Beyoncé Giselle Knowles (born September 4, 1981), best known monymously as Beyoncé (pronounced /biːˈɒnseɪ/), 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 competions as a child. Knowles rose to fame in the late 1990s as the lead singer of the girl group Destiny's Child. Knowles has sold more than 50 million records worldwide with the group.

During the hiatus of Destiny's Child, Knowles released her debut solo album, Dangerously in Love, in June 2003. Dangerously in Love, which spawned the number-one singles "Crazy in Love" and "Baby Boy", became one of the most-successful albums of that year. It earned Knowles five Grammy Awards 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 solo album, B'Day, in 2006, which contained the worldwide hit "Irreplaceable". Her third solo album, I Am… Sasha Fierce, was released in November 2008, and spawned the worldwide hit "If I Were a Boy", and the US number-one single "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)".

The success of her solo albums has established Knowles as one of the most marketable artists in the music industry, and she has expanded her career to acting and product endorsement. She began her acting career in 2001, appearing in the musical film Carmen: A Hip Hopera. In 2006, she starred in the lead role in the film adaptation of the 1981 Broadway musical Dreamgirls, for which she earned two Golden Globe nominations. 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.

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