Golden Globe-nominated artist Beyoncé says she's no longer concerned with being 'No. 1'

Just as news was breaking that Beyoncé's song "Spirit" from "The Lion King" earned a Golden Globe nomination, a wide-ranging interview with the music icon was published in which she opened up about shifting her focus away from award show acclaim.

In an interview for Elle's January 2020 cover, Bey, 38, got candid about whether she was "disappointed" after her groundbreaking album "Lemonade" lost out on 2017's album of the year Grammy.

"I began to search for deeper meaning when life began to teach me lessons I didn’t know I needed. Success looks different to me now," she said. "I learned that all pain and loss is in fact a gift. Having miscarriages taught me that I had to mother myself before I could be a mother to someone else. Then I had Blue, and the quest for my purpose became so much deeper. I died and was reborn in my relationship, and the quest for self became even stronger. It’s difficult for me to go backwards.

She added: "Being 'number one' was no longer my priority. My true win is creating art and a legacy that will live far beyond me. That’s fulfilling."

The interview was published on the heels of Golden Globe nominations Monday. The song Beyoncé sang and co-wrote for Disney's 2019 "Lion King" remake appeared on the list of nominees for best original song in a motion picture.

She's up against Taylor Swift's song "Beautiful Ghosts" for "Cats," "Elton John and Taron Egerton's "I'm Gonna Love Me Again" for "Rocketman," Idina Menzel's "Into the Unknown" for "Frozen 2," and Cynthia Erivo's "Stand Up" for "Harriet."

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Beyoncé later told Elle that learning her own value has been a journey. Taking control of her art and brand was a huge step in the right direction, she added.

"I realized I had to take control of my work and my legacy because I wanted to be able to speak directly to my fans in an honest way," she said. "I wanted my words and my art to come directly from me. There were things in my career that I did because I didn’t understand that I could say no. We all have more power than we realize."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Golden Globes: Beyonce is nominated, talks shifting focus from awards