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Quick Facts
- NAME: Beyoncé Knowles
- OCCUPATION: Film Actress, Entrepreneur, Singer
- BIRTH DATE: September 04, 1981 (Age: 31)
- EDUCATION: St. Mary's Elementary School, Parker Elementary School, High School for the Performing and Visual Arts
- PLACE OF BIRTH: Houston, Texas
- ZODIAC SIGN: Virgo
Best Known For
Beyoncé Knowles is a multi-platinum, Grammy Award-winning recording artist who's acclaimed for her thrilling vocals, videos and live shows.
Videos see all videos
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Beyonce - Mini Biography (3:50)
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Jay-Z - Mini Biography (3:44)
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Jamie Foxx - Full Episode (45:24)
Beyonce - Mini Biography
Beyonce Knowles catapulted to fame with Destiny's Child and went on to release Grammy award-winning solo albums and a film career with her star turn in "Dreamgirls." She married hip-hop artist Jay-Z in 2008.
Jay-Z - Mini Biography
Hip-hop artist Jay-Z was born in Brooklyn and began freestyling at an early age. In addition to his musical talents, he's one of the most successful entrepreneurs in the world.
Mariah Carey - Mini Biography
A short biography of Mariah Carey who is one of the top-selling artists of all time. The Grammy award winner rose to fame with her 1990 album "Vision of Love" and made a comeback with "The Emancipation of Mimi" in 2005.
Jamie Foxx - Full Episode
A modern renaissance man, Jamie Foxx is one of the most spectacularly versatile performers in show business today. He began on "In Living Color," and would go on to win an Oscar for playing Ray Charles in "Ray."
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Play NowBeyoncé Knowles. (2013). The Biography Channel website. Retrieved 01:30, May 25, 2013, from http://www.biography.com/people/beyonc%C3%A9-knowles-39230.
Beyoncé Knowles. [Internet]. 2013. The Biography Channel website. Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/beyonc%C3%A9-knowles-39230 [Accessed 25 May 2013].
"Beyoncé Knowles." 2013. The Biography Channel website. May 25 2013, 01:30 http://www.biography.com/people/beyonc%C3%A9-knowles-39230.
"Beyoncé Knowles," The Biography Channel website, 2013, http://www.biography.com/people/beyonc%C3%A9-knowles-39230 [accessed May 25, 2013].
"Beyoncé Knowles," The Biography Channel website, http://www.biography.com/people/beyonc%C3%A9-knowles-39230 (accessed May 25, 2013).
Beyoncé Knowles [Internet]. The Biography Channel website; 2013 [cited 2013 May 25] Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/beyonc%C3%A9-knowles-39230.
Beyoncé Knowles, http://www.biography.com/people/beyonc%C3%A9-knowles-39230 (last visited May 25, 2013).
Beyoncé Knowles. The Biography Channel website. 2013. Available at: http://www.biography.com/people/beyonc%C3%A9-knowles-39230. Accessed May 25, 2013.
Synopsis
Born on September 4, 1981, in Houston, Texas, Beyoncé Knowles first captured the public's eye as lead vocalist of the R&B group Destiny's Child. She later established a solo career, becoming one of music's top-selling artists with sold-out tours and a slew of awards. Knowles has also starred in several films, including Dream Girls. She married hip-hop recording artist Jay-Z in 2008.
Quotes
"Whenever I'm out in public, I have to be put together. When I get home, I rebel against it and I don't want to take care of anything. I drop it. I'm relaxed. I don't have any shoes on. No makeup."
Early Life and Career
Born Beyoncé Giselle Knowles on September 4, 1981, in Houston, Texas, Knowles started singing at an early age. As a child, she competed in local talent shows, and won many of these events by impressing audiences with her natural singing and dancing abilities.
Teaming up with her cousin, Kelly Rowland, and two classmates, Beyoncé formed an all-female singing group. Her father, Matthew Knowles, served as the band's manager. The group went through some name and line-up changes before landing a record deal in 1997 with Columbia Records. Destiny's Child soon became one of the most popular R&B acts, with the release of their first, self-titled album. Gaining momentum, the group scored its first No. 1 single on the pop charts with "Bills, Bills, Bills," off their second album. The recording also featured another smash hit, "Say My Name."
While enjoying her group's success, Beyoncé began exploring other projects. She made her acting debut in 2001 with a starring role in MTV's Carmen: A Hip Hopera. She then co-starred with Mike Myers in the spy parody Goldmember the following year. On the musical front, Beyoncé took center stage as a solo artist, releasing her first album, Dangerously in Love, in 2003. The recording became a huge success for her, both commercially and critically. It sold millions of copies and won five Grammy Awards. On the album, Beyoncé worked with a number of different artists, including Missy Elliott, Sean Paul and Jay-Z. She was rumored to be dating Jay-Z around this time, but the couple did not publicly acknowledge their relationship.
Destiny's Child released their last studio album, Destiny Fulfilled, in 2004, and officially broke up the following year.
Solo Career
On her own, Beyoncé continued to enjoy great success. Her second studio album, 2006's B'Day featured such hits as "Irreplaceable" and "Beautiful Liar." On the big screen, she starred opposite Jennifer Hudson, Jaime Foxx and Eddie Murphy in Dreamgirls. The film was adapted from the hit Broadway musical of the same name.
In 2008, Beyoncé married rapper and music mogul Jay-Z in a small, private ceremony in New York City. Among the guests sighted at the wedding were Beyoncé's mother Tina Knowles; her father and manager Matthew; her sister Solange; Destiny's Child members Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams; and friend Gwyneth Paltrow.
The newlywed continued to work as hard as ever, promoting her latest effort, I am ... Sasha Fierce (2008). Beyoncé scored two big hits off the album—"Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)" and "If I Were a Boy." She also returned to the big screen that year, starring as R&B legend Etta James in Cadillac Records.
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