Beyonce Knowles is now hoping to "dedicate herself" to having children.

The 'Best Thing I Never Ever Had' hitmaker - who is married to rap mogul Jay-Z - had the "energy and drive" to put her all into her career when she was younger, but she is now keen to focus on starting a family.

She told US Style magazine: "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."

The 29-year-old star - whose sister Solange has a six-year-old son, Julze - previously admitted she doesn't feel mature enough to start her own family yet, and the birth of her sibling's child "traumatised" her.

She said: "I know I want kids but I have never been a girl who sees a baby and goes, 'Oh! I want one!' But when I do eventually have a child, I can only pray he is as amazing as my nephew Julze. He's just the best. He is also a lot of work!

"I've seen the reality of having a kid and I know I'm not quite ready for it yet. I have a nephew, my sister's son and I was there in the delivery room when he was born.

"I had begged my sister, 'Please don't make me because it's going to traumatise me'. But she talked me into it - and I was right! I'm scared of that! I mean, it was amazing and I cried when he was born but it's hard."