Beyoncé Giselle Knowles (born September 4, 1981), often known simply as Beyoncé (pronounced /biˈjɒnseɪ/ bee-YON-say), is an American Pop/R&B singer, songwriter, actress and fashion designer. 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 R&B girl group Destiny's Child, one of the world's best-selling girl groups of all time.

Studio albums

• Dangerously in Love (2003)


• B'Day (2006)


• I Am... Sasha Fierce (2008)

Movie soundtracks

• Carmen: A Hip Hopera (2001)


• Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002)


• The Fighting Temptations (2003)


• The Pink Panther (2006)


• Dreamgirls (2006)


• Cadillac Records (2008)

Video releases

• Live at Wembley (2004)


• BET Presents Beyoncé (2006)


• Beyoncé The Ultimate Performer (2006)


• B'Day Anthology Video Album (2007)


• The Beyoncé Experience Live (2007)


• I Am... Yours: An Intimate Performance at Wynn Las Vegas (2009)


• I Am... World Tour (2010)

PHOTO OF THE MOMENT:

FIRST FRAGRANCE BY BEYONCE





Her third solo album I Am... Sasha Fierce, released in November 2008, included the anthemic "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)". The album and its singles earned her six Grammy Awards, breaking the record for most Grammy Awards won by a female artist in one night. Knowles is one of the most honored artists by the Grammys, and third among female artists, with 16 awards—13 as a solo artist and three as a member of Destiny's Child.

Knowles' music is generally contemporary R&B, but she also incorporates pop, funk, hip hop, and soul genres into her work. While she almost exclusively releases English songs, Knowles did record several Spanish records for the re-release of B'Day. Destiny's Child had already recorded a Spanish song and received favorable responses from their Latin fans. Knowles took Spanish in school when she was young, but can now only speak a few words of the language.

Knowles and her mother introduced House of Deréon, a ready-to-wear contemporary women's fashion line, in 2005. The concept is inspired by three generations of women in their family, with the name Deréon paying tribute to Knowles' grandmother, Agnèz Deréon, who worked as a seamstress.According to Tina Knowles, the overall style of the line best reflects Knowles' taste and style. Launched in 2006, products of House of Deréon received public exhibitions during the group's shows and tours during the Destiny Fulfilled era.The store, which is available across the United States and Canada, sells sportswear, denim along with fur, outerwear and accessories including handbags. Knowles also teamed up with House of Brands, a local shoe company, to produce a range of footwear for House of Deréon.

Knowles has attained five Hot 100 number one singles as a solo performer and four with Destiny's Child. As a solo artist, Knowles has sold over 11.2 million albums and nearly 25 million singles in the United States. According to Columbia Records her record sales, when combined with the group, have surpassed 130 million.

Chris Richards of the Washington Post writes, "Even when she's coasting, she soars above her imitators. It's all in her voice—a superhuman instrument capable of punctuating any beat with goose-bump-inducing whispers or full-bore diva-roars. Smitten, scorned, amorous, antagonistic—Beyoncé sings from all of these vantage points with undeniable virtuosity.

Knowles 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.
 
In 2004, Knowles planned to release a follow-up to Dangerously in Love, which would feature some of the left-over recordings. However, her musical aspirations were put on hiatus due to conflicting schedules, including her recording with Destiny's Child for what would be their final album. Early in that year, Knowles performed the U.S. national anthem at Super Bowl XXXVIII at Reliant Stadium in Houston.

The Daily Mail writes, "many industry experts have been tipping Beyoncé as the next Michael Jackson. While it’s far too early for such comparisons, she certainly proved that she is one of the most exciting and talented performers around and may well go down in history as such".