Beyonce Knowles Biography

Beyoncé Giselle Knowles, (born September 4, 1981 in (Click link for more info and facts about Houston, Texas) Houston, Texas) is an (An American whose ancestors were born in Africa) African-American (Click link for more info and facts about R&B) R&B (A person who sings) singer, (A female actor) actress, and chief (A composer of words or music for popular songs) songwriter and (Someone who finds financing for and supervises the making and presentation of a show (play or film or program or similar work)) producer in the group (Click link for more info and facts about Destiny's Child) Destiny's Child.

She is usually referred to by only her first name, Beyoncé, which is now her stage name, but has come to be called "Beyoncé Knowles" by many in the media. Her debut solo album, 2003's Dangerously In Love, topped both the R&B and (A sweet drink containing carbonated water and flavoring) pop charts in America, as well as the main album charts in (A nation in northern North America; the French were the first Europeans to settle in mainland Canada) Canada and the (A monarchy in northwestern Europe occupying most of the British Isles; divided into England and Scotland and Wales and Northern Ireland) UK. The album has spawned four top ten singles on the (Click link for more info and facts about Billboard Hot 100) Billboard Hot 100 including "Crazy In Love" featuring boyfriend (Click link for more info and facts about Jay-Z) Jay-Z, "Baby Boy" featuring (Click link for more info and facts about Sean Paul) Sean Paul, "Me Myself & I", and "Naughty Girl" all of which were back-to-back multi-week number ones on said chart during last summer and fall. Beyoncé has won five (Click link for more info and facts about Grammy Award) Grammy Awards for her solo work and three as a member of Destiny's Child. As a teen, she attended the (Click link for more info and facts about High School for the Performing and Visual Arts) High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in Houston, where she honed her musical talents.

Destiny's Child

Beyoncé and Destiny's Child toured as an opening act for both (Click link for more info and facts about Christina Aguilera) Christina Aguilera and (Considerate and solicitous care) TLC before their first album, also called Destiny's Child. The band is managed by her father, (Click link for more info and facts about Matthew Knowles) Matthew Knowles, who is acknowledged as a strong force in Beyoncé's life. Beyoncé is the main songwriter for the group and is generally regarded as its leader. The group has currently returned from a hiatus since 2001, when its three current members, Beyoncé, Kelly Rowland, and (Click link for more info and facts about Michelle Williams) Michelle Williams, each decided to temporarily pursue solo careers.

The group's self-titled album, released in 1998, was produced by (Click link for more info and facts about Wyclef Jean) Wyclef Jean and (Click link for more info and facts about Jermaine Dupri) Jermaine Dupri and featured the (A heavy precious metallic element; gray-white and resistant to corroding; occurs in some nickel and copper ores and is also found native in some deposits) platinum-selling, number one Hot 100 single "No, No, No". The album itself also went platinum. Destiny Child's second album The Writing's On The Wall released in 1999 featured two number one hits in "Bills, Bills, Bills" and "Say My Name". ("Bug-A-Boo" and "Jumpin' Jumpin'" were also popular singles off the album.) "Say My Name" won two awards at the 2001 (Click link for more info and facts about Grammys) Grammys for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal and Best R&B Song, the latter of which was awarded to the songwriters, which included Beyoncé herself.

The next album, Survivor, proved to be another smash, going to number one on both the American (Click link for more info and facts about Billboard 200) Billboard 200 and R&B Albums charts, and on the Canadian album chart, as well as being generally successful around the world. Two singles from the album went to the top of the Billboard Hot 100: "Independent Women" (Part 1) and " (Click link for more info and facts about Bootylicious) Bootylicious", with the album's title track reaching number 2. "Independent Women" (Part 1) had been the theme song for (Click link for more info and facts about Charlie's Angels) Charlie's Angels in late 2000, prior to the album's 2001 release. The title track "Survivor" would win the band their second Grammy for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal. The album's fourth and final single, "Emotions", was a cover of the (Click link for more info and facts about Bee Gees) Bee Gees hit of the same name; it continued the group's impressive string of top ten hits.

In 2004, the group began receiving threats from an obsessed fan from (Click link for more info and facts about San Diego, California) San Diego, California named (Click link for more info and facts about LaToya Langford) LaToya Langford. Primarily aimed at Beyoncé, the threats caused major setbacks for the group. Langford continued the threats, until her arrest on August 23, 2004 in home in San Diego home.

After Langford's arrest, safety seemed apparent and the release of (Click link for more info and facts about Destiny Fulfilled) Destiny Fulfilled went through. "Lose My Breath", "Soldier" and "Girl" all of these reached the top 10 (Large outdoor signboard) Billboard album and singles charts respectively.

Solo career

In 2001, Beyoncé won the Songwriter of the Year award, from the (Click link for more info and facts about American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers) American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers Pop Music Awards. She is the first African American woman and the second woman of any race to win the award.

Beyoncé then turned to acting, starring alongside (Click link for more info and facts about Mekhi Phifer) Mekhi Phifer in the MTV TV movie Carmen: A Hip Hopera without any previous training.This movie was the modern day equivalent to the 1954 musical Carmen which starred Harry Belafonte and Dorothy Dandridge. In the summer of 2002, Beyoncé co-starred in the film (Click link for more info and facts about Austin Powers in Goldmember) Austin Powers in Goldmember opposite (Click link for more info and facts about Mike Myers) Mike Myers' role of (Click link for more info and facts about Austin Powers) Austin Powers, as Foxxy Cleopatra. The movie is in The Guinness Book of World Records as the Highest Box Office Comedy Film gross . She also recorded a song entitled "Work It Out", for the movie soundtrack. "Work It Out" was a top 10 hit in the UK and a top 40 hit in the (A constitutional monarchy in western Europe on the North Sea; achieved independence from Spain in 1579; half the country lies below sea level) Netherlands, (A nation occupying the whole of the Australian continent; aboriginal tribes are thought to have migrated from southeastern Asia 20,000 years ago; first Europeans were British convicts sent there as a penal colony) Australia, and (An island comprising the republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland) Ireland, despite being Beyoncé's biggest flop to date in her home country; in America, radio barely played the song and the video received very minor exposure, only on digital video channels, (Click link for more info and facts about MTV Jams) MTV Jams and (Click link for more info and facts about VH1 Soul) VH1 Soul.

During the fall of 2002, Beyoncé was the featured vocalist on (Click link for more info and facts about Jay-Z) Jay-Z's smash single, "'03 Bonnie And Clyde". The couple are engaged, and current rumours say that they will marry soon.

In the spring of 2003, Beyoncé remade a duet with (Click link for more info and facts about Luther Vandross) Luther Vandross, called "The Closer I Get To You", originally performed by (Click link for more info and facts about Roberta Flack) Roberta Flack and (Click link for more info and facts about Donny Hathaway) Donny Hathaway. In this version, the vocal parts are flipped around, with Luther taking Roberta's part and Beyoncé taking Donny's. The song was included both on her debut solo album and on Luther's Dance With My Father set, and they shared the Grammy for Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals.

In 2003, Beyoncé released her debut solo album Dangerously In Love. Its first single, "Crazy In Love", featured a propulsive riff and a guest rap from (Click link for more info and facts about Jay-Z) Jay-Z and rapidly became one of the biggest hits of that summer, staying at number one on the (Large outdoor signboard) Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart for ten weeks. Dangerously In Love went to the top of the album charts in the UK and Canada, as well as on both the American (A sweet drink containing carbonated water and flavoring) pop (Billboard 200) and (Click link for more info and facts about R&B) R&B charts. This album has sold in excess of 6 million copies worldwide. When single and album simultaneously topped the pop charts in both the US and the UK, she became the first act to achieve this feat since (Click link for more info and facts about Men At Work) Men At Work in 1983 - in the (The cardinal number that is the product of ten and six) '60s and (The cardinal number that is the product of ten and seven) '70s, it was performed by (Click link for more info and facts about the Beatles) the Beatles, (Click link for more info and facts about Simon and Garfunkel) Simon and Garfunkel, and (Click link for more info and facts about Rod Stewart) Rod Stewart.

On the televised celebration of July 4 in 2003, Beyoncé came under controversy from the Grant Memorial Association for her performance of "Crazy In Love", in which she danced in a "patently inappropriate" way on the steps of the tomb of (The chief executive of a republic) President (18th President of the United States; commander of the Union armies in the American Civil War (1822-1885)) Ulysses S. Grant. President Grant's great-grandsons Ulysses Grant Dietz and Chapman Foster Grant, spoke up on Knowles' behalf. "The way the world is now, who cares?" said Chapman Grant, "who knows? If the old guy were alive, he might have enjoyed it."

Towards the end of the summer, "Baby Boy", Dangerously In Love's second single, which featured reggae star (Click link for more info and facts about Sean Paul) Sean Paul, began to climb the charts. It, too, went on to become one of the biggest hits of 2003, dominating radio airplay for the fall of 2003.

Around the same time, Beyoncé starred in the movie The Fighting Temptations opposite (Click link for more info and facts about Cuba Gooding Jr.) Cuba Gooding Jr. and recorded a song for it called "Fighting Temptation", with rappers (Click link for more info and facts about Missy Elliott) Missy Elliott, (People who are free) Free, and (Click link for more info and facts about MC Lyte) MC Lyte. Unlike Beyoncé's own singles, the song did not become popular, although the movie was a moderate success.

The same year, Beyoncé was (Click link for more info and facts about Punk'd) Punk'd by (Click link for more info and facts about Ashton Kutcher) Ashton Kutcher just couple minutes after ruining Christmas at (Click link for more info and facts about Universal Studios Hollywood) Universal Studios Hollywood.

Fresh off the success of "Baby Boy", Beyoncé released her third solo single, "Me Myself And I" towards the end of 2003; Dangerously In Love's fourth single, "Naughty Girl", came out in mid-2004. Both have also made the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100.

In a Universal Music poll conducted in 2004, Beyoncé beat out (Click link for more info and facts about Britney Spears) Britney Spears and (Click link for more info and facts about Christina Aguilera) Christina Aguilera to be crowned the "Princess of Pop".

Beyoncé is currently in post-production for (Click link for more info and facts about The Pink Panther) The Pink Panther in which she plays role of Xania, appearing opposite (United States actor and comedian (born in 1945)) Steve Martin who plays (Click link for more info and facts about Inspector Clouseau) Inspector Clouseau. The film is scheduled for release in 2005.

She is also set to play Deena Jones in the adaptation of the (A street in Manhattan that passes through Times Square; famous for its theaters) Broadway musical (Click link for more info and facts about Dreamgirls) Dreamgirls, set for release in 2006.

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Ask Beyonce what she wants people to hear when they listen to Dangerously In Love, her debut solo album, and the multi-platinum-selling pop/urban recording artist answers, "My range. I want them to hear all of the musical influences from hip-hop to rock to jazz, there's even a Shuggie Otis sample. I want them to really hearthe talent. I know that folks love me as a pop star. Now I want them to understand me as an artist."

That they will. Musically challenging and lyrically honest, Dangerously In Love is more than just a solo CD from a superstar. It is everything you'd expect from Beyonce and more than you could have hoped for. Another side of someone we've loved for years, Dangerously In Love is equally divided between seductive mid-tempos, lush ballads and fiery club bangers, providing a sharp focus on who Beyonce is right now: as a performer, as a woman, and as a creative force to be reckoned with. The vibe is more mature, more playful, more deeply passionate and sexually aggressive. Dangerously In Love is the sound of a grown woman clearly staking her claim in the world and, in the process, redefining expectations of who she is.

A 21-year-old Houston native, Beyonce Knowles is a founding member and chief songwriter of Destiny's Child, one of the biggest selling female acts of all time. With many of the group's hit songs co-written and co-produced by Beyonce, Destiny's Child has sold more than 33 million records worldwide. When Beyonce won the 2001 ASCAP Pop Songwriter Of The Year Award, she became the first African-American woman -- and the second woman ever -- to receive that honor.

Led by founding members Beyonce Knowles and Kelly Rowland, Destiny's Child burst on the scene in 1997 with their multi-platinum single, "No, No, No," from their self-titled album. That success was dwarfed when Destiny's Child's The Writing's On The Wall was released in 1999. The album would go on to sell more than 10 million copies worldwide, driven in part by three Top 10 hits: "Jumpin, Jumpin," "Say My Name" and "Bills, Bills, Bills," which spent 9 weeks at #1 on the Billboard RandB singles chart.

A year after Michelle Williams joined Destiny's Child in 2000, the group recorded Survivor, which debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 album chart. Survivor was certified double platinum four weeks after its release and has gone on to sell more than nine million copies worldwide. In 2001 Destiny's Child took home two Grammy awards: Best RandB song ("Say My Name") and Best RandB performance by a Duo or Group ("Say My Name"). Destiny's Child has won numerous other awards, among them Billboard Artist of the year, NAACP Image Awards, American Music Awards, Nickelodeon Kid's Choice and The Sammy Davis Jr. Award for Entertainer of the Year at the Soul Train Awards. The group has toured worldwide and performed at many high profile events including The Michael Jackson 30th Anniversary Concert Special and the Concert For New York City.

Given the fact that the general public is so familiar with chart-topping songs such as "Say My Name," "Independent Woman, Part I" and "Survivor," it's fair to enquire how Dangerously In Love differs from a Destiny's Child project. "Naturally the songs on my album are going to share some similarities," Beyonce admits. "But this time because I only had to write for myself, my songs are much more personal. I also wanted beats that were harder and to be able to collaborate with other people. Basically this record was a chance for me to grow as a writer and a singer. There are more ballads. The vocals aren't as precisely produced and because it's just me, there aren't as many harmonies. The experience was very liberating and therapeutic. I felt free, because I could go into the studio and talk about whatever I wanted, but in many ways it was actually harder to be on my own creatively. I depend so much on Destiny's Child (Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams) to tell me if they like something or not. I'm so critical of myself that it's scary to have to depend on your own instincts."

Helping Beyonce trust those instincts are an impressive array of musical collaborators, among them Missy Elliot, Jay-Z, Sean Paul, Mark Batson, Mario Winans, D-Roy and Mr. B, OutKast's Big Boi, Rich Harrison, Fanatic, Scott Storch, and the legendary Luther Vandross on "The Closer I Get To You." Beyonce shares co-executive producer credits on Dangerously In Love with her father and manager Mathew Knowles. She took an active role in all aspects of the album: from writing and choosing material to producing, mastering and mixing the tracks. Beyonce pays tribute to her father on the hidden bonus track, "Daddy," which was produced by Beyonce and Mark Batson.

The sexy first single, "Crazy In Love," featuring Jay-Z, was co-produced by Beyonce and Rich Harrison. Jay-Z returns the favor for Beyonce's part on his hit "Bonnie and Clyde 03." With a beat that Beyonce says is "so hard it makes your heart hurt!," "Crazy In Love" is about that moment when you realize you're falling into love and looking crazy but you simply don't care. The abandon continues on "Speechless," produced by Fanatic. "As soon as I heard the track it inspired me," she admits. "It's very sexy, very sensual. The sort of ballad that I've never done before. This song is definitely a population increaser!"

Laced with an Arabic ambience, fused with a ghetto-fied edge and encompassing a sample from Donna Summer's "Love to Love You Baby," "Naughty Girl" is uptempo and party perfect: a sexy fantasy about having that one night where you lose all your inhibitions, head to theclub and work it like a naughty girl. "Many of the songs on the album examine aspects of relationships, and this is one element."

Also sexy is the dancehall-Arabic flavored "Baby Boy," featuring the red hot Sean Paul. "I knew Sean had to be on my album because I love his approach," she says. "'Baby Boy' is another song about a fantasy and it's one of my favorites."

Such unabashed and upfront emotions might come as a surprise to long time fans but make no mistake, Dangerously In Love isn't a rejection of DC's sound. "I love Destiny's Child and I am a member of the group, "she asserts. "We haven't broken up. We're going to continue to tour and record and be a group. We've recorded a song, 'I Know,' for "The Fighting Temptations" soundtrack. We all decided a long time back to explore solo projects and I'm the third member of the group to release my own record. Things like working apart keep the fire going and keep the fans eager for you. I'm not trying to get away from DC or the legacy we have. I just wanted to show a different approach and the growth I've experienced. "

That growth is evident in Beyonce's burgeoning acting career. In 2001 she starred in MTV's "Carmen." In 2002 she appeared as Foxy Cleopatra in "Austin Powers in Goldmember." This year she will co-star with Cuba Gooding Jr. in "The Fighting Temptations." She has two more features currently in production and can also be seen on the small screen in a series of Spike Lee-directed commercials for Pepsi-Cola. She is also the spokesperson for L'Oreal.