Beyonce Knowles is an award-winning singer/songwriter, actress and model. Originally from Houston, Texas, Beyonce performed in singing and dancing competitions as a child. In the late 1990s, Beyonce was the lead singer of the R&B girl group Destiny's Child. She began developing solo material while still a member of Destiny's Child and then went solo in 2005. She is currently married to hip-hop mogul Jay-Z.

Beyonce was the most popular female singer of the 2000s, and her achievements including 16 Grammy Awards, over 100 million albums sold, numerous awards for her musical work and Golden Globe nominations for her role in the movie Dreamgirls. c

• 2003: Dangerously in Love
• 2006: B'Day
• 2008: I Am...Beyonce / I Am...Sasha Fiercehttp://www.rockonthenet.com/artists-k/beyonceknowles.htm

1. 2008: Single Ladies #1
2. 2006: Irreplaceable #1
3. 2005: Check On It #1
4. 2004: Baby Boy #1
5. 2003: Crazy in Love #1c

Beyonce's first foray into performance was as a member of the group Girl's Tyme, and the group performed on Star Search in an attempt to get a record deal, but they did not advance in the competition. Girl's Tyme evolved into Destiny's Child as new singers were recruited, and the group achieved success with their three albums.c

In 2005, Destiny's Child announced they were going on an indefinite hiatus so the members of the group could focus on other projects. Beyonce had begun her solo career while the group was still together, and she continued to develop material on her own after 2005. Her debut album Dangerously in Love was released in June 2003.c

On April 4, 2008, Beyonce married Hip-Hop mogul Jay-Z in a private ceremony. The couple had been dating since 2002, but maintained secrecy and public denial of their engagement and marriage until after the ceremony.c

As of August 2, 2009, Knowles's I am.... tour was ranked as a No. 1 concert attraction based on record attendance and one of the top 15 grossing tours of the year.c

On January 20, 2009, Beyonce performed Etta James' "At Last" during President Obama and wife Michelle's first dance at the inauguration.c

On October 20, 2010, US Weekly reported that Beyonce was pregnant and in her first trimester. According to an unnamed source, the pregnancy was a surprise.c