JUICY-NEWS

Solange Knowles on marriage:

Well, I am no longer married, but I think it's very important not to dish details. We are friends and we coparent our son. When he gets older I don’t want him to read anything about me saying anything about his father or vice versa. When there's a child involved I think the less information given is best.

ESSENCE.com: So just to clear things up, how did you two meet?

We met at a high school party through mutual friends. He was in high school and I was 13 and in middle school. We were together seven years, so it wasn’t just some random guy. We were basically high school sweethearts.

ESSENCE.com: Do you have any regrets about the situation? Did you feel forced or pressured to get married?

S.K.: No, I think every decision has made me who I am today. I've embraced everything because I know that only God can give life, no one else. I'm happy that I have a beautiful, wonderful, amazing child who’s made me a better person.

ESSENCE.com: Speaking of which, let's talk about little Daniel Julez. How old is he now? Is he talking?

S.K.: Oh gosh, yes, he's more than talking and has a smart mouth already. He'll be 3 this month.

ESSENCE.com: What are some of the drawbacks of being in this industry?

S.K.: The lack of privacy is first and foremost. You just have to know that the more successful you get as an artist, the less of a normal life you have. It's a trade-off. When I say I only want to reach a certain level (professionally), people look at me like I’m full of sh--. But when you get to a certain point, you can’t just go to the mall anymore, and I don’t know if I’m willing to ever give that up.

ESSENCE.com: So you don't aspire to your sister's level of superstardom?

S.K.: No, I don't want to get that far. (Laughs) I feel really bad for my sister. I'm always like "Oh, let's go to the mall" or "Let's go here" and she can't. I enjoy having that.

Read full interview at Essence magazine