Before she was a teenager she had already won over thirty
local talent shows, and despite suffering a loss on “Star Search” in 1992, it was clear from a young age that the Houston native was
destined to become a star. Born Beyonce Giselle Knowles on September 4, 1981, by the
age of 24 she has sold more the 50 million records, won nine Grammy awards and starred in one of the most successful comedy movies of all time.
Beyonce began her music career singing with the R&B
group, Destiny’s Child. After earning its stripes playing in local Houston clubs, the quartet (which by its third album was a trio) was offered a record contract,
and in February of 1998 the group released its first album. The self-titled album
received mixed reviews. Destiny’s Child quickly returned to the studio and recorded
the album that would put them on their way to superstardom. 1999’s The
Writing’s on the Wall debuted at number six on the Billboard Top 200 and
had several hugely successful singles.
With the release of the group’s third album, Survivor,
Beyonce’s talent for writing and producing became obvious. The album, on which
Beyonce co-wrote and co-produced all the songs, shot straight to the top,
selling almost 700,000 copies in its first week and reaching number one on the
Billboard Top 200.
After Survivor, Beyonce made a move toward a solo
career. Her first record without her fellow Destiny’s Child singers put
Beyonce into a new league of performers. Beyonce’s Dangerously in Love
rocketed to number one and sold over four million copies in the US alone. The album netted her five Grammy Awards and eventually sold eight million copies
worldwide.
But Beyonce wasn’t happy being just a top selling musician.
Her next move brought her into films. Her first acting role was with Mekhi
Phifer in the made for television MTV film, Carmen: A Hip Hopera. She
then went on to make the 2002 blockbuster Austin Powers in Goldmember.
In 2003 she landed a role in The Fighting Temptations, which placed her
on the screen with the Oscar winning actor, Cuba Gooding Jr.
Beyonce’s successes in the studio and on the big screen have
put her on both the music and film industries’ A-lists. In 2006, she was once
again coupled with a Hollywood giant. Her latest film, The Pink Panther,
stars Steve Martin and was number one at the box office in its opening week. It
appears Beyonce has once again hit it big.
With The Pink Panther already released and "Dreamgirls" set for a Christmas premiere (which puts Beyonce in the company of Jamie Foxx, Eddie Murphy, Danny Glover, and red-hot newcomer Jennifer Hudson), Beyonce is showing that
she is a star prepared for longevity. Besides making films, 2006 has seen Beyonce release her new solo album, "B'Day", which features Pharrell Williams, and launching
her own clothing line, House of Dereon.