Destiny's Child Biography
The following biography
is from
Wikipedia.org
“The
Free Encyclopedia.”
Destiny's Child is an American R&B and pop group.
Originally a duo and later a quartet, the group eventually became a trio, whose
members are Beyoncé Knowles, Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams. On June 12,
2005 the group announced on tour in Barcelona that they would no longer perform
together, instead pursuing individual careers in music, theater, television and
film.
* * * *
Early
career
Destiny's Child were formed in
Houston, Texas, in 1990, when original members Beyoncé Knowles and LaTavia
Roberson were just nine years old; Knowles' father Matthew set about developing
an act based on their singing and rapping, under the Destiny's Child GirlTyme. Knowles's
cousin Kelly Rowland joined two years after. Later Tina Knowles, Beyoncé's
mother took their Destiny's Child from a passage in the Book of Isaiah. They landed an
appearance on Star Search (as a trio), where they performed a rap song. In 1993, LaToya Luckett joined the act. The quartet's lineup was finalized (for the time
being), and they spent the next few years working their way up from the Houston
club scene, eventually opening for popular R&B artists like SWV, Dru Hill, and
Immature. In 1997, Destiny's Child was offered a recording contract by Columbia
Records.
Destiny's
Child
The group made their recording
debut with "Killing Time," which appeared on the soundtrack for the 1997
blockbuster, Men In Black. Destiny's Child released their self-titled debut
album to mixed reviews on February 17, 1998. The album's first single, "No, No,
No" featured two completely different versions of the same song. "No, No, No
Pt.1" and "No, No, No Pt.2" were both released simultaneously, however, Part II
was considered a "remix" version of Part I. "No, No, No Pt.2" featuring The
Fugees member Wyclef Jean, quickly climbed to No.1 on the Billboard R&B chart
and No.3 Pop. The blockbuster single sold over 1 million copies, turning the
group into an instant R&B music sensation. However, follow-up singles "With Me
Pt.1" (which also had two different versions) and "Get On The Bus" failed to
reproduce the blockbuster success of "No, No, No." Destiny's Child eventually
went Platinum after later success. Expectations weren't high for the group's
second album, as most industry critics considered them to be another disposable
R&B girl-group with one-hit wonder status.
The
Writing's On The Wall
Destiny's Child re-entered the
studio quickly, bringing in an impressive lineup of talented producers,
including Kevin "She'kspere" Briggs, Rodney Jerkins, Dwayne Wiggins, Chad
Elliot, Daryl Simmons, and Missy Elliott. Critics were generally positive about
the album. Music critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine wrote "The Writing's On The
Wall... an assured step forward for the girl group. Not only are they maturing
as vocalists, they are fortunate to work with such skilled, talented
producers... who all give the quartet rich, varied music upon which to work
their charm." Lead single "Bills, Bills, Bills" became the group's first No.1
Hot 100 hit (and second R&B No.1) in the summer of 1999, and paced by its
success, the accompanying album, The Writing's on the Wall, entered the
Billboard 200 at No.6 upon its release on July 27, 1999. The second single,
"Bug-a-Boo" hit the Top 40 pop charts, while its music video received heavy
rotation on MTV and BET.
Buoyed by the group's breakout
success, two of its original members, Letoya Luckett and LaTavia Roberson,
attempted to split with manager Matthew Knowles, charging that he kept a
disproportionate share of the band's profits, attempted to exert too much
control, and unfairly favored his daughter and niece. While they never intended
to leave the group, relations naturally grew strained, and when the video for
"Say My Destiny's Child" premiered in February 2000, many fans (not to mention Roberson and Luckett) were surprised to find two new members - Michelle Williams and Farrah
Franklin - joining Knowles and Rowland. Infuriated, Roberson and Luckett took
legal action in March, suing both Knowles and their former bandmates for breach
of partnership and fiduciary duties. A war of words followed in the press;
meanwhile, Destiny's Child became a pop-cultural phenomenon. "Say My
Destiny's Child"
became the group's biggest single to date and third No.1 single. The abrupt
membership changes within the group seemed to only heighten the group's
visibility, finally separating them from the endless pack of teen R&B starlets.
In June 2000, the album's fourth
single, "Jumpin' Jumpin'" became a Top 5 hit, however, another departure came
from the ever-evolving girl-group. Farrah Franklin, who had replaced an original
member just five months prior, left the group for various personal reasons. This
split was less controversial, while The Writing's On The Wall would eventually
be certified 8x platinum domestically and sell over 12 million copies worldwide.
In the meantime, toward the end of 2000, Roberson and Luckett dropped the
portion of their lawsuit aimed at Rowland and Knowles in exchange for a
settlement, though they continued to pursue action against Knowles' father; as
part of the agreement, both sides were prohibited from attacking each other
publicly.
"The
Rebirth of the Group"
Now a trio of Beyonce`, Kelly, and
Michelle, Destiny's Child was tapped to record the theme song for the film
version of Charlie's Angels; released as a single in October, "Independent
Women, Pt. 1" raced up the charts and spent an astounding 11 consecutive weeks
at No.1 (the longest running of 2000). Destiny's Child were now indisputable
superstars, among the biggest female pop groups, and they quickly began work on
a new album to capitalize on their success. In the meantime, Destiny's Child won
2 Grammy awards for "Say My Destiny's Child," including Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo
or Group and Best R&B Song. While speaking with MTV.com, Rowland had this to say
about the upcoming album: "I know everybody can relate to this album — it's very
diverse and inspiring. The year 2000 was very challenging, and I know that gave
Beyoncé a lot of inspiration to write songs for the album. We cannot wait for
everybody to hear it. It's so empowering for a lot of people who have already
heard a little bit of it."
Survivor
(2001)
Beyoncé had long since emerged as
the group's focal point, and on the third Destiny's Child album, she assumed
more control than ever before, taking a greater hand in producing and co-writing
the entire album. "We're excited about the album," Knowles told MTV News shortly
before the album's release. She adds,"...I got a chance to co-write and produce
all of the songs." "And she did an incredible job," the group's Kelly Rowland
added. "But everybody is apart of the music," Knowles said. "Everybody is
singing lead on every song, and it's so great — because now Destiny's Child is
at the point vocally and mentally that it should be at. It's just great to be a
part of this group." Survivor - whose title was reportedly inspired by a DJ's
crack about Destiny's Child members voting one another off the island, much like
the popular CBS reality series Survivor - hit stores in the spring of 2001, and
entered the Billboard 200 at number one, selling over 663,000 copies in its
first week sales (the highest ever for a girl-group.) The first two singles,
"Survivor" and "Bootylicious", were predictably huge hits, with the latter
becoming the group's fourth No.1 Hot 100 single. An über-melismatic cover of
Samantha Sang's "Emotion" was also successful, becoming a Top 10 pop hit.
Survivor sold well - certified 4x platinum domestically and going on to sell 12
million worldwide. Toward the end of the year, the group released a holiday
album, 8 Days of Christmas, and announced plans for a series of side projects,
including solo albums from all three members (to be staggered over the next year
and a half, so as to avoid competition). In early 2002, a remix compilation
titled This Is the Remix was released to tide fans over.
Solo
Projects
Michelle Williams
Williams became the first member of
Destiny's Child to have a solo project released. “Heart To Yours,” a
contemporary gospel collection that reached No.1 on the Top Gospel Albums chart.
Her second gospel album, Do You Know reached the No. 2 slot on the Top Christian
Album chart and No. 3 on the Top Gospel Albums chart shortly after its release
in January 2004. Williams also earned rave reviews after replacing Toni Braxton
in the lead role of Aida on Broadway in November 2003.
Kelly
Rowland
In October 2002, Rowland’s solo
debut, Simply Deep featured the No.1 Hot 100 smash hit, "Dilemma," a
Grammy-winning (Best Rap/Sung Collaboration) duet with hip-hop superstar Nelly.
With "Dilemma" Rowland became the first member of Destiny's Child to hit No.1
outside of the group. Internationally, Kelly was on a roll, hitting the No.1
slot on the U.K. and several other countries' album charts while peaking in the
U.S. at No.3 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Album chart and No.12 on the
Billboard 200, it has sold 500,000 domestically and 2 million worldwide. In
2003, Rowland made her feature film debut in the horror flick "Freddy Vs.
Jason".
Beyoncé
Knowles
In 2001, Knowles co-starred with
Mekhi Phifer in MTV's remake of Bizet's Carmen, Carmen: A Hip Hopera.
In 2002, Knowles co-starred with
Mike Myers in the box-office blockbuster Austin Powers in Goldmember. She
recorded a single for its soundtrack called "Work It Out." However, her breakout
solo success has far eclipsed the other two Destiny's Child members. Her 2003
solo debut, Dangerously In Love, debuted at No.1 and sold over 4 million copies
domestically and 10 million worldwide. It yielded the No.1 hits "Crazy In Love"
featuring hip hop superstar Jay-Z(certified gold) and "Baby Boy" featuring Sean
Paul. Top 5 songs "Me, Myself and I" and "Naughty Girl", the latter also
certified gold, followed.
Critically, Knowles has been
well-received by many, even netting 5 Grammy awards for Dangerously In Love, a
level reached only by a select few others, including Michael Jackson, Lauryn
Hill, Alicia Keys, Santana and Norah Jones, some very impressive company to be
keeping.
She's also dating Jay-Z, although
their much talked about romance remains a mystery to most. Both Knowles and
Jay-Z refuse to comment on the relationship. In September 2003, Knowles
co-starred in her second feature film, The Fighting Temptations alongside Oscar
winner Cuba Gooding Jr. She recently landed a role in a remake of The Pink
Panther with Steve Martin.
Destiny
Fulfilled (2004)
After three years apart, achieving
individual success in movies, on Broadway, endorsements and with solo albums,
the three women of Destiny's Child reunited with a brand new album, Destiny
Fulfilled. A world tour, sponsored by McDonald's, "Destiny Fulfilled and I'm
Lovin' It", hit 16 countries and over 75 cities worldwide, kicking off in
Hiroshima, Japan on April 9, 2005; stops include Australia, Europe, and the U.S.
and Canada in summer 2005. Destiny Fulfilled was executive produced and
co-written by all three members. "Lose My Breath," the album's first single,
produced by Rodney Jerkins, became the group's ninth Top 10 Hot 100 hit. The
album was released in November 2004. The second single, "Soldier" featuring
rappers T.I. and Lil Wayne quickly entered the Top 10, peaking at No.3 in
February 2005 becoming the groups tenth top 10 hit. "Lose My Breath" and
"Soldier" have since been certified platinum by the RIAA. Despite receiving
worldwide mixed reviews, Destiny Fulfilled was certified 3x Platinum in early
2005. The album's third and fourth singles were "Girl" and "Cater 2 U",
respectively. Destiny's Child are now immortalized as Barbie Dolls. Toymakers
Mattel created the latest Barbies as part of their Famous Friends range. The
Barbies will go on sale in June 2005. "Destiny Fulfilled and I'm Lovin' It" will
be filmed on their Atlanta leg of the tour on 07/15/05.
Final
Destiny
On June 13, 2005, it was announced
the group will disband after their world tour ends in the fall of 2005. [1] It
was decided that the split would occur after the very last concert in Vancouver,
Canada. The group first appeared on American T.V. (MTV) on June 21, 2005 to
officially confirm their split. Their management has also decided to document
their final tour for a special farewell DVD. The group also plans to release an
album of number ones with three original songs.
Beyoncé has several individual
projects lined up including her starring role in the Dreamgirls movie as well as
music for the soundtrack of that movie and the upcoming Pink Panther remake
movie.
Mattel will release Destiny's Child
Dolls in August 2005. With Destiny’s Child’s recent breakup announcement, you
can expect this trio of dolls to become major collectors’ items.
* * * *
Awards
Grammy Awards
-
Best R&B Performance by a Duo
or Group with Vocals ("Say My Destiny's Child"): 2000
-
Best R&B Song ("Say My
Destiny's Child"):
2000
-
Best R&B Performance by a Duo
or Group with Vocals ("Survivor"): 2001
-
Best Rap/Sung Collaboration
("Dilemma"): 2002 (Kelly)
-
Best Female R&B Vocal
Performance ("Dangerously in Love 2"): 2003 (Beyoncé)
-
Best R&B Performance by a Duo
or Group with Vocals ("The Closer I Get to You"): 2003 (Beyoncé)
-
Best R&B Song ("Crazy in
Love"): 2003 (Beyoncé)
-
Best Contemporary R&B Album
(Dangerously in Love): 2003 (Beyoncé)
-
Best Rap/Sung Collaboration
("Crazy in Love"): 2003 (Beyoncé)
Brit Awards
World Music Awards
-
World's Best-Selling Artist or
Group: 2002
-
World's Best-Selling Pop Group:
2002
-
World's Best-Selling R&B Group:
2002
Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards
ASCAP Pop Music Awards
Billboard Music Awards
-
Top Pop Artist: 2000
-
Top Pop Artist-Duo/Group: 2000
-
Top Hot 100 Artist: 2000
-
Top Hot 100 Artist-Duo/Group:
2000
-
Top Hot Dance Maxi-Single Sales
Artist: 2000
-
Top Hot Dance Maxi-Single Sales
Artist-Duo/Group: 2000
-
Top Pop Artist: 2001
-
Top Pop Artist-Duo/Group: 2001
-
Top Hot 100 Artist: 2001
-
Top Hot 100 Artist-Duo/Group:
2001
-
Top Hot Top 40 Artist: 2001
-
Top Hot Dance Maxi-Single Sales
Artist: 2001
-
Top Hot Dance Maxi-Single Sales
("Independent Woman Pt.1"): 2001
-
Singles Artist of the Year:
2001
-
Group/Duo of the Year: 2001
-
New Female Artist: 2003 (Beyoncé)
-
Hot 100 Female Artist: 2003 (Beyoncé)
-
Hot 100 Award for Most Weeks at
No.1: 2003 (Beyoncé)
-
New R&B Artist: 2003 (Beyoncé)
-
Artist Achievement Award: 2004
-
Top Duo or Group: 2005
Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards
-
Best R&B/Soul Single, Group,
Band or Duo ("No, No, No"): 1998
-
Best R&B/Soul or Rap New Artist
("No, No, No"): 1998
-
Best R&B/Soul Album of the
Year: (Destiny's Child): 1998
-
Best R&B/Soul Single, Group,
Band or Duo ("Say My Destiny's Child"): 2000
-
Best R&B/Soul Album of the
Year: (The Writing's On The Wall): 2000
-
Best R&B/Soul Single, Group,
Band or Duo ("Survivor"): 2001
-
Best R&B/Soul Single, Group,
Band or Duo ("Emotion"): 2002
-
Best R&B/Soul Album of the
Year: (Survivor): 2002
MTV Video Music Awards
-
Best R&B Video ("Say My
Destiny's Child"):
2000
-
Best R&B Video ("Survivor"):
2001
-
Best Female Video ("Crazy in
Love"): 2003 (Beyoncé)
-
Best R&B Video ("Crazy in
Love"): 2003 (Beyoncé)
-
Best Choreography ("Crazy in
Love"): 2003 (Beyoncé)
-
Best Female Video ("Naughty
Girl"): 2004 (Beyoncé)
MTV Europe Music Awards
BET Awards
American Music Awards
-
Favorite Soul/R&B
Band/Duo/Group: 2001
-
Favorite Pop/Rock Album: 2002
-
Favorite Soul/R&B
Band/Duo/Group: 2002
Soul Train Music Awards
-
Sammy Davis Jr. Award for
'Entertainer of the Year': 2001
-
Best Female R&B/Soul Album
(Dangerously in Love): 2004 (Beyoncé)
-
Best R&B/Soul Album (Destiny
Fulfilled): 2005
NAACP Image Awards
-
Outstanding Duo or Group: 2001
-
Entertainer of the Year: 2004 (Beyoncé)
-
Outstanding Duo or Group:2005
Radio Music Awards
-
Artist of the Year/Hip-Hop
Rhythmic Radio: 2001
-
Artist of the Year-Top 40 Pop
Radio: 2001
-
Artist of the Year-Top 40
Radio: 2004 (Beyoncé)
People's Choice Award
BMI Pop Awards
-
Most Performed Song- "Bills,
Bills, Bills":2001
-
Most Performed Song-"Say my
Destiny's Child":2001
Block Buster Entertainment Awards
-
Favorite Group: 2001
-
Favorite Group-R&B: 2001
TRL Awards
Kids' Choice Awards
Vibe Award
Teen Choice Awards
Artist Direct (ADOMA) Awards
TMF Awards
Broadway
Aida: 2003 (Michelle)
Filmography
Carmen: A Hip Hopera: 2001 (Beyoncé
as Carmen)
Austin Powers in Goldmember: 2002 (Beyoncé
as Foxxy Cleopatra)
The Fighting Temptations: 2003 (Beyoncé
as Lily)
Freddy Vs. Jason: 2003 (Kelly as
Kia)
The Seat Filler: 2004 (Kelly as
Jhnelle)
The Pink Panther: 2006 (Beyoncé as
Xania)
Dreamgirls: 2006 (Beyoncé as Deena
Jones)
Endorsements and Products
McDonalds — Destiny's Child
Pepsi — Beyoncé
L'Oréal — Beyoncé
Tommy Hilfiger — Beyoncé
Soft Sheen-Carson — Kelly
Barbie— Destiny's Child
The Gap — Michelle
Fashion
-
House of Dereon; Beyoncé
-
About Beyond Productions, LLC
-
Beyond Productions, LLC was
founded in May 2004 by Tina and Beyoncé Knowles, Jason and Arthur Rabin and
Cory Silverstein of Wear Me Apparel/Kids Headquarters. The partnership will
provide the infrastructure for licensing and brand management to House of
Dereon. This collaboration was orchestrated by Tina and Beyoncé Knowles who
wanted to bring trend-setting style and a creative take on fashion to
stylish women everywhere. The design alliance features three co-creative
directors, Beyoncé and Tina Knowles, and Heather Thomson Schindler.
Other
Tours
-
"Christina Aguilera Tour"
Opening Act: 2000
-
"TRL Tour": 2001
-
"World Tour" : 2002
-
"First Ladies"; Beyoncé: 2004
-
"Destiny Fulfilled and Lovin
It" World Tour: 2005
-
"Live 8: The Long Walk to
Justice" US Concert: July 2, 2005
Books
DVD's
-
The Platinum's on The Wall:
2001
-
Survivor: 2001
-
Music World Music Presents
Destiny's Child World Tour: 2003
-
Beyoncé Live At Wembley;
Beyoncé: 2004
Records
and Facts
-
The Writing's On The Wall
debuted at #6 on the Billboard 200 Album chart. Nine months after its
release, the album was #5 on the chart, having just experienced its best
sales week ever. More than a year after the album's release, The Writing's
On The Wall was still in the Top 20 (#11), selling upwards of 70,000 units
per week. In the first year of its release, The Writing's On The Wall spent
47 out of 52 weeks in the Top 40 or better of the Billboard 200 Album chart.
-
The week of October 24, 2000,
Destiny's Child had two singles on the Billboard Hot 100 Airplay chart:
"Independent Women Part I" at #9, reaching 65 million listeners & "Jumpin
Jumpin" at #5, reaching 75 million listeners.
-
In 2000, Destiny's Child had
three #1 records on the Billboard Hot 100: "Bills, Bills, Bills," "Say My
Destiny's Child," and "Independent Women Part I."
-
At the end of November 2000,
during its fourth straight week at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart,
Destiny's Child's "Independent Women Part I" also reached the largest
audience (140.4 million listeners) in the history of monitored airplay,
breaking the record set in May 1999 by TLC's "No Scrubs." The Record has
since been broken by Mariah Carey with her recent hit "We Belong Together",
which has broken the record for 192.3 million listener impressions, and have
escalated to 223 million impressions, the most for a song in the history of
Billboard.
-
When "Independent Women Part I"
hit #1 on the UK charts, Destiny's Child became the first American
all-female group to hold that position since 1989, when the Bangles hit it
with "Eternal Flame."
-
With "Independent Women Part
I," Destiny's Child became the first American all-female group ever to debut
at #1 on the U.K. charts.
-
The song appearing on the
Survivor album titled "Independent Women Part 2" was actually written first
by Beyoncé Knowles. The song was re-written and re-arranged, with the
references to Charlies Angels added, and the new version was called "Part
1." Beyoncé's original version then became "Part 2."
-
When "Survivor" hit #1 on the
UK charts, Destiny's Child became the first American all-female group to
score more than one UK #1 single. This was something not even the Supremes
managed.
-
Former Destiny's Child member
Farrah Franklin has vocals on "Independent Women Part I".
-
Dangerously In Love went to the
top of the album charts in the UK and Canada, as well as on both the
American pop (Billboard 200) and R&B charts. When single and album
simultaneously topped the pop charts in both the US and the UK, she became
the first act to achieve this feat since Men At Work in 1983 - in the '60s
and '70s, it was performed by the Beatles, Simon and Garfunkel, and Rod
Stewart. This makes her the first female artist to achieve this.
-
Kelly and Michelle are not the
real Destiny's Childs of Beyoncé's fellow group members. Kelly's birth
Destiny's Child was
Kelendria Trene Rowland and Michelle's birth Destiny's Child was Tenitra Michelle
Williams. The girls explained the use of their nickDestiny's Childs because they
thought people would have a hard time pronouncing them.
*
* * *
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