(born September 4, 1981, Houston, Texas, U.S.) is an American singer-songwriter and actress who achieved fame in the late 1990s as the lead singer of the R&B group Destiny’s Child and then launched a hugely successful solo career.
In 2023 she broke the record for most Grammy Awards won by an artist, with 32 Grammy wins over the course of her career.
Beyoncé was born Beyoncé Giselle Knowles to Tina (née Beyoncé) and Mathew Knowles (divorced 2011).
She has a younger sister,Solange , who also became a successful recording artist.
At age nine Beyoncé formed the singing-rapping girl group Destiny’s Child (originally called Girl’s Tyme) in 1990 with childhood friends.
In 1992 the group lost on the Star Search television talent show, and three years later it was dropped from a recording contract before an album had been released.
In 1997 Destiny’s Child’s fortunes reversed with a Columbia recording contract and then an eponymous debut album that yielded the hit single “No, No, No Part 2.”
Its follow-up album, The Writing’s on the Wall (1999), earned the group two Grammy Awards and sold more than eight million copies in the United States.
Survivor (2001), the group’s third album, reached the number one spot on the Billboard 200 chart.
By this time the group’s lineup, which had seen several personnel changes, was composed of Beyoncé, Kelly Rowland, and Michelle Williams.
With her powerful voice and charisma, Beyoncé was clearly the leader of the group and wrote hit songs for Destiny’s Child, such as the saucy “Bootylicious.”
Eventually, the group parted ways to pursue individual projects.
Beyoncé used her songwriting talents to pen her first solo album, Dangerously in Love (2003).
The album debuted to rave reviews, and, aided by the exuberant single “Crazy in Love,” which features rapper Jay-Z, it topped charts around the world.
In 2004 Beyoncé won five Grammy Awards, including best contemporary R&B album and best female R&B vocal performance.
Destiny’s Child reunited in 2004 to release Destiny Fulfilled.
While generally not as acclaimed as the group’s previous efforts, the album sold more than seven million copies worldwide and spawned several hit singles.
The trio embarked on a world tour in 2005, during which they announced that the group would officially disband.
That same year they released #1’s, a collection of well-known songs and number one hits.