Beyoncé Knowles is an American R&B singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. 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 girl group Destiny's Child and went on to sell over 50 million records worldwide with the group.

After a series of commercial successes with the group, Knowles released her debut solo album, Dangerously in Love, in June 2003. The album became one of the most-successful albums of that year, spawning the number-one singles "Crazy in Love" and "Baby Boy". It earned Knowles five Grammy Awards in a single night in 2004, and its reception signaled her viability as a solo artist. The disbandment of Destiny's Child in 2005 facilitated her continued success; she released her second album, B'Day, in 2006, which contained the UK number-one singles "Déjà Vu" and "Beautiful Liar", which she performed with Shakira, and the worldwide hit "Irreplaceable". Knowles released her third solo album, I Am… Sasha Fierce, on November 18, 2008.

The success of her solo albums has established Knowles as one of the most marketable artists in the industry, and she has expanded her career to acting and product endorsement. In 2006, she starred in the comedy film The Pink Panther, and, in the same year, played the lead role in the film adaptation of the 1981 Broadway musical Dreamgirls, for which she received a Golden Globe nomination. Knowles launched her family's fashion line, House of Deréon, in 2004, and has been engaged to endorse such brands as Pepsi, Tommy Hilfiger, and L'Oréal. Knowles has been with husband Jay-Z since 2002, though they have been discreet about their relationship. After much speculation, they married on April 4, 2008. Knowles has sold more than 75 million albums throughout her career, counting her album sales with Destiny's Child. She was the second highest paid musician between June 2007 and June 2008, with earnings of US$80 million (UK£53 million).

Birth name: Beyoncé Giselle Knowles
Also known as: Beyoncé
Born: September 4, 1981
Origin: Houston, Texas, United States
Genres: R&B, pop
Occupations: Singer-songwriter, record producer, actress
Instrument: Vocal
Voice type: Mezzo-soprano
Years active: 1990–present
Labels: Columbia, LBW, Sony Wonder, Sony BMG
Associated acts: Destiny's Child