Tuesday, March 29

Beyoncé Knowles

Beyoncé Giselle Knowles (born September 4, 1981), often known by the mononym Beyoncé ( /biˈjɒnseɪ/ bee-YON-say), is an American recording artist, 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.
During the hiatus of Destiny's Child, Knowles released her debut solo album Dangerously in Love in 2003, which spawned the number one hits "Crazy in Love" and "Baby Boy" and became one of the most successful albums of that year, earning her a then record-tying five Grammy Awards. Following the group's disbandment in 2005, Knowles released her second solo album, B'Day in 2006. It debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and included the hits "Irreplaceable" and "Beautiful Liar". Her third solo album I Am... Sasha Fierce was released in 2008, and included the anthemic "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)", which achieved fame for its intricate choreography, prompting a legion of imitations and parodies from men and women all around the world. The album earned Knowles six Grammys at the 52nd Grammy Awards, breaking the record for most Grammy Awards won by a female artist in one night.


Apart from her work in music, Knowles has also been involved in acting. She made her debut in 2001, in the musical film Carmen: A Hip Hopera, and also starred in the film adaptation of the 1981 Broadway musical, Dreamgirls (2006), which earned her two Golden Globe nominations. In 2004, Knowles and her mother introduced their family's fashion line, House of Deréon, and has also endorsed brands such as Pepsi, Tommy Hilfiger, Armani and L'Oréal. In June 2010, Knowles was ranked second on Forbes list of the 100 Most Powerful and Influential celebrities in the world, and first on its list of the Most Powerful and Influential musicians in the world.
Knowles has earned numerous awards and accolades. She is one of the most honored artists by the Grammys, and third among female artists, with a total of 16 Grammy Awards — 13 as a solo artist and 3 as a member of Destiny's Child. In 2007, she became the first female artist to be awarded the International Artist Award at the American Music Awards. Knowles was ranked the 4th Artist of the 2000s decade by Billboard and was listed the most successful female artist of the decade, as well as the top radio artist of the decade. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), listed Knowles as the top certified artist of the decade.To date, she has sold 75 million records worldwide making her one of the best-selling music artists of all time.

Knowles has stated, "I like to dress sexy and I carry myself like a lady," but she has said that the way she dresses on stage is "absolutely for the stage". The media often use the term "Bootylicious" (a combination of the words booty and delicious), to describe Knowles because of her curves. The term was made widely known by the Destiny's Child hit song of the same name, and has been added to the Oxford English Dictionary.As someone who is fond of fashion, Knowles combines its artistic elements with her music videos and performances. According to Italian fashion designer Roberto Cavalli, she uses different styles and tries to harmonize it with the music while performing. The B'Day Anthology Video Album showed many instances of fashion-oriented footage, depicting classic to contemporary wardrobe styles. People magazine recognized Knowles as the best-dressed celebrity in 2007. Knowles' mother wrote a 2002-published book, titled Destiny's Style: Bootylicious Fashion, Beauty and Lifestyle Secrets From Destiny's Child, an account of how fashion had an impact on Destiny's Child's success.

Clothing lines
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.
In 2004, Knowles and her mother founded their family's company Beyond Productions, which provides the licensing and brand management for House of Deréon. In early 2008, they launched Beyoncé Fashion Diva, a mobile game with an online social networking component, featuring House of Deréon. In July 2009, Knowles and her mother launched a new junior apparel label, Sasha Fierce for Deréon, for back-to-school selling. The collection, which is inspired by Knowles' stage presence, consists of sportswear, outerwear, handbags, footwear, eyewear, lingerie and jewelry. The clothing line was picked up by department stores including Macy’s and Dillard’s and specialty stores, Jimmy Jazz and Against All Odds. In May 2010, Knowles teamed up with clothing store C&A to release her Deréon clothing line labeled, Deréon by Beyoncé for C&A. The collection was only made available in Brazilian C&A stores.
Philanthropy

Knowles has been exposed to issues of social awareness since a young child, as her father would sometimes take her into the community, including African-American society.Knowles and Destiny's Child band mate, Kelly Rowland, along with the former's family, founded the Survivor Foundation, a charitable entity set up to provide transitional housing for 2005 Hurricane Katrina victims and storm evacuees in the Houston, Texas area. The Survivor Foundation extended the philanthropic mission of the Knowles-Rowland Center for Youth, a multi-purpose community outreach facility in downtown Houston.Knowles donated $100,000 to the Gulf Coast Ike Relief Fund, which benefits victims of Hurricane Ike in the Houston area. She is organizing a fund raising benefit for Hurricane Ike relief through the Survivor Foundation. In 2005, music producer David Foster, his daughter Amy Foster-Gillies, and Knowles wrote "Stand Up for Love", which would serve as the anthem of World Children's Day, an event which takes place annually around the world on November 20 to raise awareness and funds for children's causes worldwide. Destiny's Child lent their voices and support as global ambassadors for the 2005 World Children's Day program. Knowles conducted food drives during stops on The Beyoncé Experience tour in Houston on July 14, Atlanta on July 20, Washington, D.C. on August 9, Toronto on August 15, Chicago on August 18, and Los Angeles on September 2, 2006.


Filmography


Films
Year Title Role Notes
2002 Austin Powers in Goldmember Foxxy Cleopatra Nominated — Black Reel Award: Best Breakthrough Performance
Nominated — MTV Movie Award for Best Breakthrough Performance
2003 The Fighting Temptations Lilly Nominated — Black Reel Award: Best Actress
Nominated — NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture
2004 Fade to Black Herself Jay-Z documentary
2006 The Pink Panther Xania
2006 Dreamgirls Deena Jones Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy
Nominated — MTV Movie Award for Best Performance - Female
Nominated — Black Reel Award: Best Actress
Nominated — NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture
Nominated — Satellite Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy
Nominated — Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role
2008 Cadillac Records Etta James Won — Black Reel Award: Best Ensemble
Nominated — NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
Nominated — Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture
2009 Obsessed Sharon Charles Won — MTV Movie Award for Best Fight
2012 A Star Is Born Esther Hoffman Lead Role


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