grow. I want to get another 30 years out of this amazing life of being an artist.”