'I have a surprise!' Pregnant Beyoncé debuts baby bump at the MTV Video Music Awards
By Andrea Magrath
Last updated at 10:45 AM on 29th August 2011
Beyoncé has revealed she is expecting her first baby.
The singer made the surprise announcement as she debuted her baby bump on the red carpet at the MTV Video Music Awards tonight.
Wearing a long orange gown by Lanvin, the 29-year-old clutched her visible bump and told assembled press: 'I have a surprise!'
Scroll down to see Beyoncé's performance of Love On Top
Baby bliss: Beyonce has revealed she is expecting her first baby with husband Jay-Z
The singer didn't let her pregnancy prevent her from bringing the house down with an energetic performance.
She cheered on her husband Jay-Z, who performed new single Otis with Kanye West, before taking to the stage herself.
Arriving onstage in a purple glittery blazer and black trousers by Dolce & Gabbana, the mother-to-be said: 'I want you to feel the love that's growing inside of me.'
Content: The singer glowed with happiness as she clutched her baby bump
Maternity chic: The 29-year-old chose a bright draped gown by Lanvin for her debut maternity dress
After a fabulous performance of Love On Top that attracted a standing ovation from the audience, Beyoncé ripped open her jacket and proudly rubbed baby bump.
The cameras panned to the audience where Jay-Z was beaming, as his friend Kanye jumped up and down, smacking the father-to-be on the back and shaking him.
Beyoncé performed at the Roseland Ballroom in New York on August 14, and covered up her stomach with a sheath of fabric that draped lightly across her protruding bump.
Proud mama: After her performance Beyonce ripped open her blazer and rubbed her baby bump
The announcement comes after a stellar summer for the Grammy-winner in which she headlined Glastonbury and released another hit album, 4.
Beyoncé, who has won 16 Grammy awards, said in a recent interview that she feels she has achieved enough in her career to settle down and make family a priority.
'When you're young - 18 or 19 - you have the energy and drive. That's the time to work as hard as you can,' she told the September issue of In Style.
Congratulations! Jay-Z beamed from the audience while Kanye West thumped his friend on the back
'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.'
Beyoncé married rapper Jay-Z on September 4, 2008 in New York.
Cover up: Beyonce covered her stomach with a sheath of material during a performance at the Roseland Ballroom on August 14
Speaking to Piers Morgan in June, she hinted: 'I always said I was going to have a baby at 30. I'm 29 now.
'But I also said I was going to retire at 30. So I don't know,' she said, adding: 'I am not retiring, I tell you.'
Pressed by Morgan she said: 'Only God knows, only God knows.'
Parents-to-be: Beyonce and Jay-Z married in an intimate ceremony in New York on September 4, 2008