Beyoncé

Singer / Actor

Name at birth: Beyoncé Knowles

Beyoncé's 2003 solo debut album, Dangerously in Love, won her five Grammy Awards, including best contemporary R&B album and best female R&B performance. Only 21 when the album was released, Beyoncé already was a pop music veteran: she had spent years with the all-female R&B group Destiny's Child, which won its own Grammys with hits like "No No No" and "Say My Name." Destiny's Child was formed and managed by Beyoncé's father, Mathew Knowles, and Beyoncé gradually became first among equals in the manner of Diana Ross and the Supremes. (She was named ASCAP's Songwriter of the Year in 2001, the first African-American woman ever to win that award). Destiny's Child went on hiatus in 2002 and Beyoncé went solo, appearing as sexy secret agent Foxxy Cleopatra in the Austin Powers sequel Goldmember and adding a hit single, "Work It Out," to the movie's soundtrack. In 2003 she had another hit with the single "Crazy in Love" (featuring rapper Jay-Z). Knowles also continued her screen career in 2003, co-starring with Cuba Gooding, Jr. in The Fighting Temptations. Destiny's Child reunited in 2004 to record the album Destiny Fulfilled, but then formally split up amid much fanfare at the end of 2005. In 2006 Beyoncé released another single with rapper Jay-Z, "Déjà Vu," from her solo album B'Day and had a number one hit with "Irreplaceable." That same year she appeared as Deena in the musical drama Dreamgirls (co-starring Eddie Murphy). She and Jay-Z were married on 4 April 2008, according to reports from People magazine.

Extra credit: Originally billed as Beyoncé Knowles, she now prefers to be known by the single name Beyoncé, in the manner of Prince and Sting... She and Stevie Wonder won a Grammy award in 2006 their duet "So Amazing."

Beyoncé appeared on the cover of the 2007 Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue. Learn more in our loop on The Models of Sports Illustrated.

Other pop and R&B singers: Mary J. Blige, Roberta Flack, Christina Aguilera and Janet Jackson.

Blog posts mentioning Beyoncé:
Granny Rocks Grammys