Beyoncé Gisele Knowles (born September 4, 1981),[1] best known mononymously as Beyoncé (pronounced /biːˈɒnseɪ/), is an American R&B singer, songwriter, record producer and actress. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, she enrolled in various performing arts schools, and was first exposed to singing and dancing competitions as a child. Knowles rose to fame in the late 1990s as the lead singer of the girl group Destiny's Child. Knowles has sold more than 50 million records worldwide with the group.
During the hiatus of Destiny's Child, Knowles released her debut solo album, Dangerously in Love, in June 2003. Dangerously in Love, which spawned the number-one singles "Crazy in Love" and "Baby Boy", became one of the most-successful albums of that year. It earned Knowles five Grammy Awards in 2004, and its reception signaled her viability as a solo artist.
The success of her solo albums has established Knowles as one of the most marketable artists in the music industry, and she has expanded her career to acting and product endorsement. She began her acting career in 2001, appearing in the musical film Carmen: A Hip Hopera. In 2006, she starred in the lead role in the film adaptation of the 1981 Broadway musical Dreamgirls, for which she earned two Golden Globe nominations. Kno wles launched her family's fashion line, House of Deréon, in 2004, and has been engaged to endorse such brands as Pepsi, Tommy Hilfiger, andL'Oréal.
Early life and career beginnings
Knowles was born in Houston, Texas, the daughter of Mathew Knowles, a successful record manager, and Tina Beyincé, a costume designer and hair stylist. Knowles' father is African American and her mother is of Creole (African American, Native American, and French) descent.Knowles was schooled at St. Mary's Elementary School in Texas, where she enrolled in dance classes, including ballet and jazz. Her talent in singing was discovered when her dance instructor began humming a song and she finished it, hitting the high-pitched notes.
At the age of eight, Knowles met LaTavia Roberson while in an audition for a girl group.[17] They, along with Knowles' friend Kelly Rowland, were placed into a group that performed rapping and dancing. Originally named Girl's Tyme,[11] they were eventually cut down to six members.
To manage the group, Knowles' father (who was at that time a medical-equipment salesman) resigned in 1995 from his job.[20] He dedicated his time and established a "boot camp" for their training.[10] The move reduced Knowles' family's income by half and her parents separated because of the pressure.[8] Not long after the inclusion of Rowland, Mathew cut the original lineup to four,[9] with LeToya Luckett joining in 1993.[17] Rehearsing in Tina's Headliners Salon and their backyards, the group continued performing as an opening act for other established R&B girl groups of the time;[17] Tina contributed to the cause by designing their costumes, which she continued to do throughout the Destiny's Child era. With the continued support of Mathew, they auditioned before record labels and were finally signed to Elektra Records, only to be dropped months later before they could release an album.
Destiny's Child's era
Taking inspiration from a passage in the Book of Isaiah, the group changed its name to Destiny's Child in 1993.[17] Together, they performed in local events and, after four years on the road, the group was signed to Columbia Records in late 1997. That same year, Destiny's Child recorded its major label debut song, "Killing Time", for the soundtrack to the 1997 film, Men in Black.Solo and career development
In 2000, Knowles signed a three-album deal with Columbia Records.[26] While Knowles was with Destiny's Child, she made solo appearances. She made a duet with label mate Marc Nelson on the song "After All Is Said and Done" for the soundtrack to the 1999 film The Best Man, and featured on the 2000 single "I Got That" by rapper Amil.
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