Destiny's Child

Destiny's Child is an American pop group. Originally a duo and later a quartet, the group eventually became a trio, whose members are Beyoncé Knowles, Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams. According to the World Music Awards, they are the Best-Selling Female Group of All Time http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/01/AR2005090100233.html. On June 12, 2005 the group announced on tour in Barcelona that they would no longer perform together, instead pursuing individual careers in music, theater, television and film.

The Writing's on the Wall

Destiny's Child re-entered the studio quickly, bringing in a new lineup of producers, including

Related Topics:
Kevin "She'kspere" Briggs - Rodney Jerkins - Dwayne Wiggins - Chad Elliot - Daryl Simmons - Missy Elliott - Stephen Thomas Erlewine - The Writing's on the Wall - Hot 100 - 1999 - Billboard 200 - July 27 - Music video - MTV - BET

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Buoyed by the group's breakout success, two of its original members, Letoya Luckett and LaTavia Roberson, attempted to split with manager Matthew Knowles, charging that he kept a disproportionate share of the band's profits, attempted to exert too much control, and unfairly favored his daughter and Kelly Rowland who he had legal guradianship over. While they never intended to leave the group, relations naturally grew strained, and when the video for "Say My Name" premiered in February 2000, many fans (not to mention Roberson and Luckett) were surprised to find two new members - Michelle Williams and Farrah Franklin - joining Knowles and Rowland. Infuriated, Roberson and Luckett took legal action in March, suing both Knowles and their former bandmates for breach of partnership and fiduciary duties. A war of words followed in the press; meanwhile, Destiny's Child became a pop-cultural phenomenon. "Say My Name" became the group's biggest single to date and third No.1 single. The abrupt membership changes within the group seemed to only heighten the group's visibility, finally separating them from the endless pack of teen R&B starlets.

Related Topics:
Manager - Matthew Knowles - Farrah Franklin - Teen

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In June 2000, the album's fourth single, "Jumpin' Jumpin'" became a Top 5 hit, however, another departure came from the ever-evolving girl-group. Farrah Franklin, who had replaced an original member just five months prior, left the group for various personal reasons. This split was less controversial, while The Writing's on the Wall would eventually be certified 8x platinum domestically and sell over 12 million copies worldwide. In the meantime, toward the end of 2000, Roberson and Luckett dropped the portion of their lawsuit aimed at Rowland and Knowles in exchange for a settlement (estimated to be at about $2 million total), though they continued to pursue action against Knowles' father; as part of the agreement, both sides were prohibited from attacking each other publicly.

Related Topics:
June - 2000

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"The Rebirth of the Group"

Now a trio of Beyonce` Knowles, Kelly Rowland, and Michelle Williams, Destiny's Child were tapped to record the theme song for the film version of Charlie's Angels; released as a single in October 2000, "Independent Women, Pt. 1" raced up the charts and spent an astounding 11 consecutive weeks at No.1 (the longest running of 2000). They quickly began work on a new album to capitalize on their success. In the meantime, Destiny's Child won 2 Grammy awards for "Say My Name," including Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group and Best R&B Song. While speaking with MTV.com, Rowland had this to say about the upcoming album: "I know everybody can relate to this album it's very diverse and inspiring. The year 2000 was very challenging, and I know that gave Beyoncé a lot of inspiration to write songs for the album. We cannot wait for everybody to hear it. It's so empowering for a lot of people who have already heard a little bit of it."

Related Topics:
Trio - Charlie's Angels - Grammy - R&B - MTV.com - 2000

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~