Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter is an American singer, actress and record producer. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, Beyoncé performed in various singing and dancing competitions as a child. She rose to fame in the late 1990s as the lead singer of Destiny's Child, one of the best-selling girl groups of all time. Beyoncé is often cited as an influence by other artists.
Destiny's Child was an American girl group whose final and best-known lineup comprised Beyoncé Knowles, Kelly Rowland, and Michelle Williams. The group began their musical career as Girl's Tyme, formed in 1990 in Houston, Texas. After years of limited success, the quartet comprising Knowles, Rowland, LaTavia Roberson, and LeToya Luckett were signed in 1997 to Columbia Records as Destiny's Child. The group was launched into mainstream recognition following the release of their best-selling second album, The Writing's on the Wall (1999), 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.
Kelendria Trene "Kelly" Rowland is an American singer, songwriter, actress and television personality. She rose to fame in the late 1990s as a member of Destiny's Child, one of the world's best-selling girl groups of all time. During the group's two-year hiatus, Rowland released her first solo album, Simply Deep (2002), which debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart and sold over 2.5 million copies worldwide. It included the number-one single "Dilemma" with Nelly, as well as the UK top-five hits "Stole" and "Can't Nobody". Rowland also ventured into acting with starring roles in the successful films Freddy vs. Jason (2003) and The Seat Filler (2005).
Tenitra Michelle Williams is an American gospel singer and actress. Williams rose to fame in the 2000s as a member of R&B girl group Destiny's Child, one of the best-selling female groups of all time with over 60 million records, of which more than 35 million copies sold with the trio lineup that included Williams.
LeToya Nicole Luckett-Walker is an American singer-songwriter and actress. She is known as a member of the R&B girl group Destiny's Child, with which she won two Grammy Awards and released many successful commercial recordings. Luckett has sold over 25 million records with Destiny's Child on the group's first two albums and singles.
Heart to Yours is the debut solo studio album by American singer and songwriter Michelle Williams. Released on April 16, 2002 by Sanctuary and Columbia Records, it became the first solo release of any Destiny's Child member. Production of the album began in 2001, with Williams working with an array of producers, including her brother Erron Williams, HR Crump and Warryn Campbell. Heart to Yours is primarily a gospel album, however it heavily incorporates elements of many other styles and genres such as neo-soul, inspirational, R&B and even rock music. The album's lyrical content and subject matter is also diverse and ranges from songs that glorify and praise God to tributes dedicated to the victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks in the United States, which encourage those suffering in the aftermath of the attacks that the "sun will shine again".
VH1 debuted the first annual VH1 Divas concert in 1998. VH1 Divas Live was created to support the channel's Save The Music Foundation and subsequent concerts in the series have also benefited that foundation. The VH1 Divas concerts aired annually from 1998 to 2004. After a five-year hiatus, the series returned in 2009 with a younger-skewed revamp. In 2010 the concert saluted the troops and in 2011 it celebrated soul music, doubling the previous year's ratings. After a dance music-focused 2012 edition aired live from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on December 16, 2012, the show took another hiatus before being revived on December 5, 2016, at the Kings Theatre in Brooklyn, New York with a holiday theme and achieved its highest ratings in over a decade.
"Get Me Bodied" is a song recorded by American singer Beyoncé for her second solo studio album B'Day (2006). It was written by Beyoncé, Kasseem "Swizz Beatz" Dean, Sean Garrett, Makeba Riddick, Angela Beyincé, and Solange Knowles, while the production was handled by Dean, Beyoncé and Garrett. Beyoncé was inspired by her sister Solange and former Destiny's Child bandmates Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams for the writing process. Columbia Records and Music World Entertainment released "Get Me Bodied" as the album's sixth and final single in the United States on July 10, 2007.
American recording artist Michelle Williams has released four studio albums, one compilation album and ten singles.
"Video Phone" is a song recorded by American singer Beyoncé from her third studio album, I Am... Sasha Fierce (2008). The track was released as the eighth single from the album on September 22, 2009. A remixed version featuring Lady Gaga was released on November 17, 2009. Musically, the song consists of simple lyrics and hidden innuendos, with Gaga and Beyoncé trading verses with each other in the song's remix. The lyrics refer to putting up a sexy display to be recorded on a video phone.
Kimberly Michelle Pate, known professionally as K. Michelle, is an American singer, songwriter, and television personality. She rose to fame as the breakout star of VH1's Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta after appearing as a regular cast member for two seasons on the reality television series. Michelle subsequently signed with Atlantic Records. Her debut studio album, Rebellious Soul, debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200, and number one on the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts. Her second studio album Anybody Wanna Buy a Heart? was released on December 9, 2014. The album debuted at number six in the US and spawned three singles "Love 'Em All", "Maybe I Should Call" and "Hard to Do". The album sold 87,000 copies in its first week in sales.
Talk a Good Game is the fourth studio album by American singer Kelly Rowland. Formerly titled Year of the Woman, the album was released on June 14, 2013 through Universal Republic and its affiliated record labels. Incorporating a base core of R&B and pop music, Talk a Good Game was influenced by the likes of Whitney Houston, Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder amongst other of Rowland's idols. Rowland wanted the album to be a celebration of womanhood and referred to the record as her most personal album to date. On the album, she co-wrote all but one song, "Freak", a cover of the same 2010 song by entertainer Jamie Foxx from his fourth studio album Best Night of My Life. A deluxe edition, and Target-exclusive edition of the album featuring bonus tracks, was released simultaneously alongside the twelve-track standard edition.
"Dirty Laundry" is a song recorded by American recording artist Kelly Rowland, for her fourth studio album, Talk a Good Game (2013). Co-written and produced by The-Dream, the R&B ballad was serviced to radio as the album's second single on May 15, 2013 and was released for digital download on May 21, 2013 through Republic Records. The record candidly documents the time in Rowland's life after the release of her debut album Simply Deep (2002); Rowland speaks of her envy of former groupmate Beyoncé' solo success and the domestic abuse she suffered during a previous relationship. Critics praised the sparse piano-led melody, as well as Rowland's openness about her jealousy of Knowles and the inspiring message about leaving an abusive relationship. The official remix features a new introduction from Rowland and new verses from R. Kelly.
"If We Had Your Eyes" is a song recorded by American singer Michelle Williams. It was written by Harmony Samuels, Courtney Harrell, and Al Sherrod Lambert for her fourth studio album, Journey to Freedom (2014), with production helmed by Samuels. The song was digitally released worldwide as the album's lead single on June 24, 2013. The official remix of "If We Had Your Eyes" featuring Fantasia Barrino was released on November 5, 2013.
"Rocket" is a song by American recording artist Beyoncé from her fifth studio album, Beyoncé (2013). It was written by Miguel, Justin Timberlake, Timbaland, Jerome "J-Roc" Harmon and Beyoncé with the group of the latter three people also serving as its producers. Miguel initially conceived the song inspired by Beyoncé, trying to showcase her confidence and sexuality. Beyoncé revealed that "Rocket" was inspired by D'Angelo's "Untitled " (2000) and felt it was one of her liberating songs meant to illustrate different sides of her personality.
"Superpower" is a song recorded by American singer Beyoncé, featuring Frank Ocean from her fifth studio album, Beyoncé (2013). It was written by Beyoncé and Ocean along with Boots and Pharrell Williams who also served as its producer. "Superpower" is a slow-tempo R&B and doo-wop ballad which features both singers singing with a low vocal register over a multi-layered track. Lyrically, it talks about the power of love and unity and the empowering effects of a long-lasting relationship. It was well received by music critics who praised the singers' vocals and its musical production characteristic of Williams.
"Say Yes" is a song recorded by American recording artist Michelle Williams, taken from her fourth studio album Journey to Freedom (2014). It features Williams' former Destiny's Child groupmates Beyoncé and Kelly Rowland. The song was written by Williams, Carmen Reece, Al Sherrod Lambert and Harmony Samuels who also produced it. E1 Music released "Say Yes" as the album's third single on June 2, 2014. "Say Yes" marks the third time the trio collaborated as solo artists following the disbandment of their group in 2006.
Journey to Freedom is the fourth studio album by American recording artist Michelle Williams, released on September 9, 2014 by E1 Music and Light Records. It marked her first release under the label after severing professional ties with longtime record company Columbia Records and manager Mathew Knowles in 2009. Following a hiatus from her recording career, Williams' album, a collaboration with main producer Harmony Samuels, was a fusion of both urban contemporary gospel and R&B sounds.
Al Sherrod Lambert, sometimes known as simply A-Rod, is a Grammy Award winning American producer, singer, songwriter, and musician. He has won recognition as a gospel, pop, hip hop and R&B producer. He is signed to Kobalt Music Group and is a registered BMI songwriter.
