Beyonce Knowles

She married singer Jay-Z in 2008 and gave birth to her first child, a daughter, in 2012.

She along with Rowland founded the Survivor Foundation in 2005 to provide transitional housing for victims of Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

She was named an ambassador for the 2012 World Humanitarian Day campaign for which she donated her song ‘I Was Here’ and its music video.

She is the daughter of Mathew Knowles and Tina. His father was a sales manager while her mother worked as a hairdresser and salon owner.

She attended St. Mary’s Elementary School where she also learned to dance. She loved singing from a young age.

She enrolled in Parker Elementary School, a music magnet school in 1990 and also attended the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts before moving on to the Alief Elsik High School.

She auditioned for an all-girl entertainment group when she was eight. She was selected along with Kelly Rowland and LaTavia Roberson and put in a group called Girl’s Tyme with three other girls. The group performed in several talent shows and later bagged a contract with Columbia Records.

The girls changed the name of the group to Destiny’s Child in 1993 and released their self-titled debut album in 1997. The album had the song ‘No, No, No’ which became their first major hit.

Their second album, ‘The Writing’s on the Wall’ was out in 1999. It spawned the group’s first No.1 single, ‘Jumpin’ Jumpin’ and also the super hit songs ‘Bills Bills Bills’ and ‘Say My Name’. The album sold more than 8 million copies worldwide.

Their third album, ‘Survivor’ was even a bigger success than its predecessors. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and earned the group several Grammy Award nominations. The singles ‘Survivor’ and ‘Bootylicious’ became very popular.

Motivated by the success of her girls’ group, Beyonce embarked on a solo career with her debut solo album, ‘Dangerously in Love’ in 2003. The songs included uptempos and ballads inspired by R&B and soul genres with elements of hip hop and Arabic music. The album was a huge hit which established her as a solo star.

She released her next album, ‘B’Day’ on her 25th birthday, 4 September, 2006. The music style of the album is borrowed from a range of styles like funk, hip hop and R&B that were popular during the 1970s-80s. The album was reviewed very positively.

Her debut album, ‘Dangerously in Love’ was the one which successfully cemented her reputation as a solo artist. The album which debuted at No.1 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart was a big commercial as well as critical success which earned her five Grammy Awards.

The album ‘B’Day’ registered her highest debut-week sales. It included the hit singles ‘D�j� vu’, ‘Irreplaceable’ and ‘Beautiful Liar’. It was successful not just in the U.S. but also internationally and was accredited multi-platinum.

‘I Am… Sasha Fierce’ was one of the most successful albums of her career so far. The album was inspired by folk and alternative rock and went on to be platinum certified in over 17 worldwide markets. The album garnered a whooping eight Grammy Award nominations, winning five of them.