Destiny's Child

Destiny's Child was an American R&B girl group whose final and best-known line-up comprised Beyoncé Knowles, Kelly Rowland, and Michelle Williams. Formed in 1990 in Houston, Texas, Destiny's Child members began their musical endeavors as Girl's Tyme comprising, among others,^[1] Knowles, Rowland, LaTavia Roberson and LeToya Luckett. After years of limited success, they were signed in 1996 to Columbia Records as Destiny's Child. Destiny's Child was launched into mainstream recognition following the 1999 release of their best-selling second album, The Writing's on the Wall, which contained the number-one singles "Bills, Bills, Bills" and "Say My Name". Despite critical and commercial success, the group was plagued by internal conflict and legal turmoil, as Roberson and Luckett attempted to split from the group's manager Mathew Knowles, citing favoritism of Knowles and Rowland.

Both Roberson and Luckett were soon replaced with Williams and Farrah Franklin; however, in 2000, Franklin left, leaving the group as a trio. Their third album, Survivor, which contains themes the public interpreted as a channel to the group's experience, contains the worldwide hits "Independent Women", "Survivor" and "Bootylicious". In 2002, they announced a hiatus and re-united two years later for the release of their fourth and final studio album, Destiny Fulfilled (2004). Destiny's Child has sold more than 60 million records worldwide to date.^[2] Billboard magazine ranks the group as one of the greatest musical trios of all time,^[3] the ninth most successful artist/band of the 2000s,^[4] and placed the group 68th in its All-Time Hot 100 Artists list in 2008.^[5]

Recording history

1990–97: Early beginnings and Girl's Tyme

In 1990, Beyoncé Knowles met rapper LaTavia Roberson while auditioning for a girl group.^[6] Based in Houston, Texas, they were joined to a group that performed rapping and dancing. Kelly Rowland, who relocated to Knowles's house because of family issues, joined them in 1992. Originally named Girl's Tyme, they were eventually cut down to six members including Támar Davis and sisters Nikki and Nina Taylor.^[7][8] With Knowles and Rowland, Girl's Tyme attracted nationwide attention:^[7] west-coast R&B producer Arne Frager flew to Houston to see them. He brought them to his studio, The Plant Recording Studios, in Northern California, with focus on Knowles's vocals because Frager thought she had personality and the ability to sing.^[7] With efforts to sign Girl's Tyme to a major record deal, Frager's strategy was to debut the group in Star Search, the biggest talent show on national TV at the time.^[7] However, they lost the competition because, according to Knowles, their choice of song was wrong;^[9] they were actually rapping instead of singing.^[6]

Because of the group's defeat, Knowles's father, Mathew, voluntarily dedicated his time to manage them.^[7][10] Mathew Knowles cut down the original lineup to four, with the removal of Davis and the Taylor sisters and the inclusion of LeToya Luckett in 1993.^[6][7] Aside from spending time at their church in Houston, Girl's Tyme practiced in their backyards and at Headliners Salon, owned by Knowles's mother, Tina. The group would test routines in the salon, when it was on Montrose Boulevard in Houston, and sometimes would collect tips from the customers. Their try out would be critiqued by the people inside. During their school days, Girl's Tyme performed at local gigs. When summer came, Mathew Knowles established a "boot camp" to train them in dance and vocal lessons.^[11] After rigorous training, they began performing as opening acts for established R&B groups of that time such as SWV, Dru Hill and Immature.^[6] Tina Knowles designed the group's attire for their performances.^[11]

Over the course of the early years in their career, Girl's Tyme changed their name to Something Fresh, Cliché, the Dolls, and to Destiny.^[12] The group signed with Elektra Records with the name Destiny, but were dropped several months later before they could release an album.^[10] The pursuit of a record deal affected the Knowles family: in 1995, Mathew Knowles resigned from his job as a medical-equipment salesman,^[7] a move that reduced Knowles's family's income by half, and her parents briefly separated due to the pressure.^[7][10] In 1996, they finally changed their name to Destiny's Child, which was taken from a passage in the Book of Isaiah.^[6][12] Mathew Knowles helped in negotiating a record deal with Columbia Records, which signed the group that same year.^[6][8] Prior to signing with Columbia, the group had recorded several tracks in Oakland, California produced by D'wayne Wiggins of Tony! Toni! Toné!, including "Killing Time", which upon the label's recognition that Destiny's Child had a "unique quality", was included in the soundtrack to the 1997 film Men in Black.^[6][13]

1998–2000: Breakthrough and lineup changes

Wyclef Jean remixed the song "No, No, No", which became Destiny's Child's first successful single.

Destiny's Child released their self-titled debut album in the United States on February 17, 1998, featuring productions by Tim & Bob, Rob Fusari, Jermaine Dupri, Wyclef Jean, Dwayne Wiggins and Corey Rooney.^[6] Destiny's Child peaked at number sixty-seven on the Billboard 200 and number fourteen on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums.^[14] It managed to sell over one million copies in the United States, earning a platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).^[15] The remix version to the album's lead single, "No, No, No", reached number one on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks and number three on the Billboard Hot 100. Its follow-up single, "With Me Part 1" failed to reproduce the success of "No, No, No". Meanwhile, the group featured on a song from the soundtrack album of the romantic drama Why Do Fools Fall in Love and "Get on the Bus" had a limited release in Europe and other markets. In 1998, Destiny's Child garnered three Soul Train Lady of Soul awards^[6] including Best New Artist for "No, No, No". Knowles considered their debut successful but not huge, claiming as a neo soul record it was too mature for the group at the time.^[16]

After the success of their debut album, Destiny's Child re-entered the studio quickly, bringing in a new lineup of producers, including Kevin "She'kspere" Briggs^[6] and Rodney Jerkins. Coming up with The Writing's on the Wall, they released it on July 27, 1999 and it eventually became their breakthrough album.^[16] The Writing's on the Wall peaked at number five on the Billboard 200 and number two on R&B chart in early 2000.^[14] "Bills, Bills, Bills" was released in 1999 as the album's lead single and reached the top spot of the Billboard Hot 100, becoming their first US number-one single.^[6] The Writing's on the Wall has been credited as Destiny's Child's breakthrough album, spurring their career and introducing them to a wider audience.^[11][17] The main key to the group's breakthrough was the album's third single, "Say My Name",^[17] which topped the Billboard Hot 100 for three consecutive weeks. The successful release of the singles bolstered the album's sales,^[8][18] eventually selling over eight million copies in the United States, gaining eight-time platinum certification by the RIAA.^[6][15] The Writing's on the Wall sold more than 11 million copies worldwide and was one of the top-selling albums of 2000.^[19]

Michelle Williams joined the group as a replacement for Luckett and Roberson.

In December 1999, Luckett and Roberson attempted to split with their manager, claiming that he kept a disproportionate share of the group's profits and unfairly favored Knowles and Rowland.^[6] While they never intended to leave the group, when the video for "Say My Name" surfaced in February 2000, Roberson and Luckett found out that two new members were joining Knowles and Rowland.^[6] Prior to the video premiere, Knowles announced on TRL that original members Luckett and Roberson had left the group.^[8] They were replaced by Michelle Williams, a former backup singer to Monica, and Farrah Franklin, an aspiring singer-actress.^[11] Shortly after her stint with Monica, Williams was introduced to Destiny's Child by choreographer Braden Larson aka "Peanut Orlando", and was flown to Houston where she stayed with the Knowles family.^[11]

In March 2000, Roberson and Luckett filed a lawsuit against Mathew Knowles and their former bandmates for breach of partnership and fiduciary duties. Following the suit, both sides were disparaging towards each other in the media.^[6] Five months after joining, Franklin left the group. The remaining members claimed that this was due to missed promotional appearances and concerts. According to Williams, Franklin could not handle stress.^[11] Franklin, however, disclosed that she left because of the negativity surrounding the strife and her inability to assert any control in the decision making.^[6] Her departure was seen as less controversial. Williams, on the other hand, disclosed that her inclusion in the group resulted in her "battling insecurity": "I was comparing myself to the other members, and the pressure was on me."^[11]

Towards 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 the action against their manager. As part of the agreement, both sides were prohibited from speaking about each other publicly.^[6] Roberson and Luckett formed another girl group named Anjel but also left it due to issues with the record company. Although band members were affected by the turmoil, Destiny's Child's success continued. The following years of their career were seen as the group's most successful stretch,^[6] becoming a pop culture phenomenon.^[8] "Say My Name" became their second number-one and biggest single to date.^[16] The fourth single from The Writing's on the Wall, "Jumpin', Jumpin'", also became a top-ten hit. During this time, Destiny's Child began performing as an opening act at the concerts of pop singers Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera.^[6]

With Williams in the new lineup, Destiny's Child recorded a theme song for the soundtrack to the film version of Charlie's Angels. Released as a single in October 2000, "Independent Women Part 1" spent eleven consecutive weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 from November 2000 to January 2001,^[8] the longest-running number-one single of Destiny's Child's career and of that year in the United States.^[20] The successful release of the single boosted the sales of the soundtrack album to Charlie's Angels to 1.5 million by 2001.^[12] In 2000, Destiny's Child won Soul Train's Sammy Davis Jr. Entertainer of the Year award.^[12]

2001–03: Survivor, subsequent releases, hiatus and side projects

At the 2001 Billboard Music Awards, Destiny's Child won several accolades, including Artist of the Year and Duo/Group of the Year,^[21] and again won Artist of the Year among five awards they snagged in 2001.^[22] In September 2000, the group took home two at the sixth annual Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards, including R&B/Soul Album of the Year, Group for The Writing's on the Wall.^[23] Destiny's Child recorded their third album, Survivor, from mid-2000 until early 2001. In the production process, Knowles assumed more control in co-producing and co-writing almost the entire album.^[6][24][25] Survivor hit record stores in the spring of 2001 and entered the Billboard 200 at number one, selling over 663,000 copies in its first week sales.^[14][26] The first three singles, "Independent Women Part I", "Survivor" and "Bootylicious" reached the top three in the United States and were also successful in other countries;^[6] the first two were consecutive number-one singles in the United Kingdom.^[27] The album was certified four-time platinum in the United States^[15] and double platinum in Australia.^[28] It sold 6 million copies as of July 27, 2001.^[29]

In the wake of the September 11 attacks, Destiny's Child canceled a European tour and performed in a concert benefit for the survivors.^[6] In October 2001, the group released a holiday album, 8 Days of Christmas, which contained updated versions of several Christmas songs.^[30] The album managed to reach number thirty-four on the Billboard 200.^[14] In February 2001, Destiny's Child won two Grammy awards for "Say My Name": Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group and Best R&B Song.^[31] They also earned an American Music Award for Favorite Soul/R&B Band/Duo.^[6] Also in 2001, Destiny's Child sang backup vocals for Solange Knowles, who was the lead, on the theme song to the animated Disney Channel series The Proud Family. In March 2002, a remix compilation titled This Is the Remix was released to win fans over before a new studio album would be released.^[32] The remix album reached number 29 in the United States.^[14] The lead single "Survivor" was by some interpreted as a response to the strife between the band members, although Knowles claimed it was not directed at anybody. Seeing it as a breach of the agreement that barred each party from public disparagement, Roberson and Luckett once again filed a lawsuit against Destiny's Child and Sony Music, shortly following the release of This Is the Remix. In June 2002, remaining cases were settled in court.^[6]

Knowles' sister, Solange, who had recorded songs and performed with Destiny's Child, was reported to join the group when they reunite, but this was later confirmed as only a test of the public's reaction.

In late 2000, Destiny's Child announced their plan to embark on individual side projects, including releases of solo albums,^[24] an idea by their manager.^[33] In 2002, Williams released her solo album, Heart to Yours, a contemporary gospel collection.^[6] The album reached number one on the Billboard Top Gospel Albums chart. In the same date Heart to Yours hit stores, Destiny's Child released their official autobiography, Soul Survivors.^[34] Rowland collaborated with hip hop artist Nelly on "Dilemma", which became a worldwide hit and earned Rowland a Grammy;^[33] she became the first member of Destiny's Child to have achieved a US number-one single. In the same year, Knowles co-starred with Mike Myers in the box-office hit Austin Powers in Goldmember. She recorded her first solo single, "Work It Out", for the film's soundtrack.^[6] To capitalize on the success of "Dilemma", Rowland's solo debut album Simply Deep was brought forward from its early 2003 release to September 2002.^[35] Rowland's career took off internationally when Simply Deep hit number one on the UK Albums Chart.^[36] In the same year, she made her feature film debut in the horror film Freddy vs. Jason. Meanwhile, Knowles made her second film, "The Fighting Temptations", and appeared as featured vocalist on her then-boyfriend Jay-Z's single "'03 Bonnie & Clyde", which paved the way for the release of her debut solo album.^[37]

As an upshot from the success of "Dilemma", Knowles' debut album, Dangerously in Love, was postponed many times until June 2003.^[35][38] Knowles was considered the most successful among the three solo releases.^[39] Dangerously in Love debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, selling 317,000 copies.^[40] It yielded the number-one hits "Crazy in Love", and "Baby Boy"; and the top-five singles "Me, Myself and I" and "Naughty Girl". The album was certified 4x platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).^[41] It remains as Knowles' best-selling album to date, with sales of 4.9 million copies in the United States, as of July 2009.^[42] Worldwide, the album has sold more than eleven million copies.^[43][44] Knowles solo debut was well received by critics, earning five Grammy awards in one night for Dangerously in Love, tying the likes of Norah Jones, Lauryn Hill, and Alicia Keys for most Grammys received in one night by a female artist.^[45] In November 2003, Williams appeared as Aida on Broadway. In January 2004, she released her second gospel album, Do You Know.^[6]

Dwayne Wiggins, who had produced their first recordings as Destiny's Child, filed suit in 2002 against his former counsel (Bloom, Hergott, Diemer & Cook LLP) seeking $15 million in damages for lessening his contractual agreement with the group without his consent, effectively nullifying his original contract that offered Sony Music/Columbia Destiny's Child's exclusive recording services for an initial seven years, in exchange for "certain royalties", instead of royalties only from the first three albums. The case was settled for an undisclosed amount.^[46] In June 2003, Mathew Knowles announced that Destiny's Child would expand back to a quartet, revealing Knowles' younger sister, Solange, as the latest addition to the group.^[47] Destiny's Child had previously recorded songs with Solange and shared the stage when she temporarily replaced Rowland after she broke her toes while performing. Their manager, however, said the idea was used to test reactions from the public.^[48] In August 2003, Knowles herself confirmed that her sister would not be joining in the group, and instead promoted Solange's debut album, Solo Star, released in January 2003.^[49]

2004–05: Destiny Fulfilled and #1's

Three years after the hiatus, members of Destiny's Child reunited to record their fourth and final studio album, Destiny Fulfilled.^[6] The album introduces the trio to a harder, "urban" sound, and songs featured are conceptually interrelated.^[50] Destiny Fulfilled saw equality in the trio:^[16] each member contributed to writing on the majority songs,^[51] as well as becoming executive producers aside from their manager.^[52] Released on November 15, 2004, Destiny Fulfilled failed to top Survivor; the album reached number two the following week, selling 497,000 copies in its first week, compared to 663,000 for the previous album.^[53] Certified three-time platinum in the United States,^[15] it was still one of the best-selling albums of 2005, selling over eight million copies worldwide;^[43] it pushed the group back into the position of the best-selling female group and American group of the year. Four singles were released from the album: the lead "Lose My Breath", "Soldier", "Cater 2 U" and "Girl"; the first two reached number three in the United States. "Soldier" "Cater 2 U" were certified platinum by the RIAA in 2006.^[15]

To promote the album, Destiny's Child embarked on their worldwide concert tour, Destiny Fulfilled... and Lovin' It Tour. On June 11, 2005, while at the Palau Sant Jordi in Barcelona, Spain, the group announced before 16,000 people their official breakup.^[54] Destiny's Child claimed, however, that naming it Destiny Fulfilled was not a coincidence of sort.^[55] Right in the making of the album, they planned to part ways after their fourteen-year career as a group to facilitate their continued pursuit in individual aspirations. Knowles stated that their destinies were already fulfilled.^[55] The group exclusively sent a letter to MTV about the decision:

We have been working together as Destiny's Child since we were 9, and touring together since we were 14. After a lot of discussion and some deep soul searching, we realized that our current tour has given us the opportunity to leave Destiny's Child on a high note, united in our friendship and filled with an overwhelming gratitude for our music, our fans, and each other. After all these wonderful years working together, we realized that now is the time to pursue our personal goals and solo efforts in earnest...No matter what happens, we will always love each other as friends and sisters and will always support each other as artists. We want to thank all of our fans for their incredible love and support and hope to see you all again as we continue fulfilling our destinies.
—Destiny's Child, MTV^[54]

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.^[56] 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.^[57] #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.^[56] 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.^[15] 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".^[58] Despite this, journalist Chris Harris of MTV said that it "lives up to its name".^[59]

Disbandment and aftermath

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."^[60][61] Their final televised performance was at the Fashion Rocks benefit concert in New York a few days later.^[60] On March 28, 2006, Destiny's Child was inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the 2,035th recipient of the coveted recognition.^[62] At the 2006 BET Awards, Destiny's Child won Best Group, a category they also earned in 2005 and 2001.^[63]

After their formal disbandment, all members continued on their solo projects including LeToya Luckett, who released her debut solo album, LeToya, in July 2006, peaking at number-one on the Billboard 200.^[64] Knowles co-starred in the 2006 comedy film The Pink Panther, for which she recorded the number-one single "Check on It".^[65] 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.^[65][66] 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.^[67] 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."^[68]

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.^[69] On the September 2, 2007 Los Angeles stop of The Beyoncé Experience tour, Knowles sang a snippet of "Survivor" with Rowland and Williams, it was the first time they were singing a song together since the last date on their world tour, Destiny Fulfilled ... And Lovin 'It. 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.^[70] 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.^[71] 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,^[72] in October 2008, with several of the tracks boasting an uptempo Euro-dance flavour.^[73] The following month, Knowles released her third studio solo album, I Am... Sasha Fierce. LeToya Luckett released her second album, Lady Love, in the summer of 2009. Also, that summer Williams made history by becoming the first African-American actress to play murderous chorus-girl Roxie Hart in the London West End run of the stage musical Chicago.^[74] In June 2010, Rowland released "Commander", the first single from her third album Here I Am.^[75]

The Associated Press reported in October 2012 that Destiny's Child was a potential collaborator during Beyoncé's performance at Super Bowl XLVII, set to take place February 3, 2013,^[76] following the release of the group's second compilation album Playlist: The Very Best of Destiny's Child. It was essentially a re-release of their first with a difference of four songs and an updated track-listing. On January 10, 2013, Beyoncé announced that the group would release its third compilation album titled Love Songs later that month on January 29.^[77] This album differs from the first two compilations in that it features mostly album-only selections as well as the newly recorded song "Nuclear". The next day, Legacy Recordings, which is responsible for the release of Playlist and Love Songs, posted "Nuclear" on the group's official SoundCloud account, jointly with Mashable.com, where the song was posted along with a message reading, "Sony Music has exclusively given Mashable the audio for 'Nuclear', the first song from Destiny's Child since the group broke up in 2005."^[78] During the Super Bowl XLVII halftime show, the members of Destiny's Child performed "Bootylicious", "Independent Women" and Knowles' "Single Ladies".^[79] On April 16, 2013 it was announced on Destiny's Child website that a video anthology will be released on June 4, 2013 titled Destiny's Child Video Anthology.^[80] The anthology consisting of 16 music videos, is the group's third release through Legacy Recordings.^[80] The trio released "Say Yes" in June 2014, a song credited to Williams, featuring Knowles and Rowland.^[81] They performed the song together during the 2015 Stellar Awards. The live version of the song was Mastered for iTunes in April 2015. ^[82]

Members timeline

Artistry

Style and themes

The Supremes

Destiny's Child recorded R&B songs with styles that encompasses urban, contemporary, and dance-pop.^[83] Destiny's Child revealed that R&B singer Janet Jackson is one of their influences.^[84] 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."^[18] 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."^[85] 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:^[11] "... 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."^[86] Knowles, however, completely led 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,^[11] 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.^[6] 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."^[11] 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.^[87] 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."^[88] Despite the albums receiving critical praise, Knowles' close involvement has occasionally generated criticism. Knowles wrote and co-produced the bulk of Survivor.^[11] Browne suggested that her help made Survivor a "premature, but inevitable, growing pains album".^[87]

Public image

Diana Ross, lead singer of The Supremes, whom Beyoncé Knowles has idolized and imitated.

Destiny's Child were compared to The Supremes, a 1960s American female singing group, with Knowles being compared to Supremes frontwoman Diana Ross; Knowles, however, has dismissed the notion.^[16] Coincidentally, Knowles 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".^[6] Her dominance to the creative input in the album made the album "very much her work".^[87] 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."^[89]

In the wake of Knowles' Dangerously in Love, rumors spread about a possible split of Destiny's Child after each member had experienced success and had ongoing projects.^[54][90] Comparisons were drawn to Justin Timberlake, who did not return to band 'N Sync after his breakthrough debut solo album, Justified.^[6][90] Rowland responded to such rumors, announcing they were back in the studio together.^[91] The group claimed that the reunion was destined to happen^[6] and that their affinity to each other kept them cohesive.^[50] 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".^[89] 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.^[92]

Whilst Knowles was compared to Ross, Kelly Rowland perhaps considered to be Destiny's Child deputy leader has been equated to Mary Wilson, the Supremes's second lead singer. Wilson declared about their second lead singer -position in the groups as "Same as our situation...." and about the possibility to emerge as solo artist, she says "It's very difficult, but it can be done. You've got to really want to give that and that way it will work.".^[93] Rowland performed live with Wilson and Cindy Birdsong of The Supremes at the Motown 45th anniversary, in 2004.^[94] After the international success of her worldwide hit singles "Dilemma" and "Stole" and of her debut album Simply Deep, music critics wrote of Rowland as an emancipated and different artist from Beyoncé, that has established herself as a solo singer and songwriter.^{[95][96][97][98][99][100]} In the first three albums of the group, Rowland sang her solo verses and bridges in a lot of songs (like in the hit singles "Bills, Bills, Bills", "Independent Woman", "Survivor" and "Bootylicious"), led choruses ("Say My Name") and harmonized Knowles ("No, No, No" and "Jumpin' Jumpin'"), but in Destiny Fulfilled she conquered more space in all songs of the album.^{[101][102][103]}

Discography

• Destiny's Child (1998)
• The Writing's on the Wall (1999)
• Survivor (2001)
• 8 Days of Christmas (2001)
• Destiny Fulfilled (2004)

Tours

Headlining

• 1999 European Tour (1999)
• 2002 World Tour (2002)
• Destiny Fulfilled... and Lovin' It (2005-06)

Co-headlining

• Total Request Live Tour (with 3LW, Dream, Jessica Simpson, City High, Eve and Nelly with the St. Lunatics) (2001)

Opening act

• SWV World Tour (opened for SWV) (1996)
• Evolution Tour (opened for Boyz II Men) (1998)
• FanMail Tour (opened for TLC) (1999)
• Introducing IMx Tour (opened for IMx) (2000)
• Christina Aguilera in Concert (opened for Christina Aguilera) (2000)
• (You Drive Me) Crazy Tour (opened for Britney Spears) (2000)

Solo careers

The group has sold over 60 million records, but sales can be credited entirely only to Beyoncé and Kelly Rowland, only Destiny's Child members from its foundation to its disbandment. Original lineup with Roberson and Luckett has sold 25 million records, while the trio lineup with Williams has sold over 35 million copies worldwide. ^[104]

Beyoncé has released sixteen albums (including five studio albums, four extended plays, four live albums, one soundtracks and two compilation albums), seven video albums, sixty-five singles (including ten as a featured artist, eight promotional singles and five charity singles), nineteen charted songs and fifty-seven music video, selling over 118 million records worldwide, and a further 60 million with Destiny's Child.^[105] Her biggest hits are Work It Out, 03 Bonnie & Clyde, Crazy in Love, Baby Boy, Naughty Girl, Check on It, Déjà Vu, Irreplaceable, Listen, Amor Gitano, Beautiful Liar, Until the End of Time, Love in This Club Part II, If I Were a Boy, Single Ladies, Diva, Halo, Sweet Dreams, Video Phone, Put It in a Love Song, Telephone, Why Don't You Love Me, Run the World, Best Thing I Never Had, Love on Top, Countdown, XO, Drunk in Love, Partition and 7/11. She has embarked on six concert tours, three residency shows, three notable concerts and 37 notable live performances. Her work has earned her several awards and nominations, including 20 Grammy Awards (she is the most nominated woman in the award's history also), eight Billboard Music Awards, six American Music Awards, and 3 World Music Awards, from almost 600 international awards nomination. Beyoncé also transitioned into acting in several commercials and eight films, including "Austin Powers in Goldmember", "The Pink Panther" and "Dreamgirls". She also has its own fashion house, cosmetics and fragrances.

Kelly Rowland has released nine albums (including four studio albums, two extended plays, and three compilation albums), one video albums, forty-three singles (including nineteen as a featured artist and five promotional singles), four charted songs, forty-nine music video and two workout DVDs, selling over 27 million records worldwide, and a further 60 million with Destiny's Child.^[106] In her solo career, she has also reached 742 million views on YouTube, combining her VEVO channel with her other videos as a solo lead and featuring singer. Her biggest hits are Dilemma, Stole, Can't Nobody, Train on a Track, Here We Go, Like This, Work, Daylight, Breathe Gentle, When Love Takes Over, Commander, Invincible, Motivation, What a Feeling, Down for Whatever, Neva End, Kisses Down Low and One Life. She has embarked on six concert tours and 39 notable live performances. Her work has earned her several awards and nominations, including 4 Grammy Awards, one Billboard Music Awards, one International Dance Music Awards, and one Soul Train Music Awards, winning in total 41 international awards from 88 worldwide nomination as a solo artist. Rowland also transitioned into acting in several commercials, seventeen telefilms and six films, including "Freddy Vs. Jason" and "The Seat Filler". She also worked as a television personality, in seven television programs, including the English and American version of "The X-Factor".

Michelle Williams has released five albums (including four studio albums and one compilation albums), sixteen singles (including three as a featured artist and three promotional singles), one charted song and fourteen music video. As a member of Destiny's Child she has sold over 35 million records worldwide. Her biggest hits are Heard a Word, Do You Know, We Break The Dawn, The Greatest, Hello Heartbreak, Waiting on You, If We Had Your Eyes and Say Yes. She has embarked on several notable live performances and promotional concerts. Her work has earned her several awards and nominations, including one Grammy Award, one MOBO Awards, one Stellar Awards, and one Gospel Touch Music Awards, winning in total 10 international awards from 28 worldwide nomination as a solo artist. Williams also transitioned into theater acting, in hit shows and musicals like "Aida", "The Color Purple", "Chicago", "What My Husband Doesn't Know" and "Fela!". She also worked as actress roles and TV personality in several commercials and eleven TV shows and telefilms, including "Strictly Come Dancing".

LeToya Luckett has released two studio albums (and a third upcoming studio album), fifteen singles (including four as a featured artist and four promotional singles) and nine music video. As a member of Destiny's Child she has sold 25 million records worldwide. Her biggest hits are Torn, She Don't, Not Anymore, She Ain't Got... and Regret. She has embarked on several notable live performances and promotional concerts. Her work has earned her several awards and nominations, including 2 Grammy Award, one Urban Music Awards and one Groovevolt Music Awards, winning in total 4 international awards from 8 worldwide nomination as a solo artist. Luckett also transitioned into acting, in eleven films, including "Preacher's Kid", "Killers" and "From the Rough", and seven television film and TV series, including "Treme" and "Single Ladies".

Albums and singles certifications

See also

• List of awards received by Destiny's Child
• List of best-selling girl groups

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Destiny's Child.

• Official website
• Destiny's Child discography at Discogs
• Destiny's Child at AllMusic
• Destiny's Child at the Internet Movie Database

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