Biography

Destiny's Child released their greatest hits album, #1's, on October 25, 2005. The compilation includes their number-one hits including "Independent Woman Part 1", "Say My Name" and "Bootylicious". Three new tracks were recorded for the compilation including "Stand Up For Love", which was recorded for the theme song to the World Children's Day, and "Check on It", a song Knowles recorded for The Pink Panther's soundtrack.[49] #1's was also released as a DualDisc, featuring the same track listing, seven videos of selected songs and a trailer of the concert DVD Destiny's Child: Live in Atlanta.[49] The DVD was filmed during the Atlanta visit of the Destiny Fulfilled ... And Lovin' It tour, and was released on March 28, 2006. It has been certified platinum by the RIAA, denoting shipments of over one million units.[14]

The title of the compilation fueled a ripple as it contained number-one singles, although not exclusively. While the liner notes of the compilation does not present any information regarding commercial performances of the songs featured, writer Keith Caulfield of Billboard magazine suggested that the name could only be "a marketing angle".[50] Despite this, journalist Chris Harris of MTV said that it "lives up to its name";[51] #1's debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 with sales of 113,000 in the first week.[52] "Stand Up For Love" was released as Destiny's Child's last single.

Disbandment and recent projects



Destiny's Child star on Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Destiny's Child reunited for a farewell performance at the 2006 NBA All-Star Game on February 19 in Houston, Texas; however, Knowles commented, "It's the last album, but it's not the last show."[53][54] Their final televised performance was at the Fashion Rocks benefit concert in New York at the same month.[53] On March 28, 2006, Destiny's Child was inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the 2,035th recipient of the coveted recognition.[55] At the 2006 BET Awards, Destiny's Child won Best Group, a category they also earned in 2005 and 2001.[56]

After their formal disbandment, all members continued their solo projects including LeToya Luckett, who released her debut solo album, LeToya, in July 2006, peaking at number-one on the Billboard 200.[57] Knowles co-starred in the 2006 comedy film The Pink Panther, for which she recorded the number-one single "Check on It".[58] She landed a role in Dreamgirls, the film adaptation of the 1981 hit Broadway musical about a 1960s singing group loosely based on Motown all-female group The Supremes. In the film, she portrays the Diana Ross-based character Deena Jones.[58][59] Inspired by her role in the film, she went to crafting her second solo album, aptly titled B'Day, released on September 4, 2006 in the United States to coincide her birthday.[60] Knowles' music video to her single "Get Me Bodied" features Rowland, Williams, and Knowles' sister Solange. The video was released on the B'Day Anthology video album in April 2007. Knowles said: "It really sets the tone of the video, because you feel like you're there for part of the experience."[61]

In 2007, Rowland released her second solo album, Ms. Kelly. On June 26, 2007, the group made a mini-reunion at the 2007 BET Awards. Knowles performed "Get Me Bodied" with special guests Williams, Solange Knowles, and Mo'Nique. After her performance, Knowles introduced Rowland who performed her single "Like This" with Eve.[62] On the September 2, 2007 Los Angeles stop of The Beyoncé Experience tour, Knowles sang a snippet of "Survivor" with Rowland and Williams. The latter two rendered a "Happy Birthday" song to Knowles. The performance was featured in Knowles' tour DVD, The Beyoncé Experience Live!, released on November 20, 2007.[63] In spring 2008 Rowland released a repackaged, reworked version of her 2007 album under the title Ms. Kelly Deluxe. This in turn spawned a UK Top 20 single with her newly-recorded cover of the Seventies Bobby Womack track Daylight, which featured Gym Class Heroes rapper Travis McCoy.[64] Knowles recorded a cover of Billy Joel's "Honesty" which was included on a Mathew Knowles/Music World CD released only in Japan towards the end of June 2008 to celebrate the tenth-year anniversary of Destiny's Child. Williams released her first non-Gospel third solo album, Unexpected,[65] in October 2008, with several of the tracks boasting an uptempo Euro-dance flavour.[66] The following month, Knowles released her third studio solo album, I Am… Sasha Fierce. In the summer of 2009 Williams made history by prestigiously becoming the first African-American actress to play murderous chorus-girl Roxie Hart in the London West End run of the stage musical Chicago.[67] In June 2010, Rowland released "Commander", the first single from her forthcoming third solo album.[68]

Philanthropy

In 2005, record producer David Foster, his daughter Amy Foster-Gillies and Knowles wrote "Stand Up For Love" as the anthem to the World Children's Day, an annual worldwide event to raise awareness and funds for children causes. Over the past three years, more than $50 million have been raised to benefit Ronald McDonald House Charities and other children's organizations. Destiny's Child lent their voices and support as global ambassadors for the 2005 program.[69]

Rowland and Knowles, along with the latter's family, founded the Survivor Foundation, a charitable entity set up for the purpose of providing transitional housing for the Hurricane Katrina victims and storm evacuees in the Houston, Texas area. The Survivor Foundation extended the mission of the Knowles-Rowland Center For Youth, a multi-purpose community outreach facility in downtown Houston.[49] In the wake of the September 11 attacks, Destiny's Child canceled a European tour and performed in a concert benefit for the survivors.[5]

Style and themes



R&B singer Diana Ross, the front woman of The Supremes, to whom Beyoncé Knowles was equated. (Photo: Harry Wad)
Destiny's Child recorded R&B songs with styles that encompasses urban, contemporary, and dance-pop.[70] Destiny's Child revealed that R&B singer Janet Jackson is one of their influences.[71] Ann Powers of The New York Times described Destiny's Child music as "fresh and emotional ... these ladies have the best mixes, the savviest samples and especially the most happening beats."[17] In the same publication, Jon Pareles noted that the sound that defines Destiny's Child, aside from Knowles' voice, "is the way its melodies jump in and out of double-time. Above brittle, syncopated rhythm tracks, quickly articulated verses alternate with smoother choruses."[72] The group usually harmonize their vocals in their songs, especially on the ballads. In most instances of their songs, each member sings one verse and chimes in at the chorus. In Survivor, each members sings lead in the majority of the album:[10] "... everybody is a part of the music ... 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."[73] Knowles, however, completely lead songs like "Brown Eyes" and "Dangerously in Love". The group explored their lyrics to man-to-woman relationship, and sisterhood and female empowerment anthems.

Survivor contains themes interpreted by the public as a reference to the group's internal conflict. The title track, "Survivor", which set the theme used throughout the album,[10] features the lyrics "I'm not gonna blast you on the radio ... I'm not gonna lie on you or your family ... I'm not gonna hate you in the magazine" caused LaTavia and LeToya Luckett to file a lawsuit against the group; the lyrics were perceived to be a violation over their agreement following a settlement in court.[5] In an interview, Knowles commented: "The lyrics to the single 'Survivor' are Destiny's Child's story, because we've been through a lot, ... We went through our drama with the members ... Any complications we've had in our 10-year period of time have made us closer and tighter and better."[10] In another song called "Fancy", which contains the lyrics "You always tried to compete with me, girl ... find your own identity", was interpreted by critic David Browne, in his review of the album for Entertainment Weekly magazine, as a response to the lawsuit.[74] Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic summarized Survivor as "a determined, bullheaded record, intent on proving Destiny's Child has artistic merit largely because the group survived internal strife. ... It's a record that tries to be a bold statement of purpose, but winds up feeling forced and artificial."[75] Albeit critical praise to Destiny's Child's records, Knowles' close involvement in their projects have generated criticisms. Knowles wrote and co-produced the bulk of Survivor.[10] Browne suggested that her help made Survivor a "premature, but inevitable, growing pains album".[74]

Public image

Destiny's Child was compared to The Supremes, a 1960s American female singing group, with which Knowles had been equated to as the Diana Ross, the frontwoman of The Supremes; Knowles, however, dismissed the notion.[15] Ironically, she starred in the film adaptation of the 1981 Broadway musical Dreamgirls as Deena Jones, the front woman of the Dreams, a female singing group based on the Supremes. With Knowles' wide role assumed in the production of Survivor, Gil Kaufman of MTV noted that "it became clear that Beyoncé was emerging as DC's unequivocal musical leader and public face".[5] Her dominance to the creative input in the album made the album "very much her work".[74] For Lola Ogunnaike of The New York Times, "It's been a long-held belief in the music industry that Destiny's Child was little more than a launching pad for Beyoncé Knowles's inevitable solo career."[76]

In the wake of Knowles' Dangerously in Love, rumors spread about possible split of Destiny's Child after each member had experienced success and had ongoing projects.[47][77] Comparisons were drawn to Justin Timberlake, who did not return to band 'N Sync after his breakthrough debut solo album, Justified.[5][77] Rowland responded to such rumors, announcing they were back in the studio together.[78] The group claimed that the reunion was destined to happen[5] and that their affinity to each other kept them cohesive.[43] Margeaux Watson, arts editor at Suede magazine, suggests that "the star does not want to appear disloyal to her former partners," and called Beyoncé's decision to return to the group "a charitable one".[76] Knowles' mother, Tina, 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.[79]

Studio albums
1998: Destiny's Child
1999: The Writing's on the Wall
2001: Survivor
2004: Destiny Fulfilled

Other albums
2001: 8 Days of Christmas
2002: This Is the Remix
2005: #1's