Rihanna defends reconciliation with Chris Brown

(CBS News) Rihanna says she understands the backlash over her reconciliation with ex-boyfriend Chris Brown - but she's not apologizing for it.

The singer, who was assaulted by Brown three years ago, opens up about their public reunion (including collaborating on music) in the May issue of Elle magazine.

Pictures: Rihanna
Pictures: Chris Brown

"The bottom line is that everyone thinks differently. It's very hard for me to accept, but I get it," she said in the interview. "People end up wasting their time on the blogs or whatever, ranting away, and that's all right. Because tomorrow I'm still going to be the same person. I'm still going to do what I want to do."

She also revealed that Brown's attack ultimately made her stronger.

"It gave me guns," she told the magazine. "I was like, well, f---. They know more about me than I want them to know. It's embarrassing. But that was my opening. That was my liberation, my moment of bring it. [...] Now you know that, so you can say what you want about it. I don't have anything to hide."

The Barbados-born 24-year-old said she'd love to have kids one day.

"It could be tomorrow. It could be 20 years from now. I just feel like when the time is right, God will send me a little angel," she shared. "But first, of course, I have to find a man. I mean, there's a very important missing piece to the puzzle here!"

"I feel like it's hard for everybody!" she added, of finding the right guy. "I don't think it has anything to do with being famous. There's just a major drought out there. ... But I just need to find the person who balances me out, because then things like my schedule won't matter. I've done it before, so I know I can do it again."

The May issue of Elle hits newsstands on April 17.