Beyoncé Knowles: Snapshot
- Name
- Beyoncé Knowles
- Date of Birth
- September 04, 1981
- Birth Place
- Houston, Texas
In 2003, Beyoncé parted from the girls (temporarily) to release her debut album, Dangerously in Love, which earned her five Grammys. In 2006, she followed up with B'Day, which she later re-released in Spanish, collaborating with Latin pop star Shakira.
The multi-talented beauty has since graced the cover of Sports Illustrated's swimsuit issue, expanded her resume as a designer and dazzled as an actress in the movie-musical Dreamgirls. In 2008, she finally married longtime love, hip hop mogul Jay-Z.
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Beyoncé Knowles: Video
Red Carpet Look Book
From coordinated stage costumes to Oscars night couture, this singer has climbed the charts in every look possible
Beyoncé Knowles: Five Fun Facts
- In grade school, Beyoncé's classmates taunted her about her ears. "I used to get teased because they were bigger than my head," she told PEOPLE.
- The Oxford English Dictionary added "bootylicious" (definition: "Especially of a woman, often with reference to the buttocks: sexually attractive, sexy, shapely") to the dictionary after it gained popularity from the Destiny's Child song Beyoncé wrote to celebrate her curves.
- As a child, Beyoncé charged her parents' houseguests $5 each to watch her perform.
- The normally reserved singer channels Sasha, her less-inhibited alter ego, while performing. "When I'm onstage [as Sasha], I have the stilettos, the hair, the attitude," Beyoncé told Elle. "I'm fearless and I can say anything."
- Though she's written most of her lyrics, Beyoncé Knowles often has trouble remembering them.
Beyoncé Knowles: Biography 
- 1988
A Standing Ovation
Beyoncé enters her first talent show at age 7. Singing John Lennon's "Imagine," she doesn't just win, she beats 15- and 16-year-olds and receives a standing ovation.
- circa 1990
It's Gyrls Time
With hands-on help from her parents, Beyoncé performs with the girls group Gyrls Tyme, which included future Destiny's Child members Kelly Rowland, LeToya Luckett and LaTavia Roberson. They practice on the deck outside the Knowles home before hitting the talent show circuit in Houston.
- 1996
A Father's Gamble for Destiny
Beyoncé's father, Mathew, leaves his six-figure sales job at Xerox to manage the girls full-time, and helps negotiates a deal for them with Columbia Records. They are eventually renamed Destiny's Child and release their self-titled debut in 1998. Their standout single from the album is a remix of "No, No, No," with Wyclef Jean.
Photo Credits
Top Left: Lorenzo Agius/Getty
BIOGRAPHY (top to bottom): Music World Music; WENN
