Rihanna Opens Up About Raising Her Sons & Choosing to ‘Let Go of Everyone’s Expectations’

“I think the key thing is to find some kind of balance,” the singer said in a new interview.

Speaking with Editor-in-Chief Margaret Zhang, the 36-year-old Fenty mogul shared what she thinks is “the most beautiful thing” about raising her two sons with A$AP Rocky, 22-month-old RZA and 7-month old Riot Rose. “[Children] come into the world with their own individuality and sincerity, without any logic or conformity, which usually makes you feel that you must fit into a certain group,” she said, as shared in an Instagram post Tuesday (March 26). “It’s really beautiful to see and I want to continue to help them navigate that and make sure that they know they can be whoever they want to be.”

“They should embrace it completely, because it’s beautiful, and it’s unique,” Ri added. “I love them just that way.”

The “Rude Boy” singer also spoke about chasing her dreams as an artist and businesswoman, two endeavors that have led her to 14 No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, nine Grammy awards and an estimated net worth of $1.4 billion, to name just a few of her accomplishments. “We always want our parents to be proud … I [certainly] wanted to make my mom and my dad proud,” she told the publication. “But the reality is, I did it by standing up for what I believed in and pursuing my own path and dreams.”

“I’m living my dream,” she continued. “My parents were very proud of that because they just wanted me to be happy and successful. So, I think the key thing is to find some kind of balance. Yes, balance is important. Do this and you get the best of both worlds. You can write your own life the way you want, and it will be beautiful. Sometimes, you just need to let go of everyone’s expectations and start living your own story.”

During her Vogue China photo shoot — for which Ri personally provided creative direction — the superstar rocked her hair long and straight as well as in beautiful braided patterns. Since then, she’s chopped her hair into a blonde pixie cut, which she debuted while stepping out in Santa Monica, Calif., last week.

See footage and photos from Rihanna’s Vogue China shoot below.