Tat you Beyoncé? The singer is back at work after hiatus sporting a heavily inked new look

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By Andrea Magrath

'1960s pin-up meets futuristic biker chick': Beyoncé stars in the new campaign for her fashion line Dereon


n January Beyoncé announced that she was taking a well deserved break from showbusiness. 'It's definitely time to take a break, to recharge my batteries,' she said at the time. 'I'd like to take about six months and not go into the studio. I need to just live life, to be inspired by things again.'

But this week she has re-emerged on the scene with a bang, announcing the release of her new single Why Don't You Love Me on August 29th, and starring in the new advertising campaign for her Dereon fall fashion line.

The singer is almost unrecognisable in a platinum wig and covered in stick-on tattoos. She has described the new campaign as '1960s pin-up girl meets futuristic biker chick.'


Beyoncé appears to have embraced one of the top trends of 2010: body art. First seen in the Spring Summer 2010 Chanel ready-to-wear show, temporary tattoos have been a hit with celebrities over summer.

But in true Beyoncé style, she has taken it to the next level with customised artwork covering her legs, arms and back. The tattoos include chains, spiders, wings, skulls and what appears to be a spine that runs the length of her back.

Dereon's Fall line includes some dramatic studded leggings, lace biker shorts, fierce shoulders and high-waisted hot pants.

The campaign was photographed by Tony Duran and styled by Beyoncé and mother Tina Knowles


Hiatus: The singer took a break from work for much of 2010 after writing a 'contract' with herself, but her new single Why Don't You Love Me is out on August 29th


After completing an incredible 110 city tour for I Am... Sasha Fierce in 2009, the hard-working Single Ladies singer decided to to take an extended break from work.

'When I got home,' she told USA Today in January, 'I wrote out a contract with myself. I made a list of everything I want to do that has nothing to do with music.

'Well, some of it does. But I promised myself that I would not go back on tour or in the studio until I finished these things.'


Raunchy: The revealing photo shoot was styled by Beyoncé and her mother Tina Knowles, and shot by Tony Duran


Her to-do list included: 'random things. I want to go to restaurants, maybe take a class, see some movies and Broadway shows,' and spending time with five-year-old nephew, Daniel.

But she didn't exactly stick to her 'contract', returning briefly in March to record and film a video for Telephone with Lady Gaga. The epic clip, which was banned from several TV stations for its explicit content, has received over 74.4 million hits on YouTube.

But working in the middle of her self-imposed holiday has paid off for the savvy star, as the video has earned her five MTV Video Music Awards nominations. Beyoncé and Gaga have earned nods in the best pop video, female video, collaboration, choreography and art direction categories in the awards show to be held September 12th.


Body art: Beyoncé has embraced the temporary tattoo trend, first seen in Chane' Spring Summer 2010 ready-to-wear show in September




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