American Idol's new judge Nicki Minaj has undergone an unusual makeover for her Elle cover.

While most stars get done-up for their magazine cover transformations, the stylists at Elle convinced the rapper to ditch her colorful outfits and theatre makeup for a more natural look.

The star even admitted to the fashion glossy how difficult it was for her to avoid her usual makeup routine: "When I saw myself with barely any makeup at, it was such a... like, I'm so, so attached to my pink lipstick, it's hard. I feel that it's become a part of me. To go in front of the camera, without pink lips or big ol' crazy lashes - you know, nothing - I felt naked. It was scary! So this photo shoot was a real accomplishment in my eyes."

Styled in a Tom Ford jacket with American Apparel leggings for the cover, the 30 year-old dons Jeremy Scott and Dolce & Gabbana in the rest of the editorial (seen after the jump).

Minaj imparted some advice to women in her cover story: "Even if you're doing a nine-to-five job, treat yourself like a boss. Not arrogant, but be sure of what you want— and don't allow people to run anything for you without your knowledge."

Elle's April issue hits newsstands March 26.