Beyoncé

In 1990, Beyoncé met LaTavia Roberson at an audition for an all-girl entertainment group. Kelly Rowland joined the group in 1992, and the performers subsequently became members of Girl's Tyme, which participated in local talent competitions and performed rap and dance routines. In 1993, the group competed on the television talent show "Star Search" but did not win. LeToya Luckett later joined the lineup. In 1995, Mathew Knowles left his job to manage the group. After an unsuccessful recording contract with Elektra Records, the group signed with Columbia Records with the assistance of talent scout Teresa LaBarbera Whites.

The group adopted the name Destiny's Child in 1996 and gained wider attention after contributing to the soundtrack of the 1997 film "Men in Black". Its single "No, No, No" became an early commercial success, followed by the debut album "Destiny's Child" in 1998. The group's second album, "The Writing's on the Wall", was released in 1999 and reached number five on the Billboard 200. It produced the hit singles "Bills, Bills, Bills" and "Say My Name", both of which reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100. "Say My Name" won two Grammy Awards in 2001. The album went on to sell millions of copies worldwide.

After several lineup changes, Destiny's Child settled on a trio consisting of Beyoncé, Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams. In 2001, the group released "Survivor", which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and sold 663,000 copies in its first week. The album produced the hit singles "Independent Women Part I", "Bootylicious" and "Survivor". That year, Beyoncé also starred in the television film "Carmen: A Hip Hopera". Following the release of the Christmas album "8 Days of Christmas" in 2001, Destiny's Child announced a hiatus to allow its members to pursue solo projects.

Beyoncé made her theatrical film debut in 2002, playing Foxxy Cleopatra in the comedy "Austin Powers in Goldmember". She recorded "Work It Out" for the film's soundtrack and appeared on Jay-Z's 2002 single "'03 Bonnie & Clyde". The collaboration marked an important step in the development of her solo career and contributed to public speculation about their relationship.

In 2003, Beyoncé released her debut solo studio album, "Dangerously in Love". Its lead single, "Crazy in Love", featuring Jay-Z, reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and became one of her signature songs. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, selling 317,000 copies in its first week. Its second single, "Baby Boy", also topped the Hot 100, while "Me, Myself and I" and "Naughty Girl" reached the top five. At the 46th Grammy Awards in 2004, Beyoncé won five awards for the album and its songs, including Best Contemporary R&B Album. "Dangerously in Love" became one of the best-selling albums of the 2000s.

Beyoncé also appeared in the musical comedy "The Fighting Temptations" in 2003 and undertook concert tours to promote her solo work. In February 2004, she performed the United States national anthem at Super Bowl XXXVIII. Destiny's Child released its final studio album, "Destiny Fulfilled", in 2004. The album reached number two on the Billboard 200 and included the singles "Lose My Breath" and "Soldier". The group embarked on a worldwide tour in 2005 and announced its disbandment at the end of the tour. Its compilation album "#1's" was released later that year.

Beyoncé released her second solo studio album, "B'Day", on September 4, 2006, her twenty-fifth birthday. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, selling 541,000 copies in its first week. Its singles included "Déjà Vu", featuring Jay-Z, and "Irreplaceable", which spent ten consecutive weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. Other singles included "Ring the Alarm", "Get Me Bodied" and "Green Light". The album won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary R&B Album in 2007.

In 2006, Beyoncé starred in "The Pink Panther", whose soundtrack featured her song "Check on It". The song topped the Billboard Hot 100 for five weeks. She also appeared in the musical drama film "Dreamgirls", an adaptation of the 1981 Broadway musical, portraying Deena Jones, a singer whose character was partly inspired by Diana Ross. In 2007, Beyoncé embarked on the Beyoncé Experience, her first worldwide headlining tour. An expanded edition of "B'Day" included "Beautiful Liar", a collaboration with Shakira that reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100.

Beyoncé married rapper Jay-Z on April 4, 2008. Their relationship influenced aspects of her third studio album, "I Am... Sasha Fierce", released in November 2008. The double album contrasted slower pop and R&B ballads with uptempo songs incorporating electropop and Europop. It debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, selling 482,000 copies in its first week. The album included "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)", which topped the Billboard Hot 100, and "Halo", which reached the top five. "If I Were a Boy" became a major international hit. The music video for "Single Ladies" attracted widespread attention for its choreography and inspired numerous imitations.

To promote the album, Beyoncé embarked on the I Am... Tour, which grossed approximately $119.5 million. She also portrayed blues singer Etta James in the 2008 musical biographical film "Cadillac Records". In 2009, she starred alongside Ali Larter and Idris Elba in the thriller "Obsessed". She performed at events associated with the inauguration of US President Barack Obama in January 2009. At the 52nd Grammy Awards in 2010, she received ten nominations and won six awards, including Song of the Year for "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)". She also appeared on Lady Gaga's 2010 single "Telephone", which reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100.

In 2010, Beyoncé took a break from recording and performing to travel and pursue other interests. During this period, she wrote about her experiences in an article for Essence magazine titled "Eat, Play, Love", which received recognition from the New York Association of Black Journalists. She later discussed experiencing a miscarriage and described writing music as part of her response to the loss. In 2011, her father ceased managing her career, and she continued working under her own creative direction through Parkwood Entertainment, the management and entertainment company she had established.

Beyoncé released her fourth studio album, "4", in June 2011. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, selling 310,000 copies in its first week. It incorporated R&B, soul, funk and other styles, reflecting her interest in traditional vocal arrangements and instrumentation. Singles included "Run the World (Girls)", "Best Thing I Never Had", "Party", "Countdown" and "Love On Top". In June 2011, she headlined the Pyramid Stage at the Glastonbury Festival, becoming the first solo female artist in more than two decades to headline the stage. Later that year, she performed at the MTV Video Music Awards and announced that she was pregnant. Her daughter, Blue Ivy Carter, was born on January 7, 2012, in New York City.

In 2013, Beyoncé performed at the second inauguration of Barack Obama and headlined the Super Bowl XLVII halftime show. She also directed and released the documentary "Life Is But a Dream", which explored her personal life and career. That year, she embarked on the Mrs. Carter Show World Tour and contributed a cover of Amy Winehouse's "Back to Black", featuring André 3000, to the soundtrack of "The Great Gatsby". She also voiced Queen Tara in the animated film "Epic".

On December 13, 2013, Beyoncé released her fifth studio album, "Beyoncé", without prior announcement or conventional promotional activity. The self-titled album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, selling 617,000 copies in its first week. It was accompanied by music videos for all fourteen tracks and helped popularise the surprise-release and visual-album formats. Musically, the album combined R&B, electronic production and pop, while its lyrics explored relationships, sexuality, body image and motherhood. Singles included "Drunk in Love", featuring Jay-Z, "XO", "Partition", "Pretty Hurts" and "Blow". "Drunk in Love" reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100.

In 2014, Beyoncé and Jay-Z embarked on the On the Run Tour, their first joint headlining stadium tour. She received the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award at the MTV Video Music Awards that year. A reissue of "Beyoncé", titled "Beyoncé: Platinum Edition", was released in November 2014 with additional tracks and audiovisual material.

In February 2016, Beyoncé released "Formation", which she performed during the Super Bowl 50 halftime show. The performance prompted public debate over its imagery and perceived references to the Black Panther Party and racial politics in the United States. On April 23, 2016, she released her sixth studio album, "Lemonade", alongside an hour-long film of the same name broadcast on HBO. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, selling 653,000 copies in its first week. It combined R&B, rock, country, blues and other influences, addressing themes including infidelity, family, identity and Black American history.

All twelve tracks from "Lemonade" entered the Billboard Hot 100. Singles from the album included "Sorry", "Hold Up", "Freedom" and "All Night". The album received widespread critical attention and became one of the best-selling albums of 2016. Its visual presentation and exploration of race, gender and relationships prompted extensive cultural and academic discussion. Beyoncé promoted the album with the Formation World Tour, which ran from April to October 2016 and was the first all-stadium tour by a female artist. The music video for "Formation" won Video of the Year at the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards.

In February 2017, Beyoncé announced that she was expecting twins and subsequently gave birth to Rumi and Sir Carter in June. She had been scheduled to headline the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival that year but withdrew because of her pregnancy and performed at the festival in 2018 instead. Her performance, which included a reunion with Destiny's Child, drew on the traditions of historically Black colleges and universities and featured a large ensemble of musicians and dancers. The performance was later documented in the concert film "Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé", released on Netflix in April 2019, alongside the live album "Homecoming: The Live Album".

In June 2018, Beyoncé and Jay-Z released their collaborative album "Everything Is Love" under the name the Carters. The album was released during their On the Run II Tour and included the single "Apeshit". In 2019, Beyoncé voiced Nala in the live-action adaptation of "The Lion King". She also recorded music for the film's soundtrack and curated and produced the companion album "The Lion King: The Gift", which incorporated African musical influences and featured several African artists. In 2020, she released "Black Is King", a visual film inspired by "The Lion King: The Gift". That year, she also featured on a remix of Megan Thee Stallion's "Savage", which reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100.

In 2021, Beyoncé co-wrote and recorded "Be Alive" for the biographical sports drama film "King Richard". The song received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song. At the 63rd Grammy Awards that year, she won four awards, bringing her career total to 28 at the time.

Beyoncé announced her seventh studio album, "Renaissance", in June 2022. Its lead single, "Break My Soul", reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100. Released on July 29, 2022, the album drew on disco, house and other dance music styles, with influences from Black and queer musical communities. It debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, becoming her seventh consecutive studio album to achieve that position. The album received widespread critical acclaim and included the single "Cuff It", which reached the top ten in the United States. Beyoncé described "Renaissance" as the first part of a planned trilogy of albums developed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2023, Beyoncé embarked on the Renaissance World Tour, which became one of the highest-grossing concert tours of all time and the highest-grossing tour by a woman at that point. The concert film "Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé", which she wrote, directed and produced in partnership with AMC Theatres, was released in November 2023. At the 65th Grammy Awards in February 2023, she won four awards, becoming the most-awarded artist in the ceremony's history.

On February 11, 2024, Beyoncé released "Texas Hold 'Em" and "16 Carriages", the first singles from her eighth studio album. "Texas Hold 'Em" reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and the Billboard Global 200. The album, "Cowboy Carter", was released on March 29, 2024. It incorporates country, Americana, folk, blues and other musical styles, and explores the contributions of Black musicians to country music and American musical history. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, making Beyoncé the first woman to have her first eight studio albums debut at the top of the chart. Its singles included "Texas Hold 'Em", "16 Carriages" and "II Most Wanted", featuring Miley Cyrus.

In 2024, Beyoncé appeared in promotional material for NBC's coverage of the Summer Olympics in Paris and reprised her role as the voice of Nala in the animated film "Mufasa: The Lion King". In December 2024, she headlined the NFL Christmas Day halftime show, performing songs from "Cowboy Carter".

At the 67th Grammy Awards in February 2025, "Cowboy Carter" won Album of the Year and Best Country Album, making Beyoncé the first Black woman to win the latter award. She also received recognition in the country music categories, highlighting the album's engagement with the genre's history. In 2025, she embarked on the Cowboy Carter Tour across North America and Europe. The tour became the highest-grossing country tour of all time.

Beyoncé is among the best-selling recording artists worldwide, with estimated sales exceeding 200 million records. She has received numerous awards, including multiple Grammy Awards, MTV Video Music Awards, BET Awards, NAACP Image Awards and Soul Train Music Awards. Her work has influenced the development of contemporary popular music, particularly in the use of visual albums, surprise releases, elaborate stage productions and genre-crossing musical projects. She has also used her public platform to address issues related to race, gender, identity and the history of Black music in the United States.

Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beyonc%C3%A9

Studio albums

Dangerously in Love (2003)

B'Day (2006)

I Am... Sasha Fierce (2008)

4 (2011)

Beyoncé (2013)

Lemonade (2016)

Renaissance (2022)

Cowboy Carter (2024)