NEW YORK (Reuters) - Grammy-award winning singer and new mother Beyonce was named the world's most beautiful woman for 2012 on Wednesday by People magazine.

The 30-year-old entertainer was awarded People's top spot after she and her rapper husband Jay-Z welcomed their first child, a daughter named Blue Ivy Carter, who was born in New York in January.

"I feel more beautiful than I've ever felt because I've given birth. I have never felt so connected, never felt like I had such a purpose on this earth," the singer told the magazine.

Beyonce topped the magazine's annual list and joined other women who have held the title including Michelle Pfeiffer, Julia Roberts, Nicole Kidman, Halle Berry, Jennifer Aniston, Angelina Jolie and last year's winner Jennifer Lopez.

The former Destiny's Child singer, who married Jay-Z in 2008, is preparing for her first post-baby concert in Atlantic City, New Jersey next month.

The full list can be found on www.people.com/mostbeautiful

(Reporting by Patricia Reaney, Editing by Christine Kearney)