Britney Spears Biography

Name:Britney Jean Spears 

Date of Birth:December 2, 1981

Placeof Birth:McComb, Mississipp. U.S.A

Britney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. Britney Spears signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album ...Baby One More Time in 1999. During her first decade in the music industry, she became a prominent figure in mainstream popular music and popular culture, followed by a much-publicized personal life. Britney Spears first two albums established her as a pop icon and broke sales records, while title tracks "...Baby One More Time" and "Oops!... I Did It Again" became international number-one hits. Spears was credited with influencing the revival of teen pop during the late 1990s.

In 2001, she released her third studio album Britney and expanded her brand, playing the starring role in the film Crossroads. Britney Spears assumed creative control of her fourth studio album, In the Zone (2003), which yielded chart-topping singles "Me Against the Music", "Toxic" and "Everytime". After the release of two compilation albums, Spears experienced personal struggles and her career went into hiatus. Britney Spears fifth studio album, Blackout, was released in 2007 and despite receiving little promotion, it spawned hits "Gimme More" and "Piece of Me". In 2008, her erratic behavior and hospitalizations caused her to be placed in a conservatorship. The same year, her sixth studio album Circus was released, with the global chart-topping lead single "Womanizer". Britney Spears embarked on her highest-grossing global concert tour, The Circus Starring Britney Spears, in 2009. Britney Spears  seventh studio album Femme Fatale, released in 2011, has become the first of her albums to yield three top ten singles in the United States, including her fourth US number one single, "Hold It Against Me".

Spears has sold over 100 million records worldwide.According to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), she is the eighth top-selling female artist in the United States, with 33 million certified albums. Spears is also recognized as the best-selling female artist of the first decade of the 21st century, as well as the fifth overall. Britney Spears was ranked the 8th Artist of the 2000s by Billboard.

1981–97: Early life and career beginnings Britney Jean Spears was born on December 2, 1981, the second child of Lynne Irene (née Bridges) and James Parnell Spears. Britney Spears is of English heritage through her maternal grandmother, who was born in London, and of distant Maltese descent. Britney Spears  siblings are Bryan James and Jamie Lynn. At age three, she started to attend dance lessons in her hometown of Kentwood, Louisiana, and was selected to perform a solo at the annual recital. During her childhood, she also attended gymnastics and voice lessons, and won many state-level competitions and children's talent shows.Spears made her local stage debut at age five, singing "What Child Is This?" at her kindergarten graduation. Britney Spears said about her ambition as a child, "I was in my own world, I found out what I'm supposed to do at an early age". At age eight, Spears and her mother Lynne traveled to Atlanta for an audition in the 1990s revival of The Mickey Mouse Club. Casting director Matt Cassella rejected her for being too young to join the series at the time, but introduced her to Nancy Carson, a New York City talent agent. Carson was impressed with Spears's vocals and suggested enrolling her at the Professional Performing Arts School; shortly after, Lynne and her daughters moved to a sublet apartment in New York. Spears was hired for her first professional role as the understudy for the lead role of Tina Denmark in the Off-Broadway musical Ruthless!. Britney Spears  also appeared as a contestant on the popular television show Star Search, as well as being cast in a number of commercials. In December 1992, she was finally cast in The Mickey Mouse Club, but returned to Kentwood after the show was canceled. Britney Spears enrolled at Parklane Academy in nearby McComb, Mississippi. Although she made friends with most of her classmates, she compared the school to "the opening scene in Clueless with all the cliques.  I was so bored. I was the point guard on the basketball team. I had my boyfriend, and I went to homecoming and Christmas formal. But I wanted more."

In June 1997, Spears was in talks with manager Lou Pearlman to join female pop group Innosense. Lynne asked family friend and entertainment lawyer Larry Rudolph for his opinion and submitted a tape of Spears singing over a Whitney Houston karaoke song along with some pictures. Rudolph decided he wanted to pitch her to record labels, therefore she needed a professional demo. He sent Spears an unused song from Toni Braxton; she rehearsed for a week and recorded her vocals in a studio with a sound engineer. Spears traveled to New York with the demo and met with executives from four labels, returning to Kentwood the same day. Three of the labels rejected her, arguing audiences wanted pop bands such as the Backstreet Boys and the Spice Girls, and "there wasn't going to be another Madonna, another Debbie Gibson, or another Tiffany." Two weeks later, executives from Jive Records returned calls to Rudolph. Senior vice president of A&R Jeff Fenster stated about Spears's audition that "It's very rare to hear someone that age who can deliver emotional content and commercial appeal. For any artist, the motivation—the 'eye of the tiger'— is extremely important. And Britney had that." They appointed her to work with producer Eric Foster White for a month, who reportedly shaped her voice from "lower and less poppy" delivery to "distinctively, unmistakably Britney." After hearing the recorded material, president Clive Calder ordered a full album. Spears had originally envisioned "Sheryl Crow music, but younger more adult contemporary" but felt all right with her label's appointment of producers, since "It made more sense to go pop, because I can dance to it—it's more me." Britney Spears flew to Cheiron Studios in Stockholm, Sweden, where half of the album was recorded from March to April 1998, with producers Max Martin, Denniz Pop and Rami Yacoub, among others.

1998–2000:
Baby One More Time and Oops!... I Did It AgainAfter Spears returned to the United States, she embarked on a shopping mall promotional tour to promote her forthcoming album. Britney Spears show was a four song set and she was accompanied by two back up dancers.
Britney Spears first concert tour followed, as an opening act for 'N Sync. Britney Spears  debut album, ...Baby One More Time, was released on January 1999. It debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200 and was certified two-times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America after a month. Worldwide, the album topped the charts in fifteen countries and sold over ten million copies in a year. It became the biggest selling album ever by a teenage artist. The title track was released as the lead single from the album. Originally, Jive Records wanted its music video to be animated; however, Spears rejected it, and suggested the final idea of a Catholic schoolgirl. The single sold 500,000 copies on its first day, and peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, topping the chart for two consecutive weeks. "...Baby One More Time" later received a Grammy nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. The title track also topped the singles chart for two weeks in the United Kingdom, and became the fastest-selling single ever by a female artist, shipping over 460,000 copies. It would later become the 25th most successful song of all time in British chart history. Spears is also the youngest female artist to have a million seller in the country. "(You Drive Me) Crazy" was released as the third single from the album. It became a top-ten hit worldwide and propelled ...Baby One More Time to sell 26 million copies.

The April 1999 cover of Rolling Stone featured Spears lying on her bed, clad with a bra, shorts and an open top. The American Family Association (AFA) referred to the shoot as "a disturbing mix of childhood innocence and adult sexuality" and called to "God-loving Americans to boycott stores selling Britney's albums." Spears responded to the outcry commenting, "What's the big deal? I have strong morals. I'd do it again. I thought the pictures were fine. And I was tired of being compared to Debbie Gibson and all of this bubblegum pop all the time." Shortly before, Spears had announced publicly she would remain a virgin until marriage. On June 28, 1999, Spears began her first headlining ...Baby One More Time Tour in North America, which was positively received by critics, but generated some controversy due to her racy outfits.An extension of the tour, titled Crazy 2k, followed in March 2000. Spears premiered songs from her upcoming second album during the show. Oops!... I Did It Again, her second studio album, was released in May 2000. It debuted at number one in the US, selling 1,3 million copies, breaking the SoundScan record for the highest debut sales by any solo artist.The album sold over 20 million copies worldwide. Rob Sheffield of Rolling Stone said that "the great thing about Oops! – under the cheese surface, Britney's demand for satisfaction is complex, fierce and downright scary, making her a true child of rock & roll tradition." The album's lead single, "Oops!... I Did It Again", peaked at the top of the charts in Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and many other European nations. The album as well as the title track received Grammy nominations for Best Pop Vocal Album and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, respectively.

The same year, Spears embarked on the Oops!... I Did It Again World Tour, which grossed $40.5 million; she also released her first book, Britney Spears' Heart-to-Heart, co-written with her mother. On September 7, 2000, Spears performed at the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards. Halfway through the performance, she ripped off her black suit to reveal a sequined flesh-colored bodysuit, followed by heavy dance routine. It is noted by critics as the moment that Spears showed signs of becoming a more provocative performer. Amidst media speculation, Spears confirmed she was dating 'N Sync member Justin Timberlake.

2001–03:
Britney, Crossroads and In the ZoneIn February 2001, Spears signed a $7–8 million promotional deal with Pepsi, and released another book co-written with her mother, entitled A Mother’s Gift. Britney Spears third studio album, Britney, was released in November 2001. While on tour, she felt inspired by hip hop artists such as Jay-Z and The Neptunes and wanted to create a record with a funkier sound. The album debuted at number one in the Billboard 200 and reached top five positions in Australia, the United Kingdom and mainland Europe and sold over 12 million copies worldwide. Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic called Britney "the record where she strives to deepen her persona, making it more adult while still recognizably Britney. It does sound like the work of a star who has now found and refined her voice, resulting in her best record yet."The album was honored with two Grammy nominations—Best Pop Vocal Album and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for "Overprotected"— and was listed in 2008 as one of Entertainment Weekly's "100 Best Albums from the Past 25 Years". The album's first single, "I'm a Slave 4 U", became a top-ten hit worldwide.

Spears's performance of the single at the 2001 MTV Video Music Awards featured a caged tiger and a large albino python draped over her shoulders. It was harshly received by animal rights organization PETA, who claimed the animals were mistreated and scrapped plans for an anti-fur billboard that was to feature Spears. To support the album, Spears embarked on the Dream Within a Dream Tour. The show was critically praised for its technical innovations, the pièce de résistance being a water screen that pumped two tons of water into the stage.The tour grossed $43.7 million, becoming the second highest grossing tour of 2002 by a female artist, behind Cher's Farewell Tour. Britney Spears career success was highlighted by Forbes in 2002, as Spears was ranked the world's most powerful celebrity. Spears also landed her first starring role in Crossroads, released in February 2002. Although the film was largely panned, most critics actually praised Spears's acting.Crossroads, which had a $11 million budget, went on to gross over $57 million worldwide.

Spears performing "Me Against the Music" at the NFL Kickoff Live 2003In June 2002, Spears opened her first restaurant, Nyla, in New York City, but terminated her relationship in November, citing mismanagement and "management's failure to keep her fully apprised". In July 2002, Spears announced she would take a six month break from her career; however, she went back into the studio in October to record her new album.Spears's relationship with Justin Timberlake ended after three years. In December 2002, Timberlake released the song "Cry Me a River" as the second single from his solo debut album. The music video featured a Spears look-alike and fueled the rumors that she had been unfaithful to him. As a response, Spears wrote the ballad "Everytime" with her backing vocalist and friend Annet Artani. The same year, Limp Bizkit frontman Fred Durst said that he was in a relationship with Spears. However, Spears denied Durst's claims. In a 2009 interview, he explained that "I just guess at the time it was taboo for a guy like me to be associated with a gal like her." Spears opened the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards with Christina Aguilera, performing "Like a Virgin". Halfway through they were joined by Madonna, with whom they both kissed. The incident was highly publicized.

Spears released her fourth studio album, In the Zone, in November 2003.
Britney Spears assumed more creative control by writing and co-producing most of the material. Vibe called it "A supremely confident dance record that also illustrates Spears's development as a songwriter."NPR listed the album as one of "The 50 Most Important Recording of the Decade", adding that "the decade's history of impeccably crafted pop is written on her body of work." In the Zone sold over 609,000 copies in the United States and debuted at the top of the charts, making Spears the first female artist in the SoundScan era to have her first four studio albums to debut at number one.It also debuted at the top of the charts in France and the top ten in Belgium, Denmark, Sweden and the Netherlands.In the Zone sold over 10 million copies worldwide. The album produced the hit singles: "Me Against the Music", a collaboration with Madonna; "Toxic"—which won a Grammy for Best Dance Recording; "Everytime" and "Outrageous".

2004–07:
Compilation albums, motherhood, personal struggles and BlackoutOn January 3, 2004, Spears married childhood friend Jason Allen Alexander at The Little White Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas, Nevada. The marriage was annulled 55 hours later, stating that Spears "lacked understanding of her actions". Britney Spears began The Onyx Hotel Tour in support of In the Zone in March 2004. On June 8, 2004, Spears fell and injured her left knee during the music video shoot for "Outrageous". Britney Spears was taken immediately to a local hospital, where doctors performed an MRI scan and found floating cartilage. The following day, Spears underwent arthroscopic surgery. Britney Spears was forced to remain six weeks with a thigh brace, followed by eight to twelve weeks of rehabilitation, which caused The Onyx Hotel Tour to be canceled. During 2004, Spears became involved in the Kabbalah Centre through her friendship with Madonna.

In July 2004, she announced her engagement to American dancer Kevin Federline, whom she had met three months before. The romance received intense attention from the media, since Federline had recently broken up with actress Shar Jackson, who was still pregnant with their second child at the time. The initial stages of their relationship were chronicled in Spears's first reality show Britney & Kevin: Chaotic. They held a wedding ceremony on September 18, 2004, but were not legally married until three weeks later on October 6 due to a delay finalizing the couple's prenuptial agreement. Shortly after, she released her first fragrance with Elizabeth Arden, Curious, which broke the company's first-week gross for a perfume.In October 2004, Spears announced she would be taking another career break to start a family.Greatest Hits: My Prerogative, her first greatest hits compilation album, was released in November 2004. Spears's cover version of Bobby Brown's "My Prerogative" was released as the lead single from the album, reaching the top of the charts in Finland, Ireland, Italy and Norway. The second single, "Do Somethin'", was a top ten hit in Australia, the United Kingdom and other countries of mainland Europe.Worldwide, Greatest Hits: My Prerogative sold over 5 million copies. In late 2004, Spears went on KIIS-FM radio in Los Angeles, CA to play a new demo titled "Mona Lisa." The demo was to be the first single from an upcoming album called the "Original Doll." However, Spears' label later cancelled the album for unknown reasons.Spears gave birth to her first child, Sean Preston Federline, on September 14, 2005.

In November 2005, she released her first remix compilation, B in the Mix: The Remixes, which consists of eleven remixes. In February 2006, pictures surfaced of Spears driving with her son Sean, on her lap instead of in a car seat. Child advocates were horrified by the photos of her holding the wheel with one hand and Sean with the other. Spears claimed that the situation happened because of a frightening encounter with paparazzi, and that it was a mistake on her part. The following month, she guest-starred on the Will & Grace episode "Buy, Buy Baby" as closeted lesbian Amber Louise. Britney Spears publicly announced she no longer studied Kabbalah in June 2006, explaining, "my baby is my religion."Two months later,
Spears posed nude for the cover of Harper's Bazaar. The picture was heavily compared to Demi Moore's August 1991 Vanity Fair cover. Britney Spears gave birth to her second child, Jayden James Federline, on September 12, 2006.On November 7, 2006, Spears filed for divorce from Federline, citing irreconcilable differences.Their divorce was finalized in July 2007, when the couple reached a global settlement and agreed to share joint custody of their children. Spears's aunt Sandra Bridges Covington, with whom she had been very close, died of ovarian cancer in January. On February 16, 2007, Spears stayed in a drug rehabilitation facility in Antigua for less than a day. The following night, she shaved her head with electric clippers at a hair salon in Tarzana, Los Angeles. Britney Spears admitted herself to other treatment facilities during the following weeks. After completing a month-long program at Promises, she wrote on her website, "I truly hit rock bottom. Till this day I don't think that it was alcohol or depression. was like a bad kid running around with ADD." In May 2007, she produced a series of promotional concerts at House of Blues venues, titled The M+M's Tour. Spears lost physical custody of her children to Federline on October 1, 2007. The reasons of the court ruling were not revealed to the public.

Britney Spears fifth studio album, Blackout, was released in October 2007. It debuted at the top of charts in Canada and Ireland, number two in the U.S. Billboard 200,—held off from the top spot by Eagles's Long Road out of Eden— France, Japan, Mexico and the United Kingdom and the top ten in Australia, Korea, New Zealand and many European nations. In the United States, Spears became the only female artist to have her first five studio albums debut at the two top slots of the chart.Blackout sold over 3.1 million copies worldwide. Peter Robinson of The Observer said that "Britney has delivered the best album of her career, raising the bar for modern pop music with an incendiary mix of Timbaland's Shock Value and her own back catalogue." Dennis Lim of Blender commented, "Spears’s fifth studio album is her most consistent, a seamlessly entertaining collection of bright, brash electropop."Blackout won Album of the Year at MTV Europe Music Awards 2008 and was listed as the fifth Best Pop Album of the Decade by The Times.Spears performed the lead single "Gimme More" at the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards. The performance was panned by many critics. David Willis of BBC stated her performance would "go down in the history books as being one of the worst to grace the MTV Awards". Despite the backlash, the single rocketed to worldwide success, peaking at number one in Canada and the top ten in almost every country it charted. The second single "Piece of Me" reached the top of the charts in Ireland and reached the top five in Australia, Canada, Denmark, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. The third single "Break the Ice" was released the following year and had moderate success due to Spears not being able to promote it properly.In December 2007, Spears began a relationship with paparazzo Adnan Ghalib.

2008–10:

Conservatorship and CircusOn January 3, 2008, Spears refused to relinquish custody of her sons to Federline's representatives. Britney Spears was hospitalized at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, after police that arrived at her house noted she appeared to be under the influence of an illicit substance. The following day, Spears's visitation rights were suspended at an emergency court hearing, and Federline was given sole physical and legal custody of the children. On January 31, 2008, Spears was committed to the psychiatric ward of Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center and put on 5150 involuntary psychiatric hold. The court placed her under temporary conservatorship of her father James Spears and attorney Andrew Wallet, giving them complete control of her assets. Spears was released on February 6, 2008. Britney Spears parents expressed disappointment and concern at the decision to release her. The following month, she guest-starred on the How I Met Your Mother episode "Ten Sessions" as receptionist Abby. Britney Spears received positive reviews for her performance, as well as bringing the series its highest ratings ever. In July 2008, Spears regained some visitation rights after coming to an agreement with Federline and his counsel. On September 7, 2008, Spears opened the MTV Video Music Awards with a pre-taped comedy sketch with Jonah Hill and an introduction speech. Britney Spears won Best Female Video, Best Pop Video and Video of the Year for "Piece of Me". A 60-minute introspective documentary, Britney: For the Record, was produced to chronicle Spears' return to the recording industry. Directed by Phil Griffin, For the Record was entirely shot in Beverly Hills, Hollywood, and New York City during the third quarter of 2008. Main shooting began on September 5, 2008, two days before Spears' appearance at the MTV Video Music Awards. For the Record was broadcast on MTV on November 30, 2008 to 5.6 million viewers for the two airings on the premiere night. MTV reported that Spears' documentary garnered on average, the highest rating in its Sunday night timeslot, in the network's history.

Britney Spears sixth studio album Circus, was released in December 2008. It received positive reviews from critics; according to the music review aggregation of Metacritic, it garnered an average score of 64/100.Circus debuted at number one in Canada, Czech Republic and the United States, and inside the top in many European nations. In the United States, Spears became the youngest female artist to have five albums debut at number one, earning a place in the Guinness Book of World Records.
Britney Spears also became the only act in the Soundscan era to have four albums debut with 500,000 or more copies sold. Circus became one of the fastest-selling albums of the year, and has sold 4 million copies worldwide. Its lead single, "Womanizer", became her first number one in the Billboard Hot 100 since "...Baby One More Time" and topped the charts in countries such as Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Norway and Sweden.It was also nominated for a Grammy in the category of Best Dance Recording. In January 2009, Spears and her father James obtained a restraining order against her former manager Sam Lufti, ex-boyfriend Adnan Ghalib and attorney Jon Eardley—all of whom, court documents claim, had been conspiring to gain control of Spears's affairs. The restraining order forbids Lutfi and Ghalib from contacting Spears or coming within 250 yards of her, her property or family members. Spears embarked on The Circus Starring Britney Spears in March 2009. With a gross of U.S. $131.8 million, it became the fifth highest grossing tour of the year.

Britney Spears released her second greatest hits album, The Singles Collection in November 2009. "3" became her third number one single in the US, and was the first song to debut at the top of the charts in three years. Later that month, she released an application for iPhone and iPod Touch titled "It's Britney!". In May 2010, Spears's representatives confirmed she was dating her agent Jason Trawick, and that they had decided to end their professional relationship to focus on their personal relationship.Spears designed a limited edition clothing line for Candie's, which was released in stores in July 2010. On September 28, 2010, she made a cameo appearance on a Spears-themed tribute episode of American TV show Glee, titled "Britney/Brittany". Spears approved of the episode, although her appearances received mixed reviews from critics. The episode drew Glee's second largest audience, as well as the show's highest ratings ever.

2011–present:
Femme Fatale,engagement, and Hiatus 

Spears performing "I Wanna Go," her sixth number-one pop song, on her 2011 tour.In March 2011, Spears released her seventh studio album Femme Fatale. Max Martin and Dr. Luke executive produced the album and the album's first single "Hold It Against Me". The single debuted at number-one on the Billboard Hot 100. This gave Spears her fourth number-one single on the chart, and made her only the second artist in history to have two consecutive singles debut at number-one, after Mariah Carey.The album peaked at number one in the United States(selling 276,000 copies), Canada, and Australia, and peaked inside the top ten on nearly every other chart. The album's peak in the United States ties Britney with Mariah Carey and Janet Jackson for the third-most number ones among women.Femme Fatale has sold over 590,000 copies in the United States and has been certified platinum by the RIAA. The album received positive critical reviews after its release, receiving a score of 67 on Metacritic, her highest critical score since Oops!... I Did It Again, with many critics naming the album one of Spears's best. In April 2011, Spears appeared in a remix to the song "S&M" by Rihanna after Rihanna asked her fans via Twitter who they wanted her to collaborate with. The song reached number one in the US in mid-April 2011, giving Britney her fifth number one on the chart. In early May, Spears' second single from Femme Fatale, "Till The World Ends", reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100 and had ninety-eight million audience impressions on the Billboard chart, granting Spears the highest weekly audience of her 13-year chart career.Femme Fatale's third single "I Wanna Go" reached the top forty on the Billboard Hot 100 in June 2011. Among females in the last thirteen years, Spears now has the third-most top forty hits, with twenty-one. In August, the single managed to reach the top-ten on the Billboard Hot 100, which is the first time for Spears to have three songs from one album in the top-ten. On the week ending September 24, 2011, "I Wanna Go" moved 2-1 on the mainstream top 40, becoming her sixth number-one on that chart (making her tied for third all-time) and her first number-one and third top-ten pop song for Femme Fatale.Spears now has the longest span of number ones on the mainstream top 40, with a length of twelve years, seven months, and four days. In October 2011, the music video for Femme Fatale's fourth single "Criminal" caused controversy when British politicians criticized Spears for using replica guns while filming the video in an area of London that had been badly affected by the 2011 England riots. Members of the Hackney London Borough Council felt

Spears "promoted gun violence" and suggested that Spears apologize and make a donation to a Hackney charity. Spears's management briefly responded, stating, "The video is a fantasy story featuring Britney's boyfriend, Jason Trawick, which literally plays out the lyrics of a song written three years before the riots ever happened." Later that month, due to her continued popularity,
Spears became the seventh artist to gain one billion cumulative views on her Vevo account. On Billboard's 2011 Year-End list, Spears was fourteen on the Artists of the Year, due to being 32 on Billboard 200 artists and 10 on Billboard Hot 100 artists.Additionally, many critics, including those at Rolling Stone, named "Till the World Ends" one of the best songs of 2011.

Spears performing "Hold It Against Me" on her 2011 Femme Fatale Tour.On March 2011, Spears announced that she would tour throughout the United States during summer 2011. The Femme Fatale Tour opened June 16 at the Power Balance Pavilion in Sacramento, California to positive reviews. Many critics noted that Spears sang more of the concert live in response to lip-synching accusations during The Circus Starring Britney Spears, and that the dancing is some of her best in years. The first ten US dates of the tour grossed $6.2 million, landing the fifty-fifth spot on Pollstar's Top 100 North American Tours list for the half-way point of the year. The tour ended on December 10, 2011 in Puerto Rico after 79 performances. A concert special of the tour was filmed in 2D and 3D in Canada on August 13 and 14. It premiered on November 12 on Epix, receiving mixed reviews.It was released to DVD on November 21and sold 19,000 copies, debuting at no. 2 on the US Billboard DVD Chart behind Lady Gaga's The Monster Ball Tour: At Madison Square Garden.

On June 15, 2011, it was announced by Billboard that the RCA/Jive Label Group would be splitting, with Jive Records being fully moved under RCA Records staying intact. In August it was announced that Spears had officially joined the RCA's roster.[ During the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards on August 28 2011, MTV played tribute to Spears with a group of young female dancers that memorialised Britney's music videos, performances, and style. Following which, Spears accepted the MTV Video Vanguard Award from Lady Gaga, who said that "industry wouldn't be the same without [her]".[On September 9, 2011, Spears announced her second remix album, B in the Mix: The Remixes Vol. 2, which was released on October 7, along with the tracklist. On October 7, RCA Music Group announced it was disbanding Jive Records along with Arista Records and J Records. With the shutdown, Spears (and all other artists previously signed to these three labels) will release her future material on the RCA Records brand.

On December 16, Spears confirmed her engagement to her long-time boyfriend Jason Trawick, her former manager. Spears revealed her three-carat diamond ring at a party in Las Vegas on December 17.According to RCA's Joe Riccitelli the executive vice president of promotion for RCA Records, told U.S. radio station Hot 99.5 that Britney is taking time off in 2012.

Musical style and Performance 

Spears kissing Madonna at the 2003 MTV VMAsFollowing her debut, Spears was credited with leading the revival of teen pop in the late 1990s. The Daily Yomiuri reported that "[m]usic critics have hailed her as the most gifted teenage pop idol for many years, but Spears has set her sights a little higher-she is aiming for the level of superstardom that has been achieved by Madonna and Janet Jackson."Rolling Stone wrote: "Britney Spears carries on the classic archetype of the rock & roll teen queen, the dungaree doll, the angel baby who just has to make a scene." Rami Yacoub who co-produced Spears's debut album with lyricist Max Martin, commented, "I know from Denniz Pop and Max's previous productions, when we do songs, there's kind of a nasal thing. With N' Sync and the Backstreet Boys, we had to push for that mid-nasal voice. When Britney did that, she got this kind of raspy, sexy voice."Following the release of her debut album, Chuck Taylor of Billboard observed, "Spears has become a consummate performer, with snappy dance moves, a clearly real-albeit young-and funkdified voice ... "(You Drive Me) Crazy", her third single ... demonstrates Spears's own development, proving that the 17-year-old is finding her own vocal personality after so many months of steadfast practice." Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic referred to her music as a "blend of infectious, rap-inflected dance-pop and smooth balladry." Spears later commented, "With ...Baby One More Time, I didn't get to show my voice off. The songs were great, but they weren't very challenging".

Oops!...I Did It Again and subsequent albums saw Spears working with several contemporary R&B producers, leading to "a combination of bubblegum, urban soul, and raga." Britney Spears third studio album, Britney derived from the teen pop niche, "[r]hythmically and melodically ... sharper, tougher than what came before. What used to be unabashedly frothy has some disco grit, underpinned by Spears' spunky self-determination that helps sell hooks that are already catchier, by and large, than those that populated her previous two albums." Guy Blackman of The Age wrote that while few would care to listen to an entire Spears album, "[t]he thing about Spears, though, is that her biggest songs, no matter how committee-created or impossibly polished, have always been convincing because of her delivery, her commitment and her presence. For her mostly teenage fans, Spears expresses perfectly the conflicting urges of adolescence, the tension between chastity and sexual experience, between hedonism and responsibility, between confidence and vulnerability."

Britney Spears vocal ability has also been criticized, often drawing unfavorable comparison to her pop rival, Christina Aguilera.Critic Allan Raible derides her overdependence in Circus on digital effects and the robotic effect it creates. "Britney Spears's never been a strong vocalist..." writes Raible, "Could she handle these songs with stripped down arrangements and no vocal effects? More importantly, would anyone want to hear her attempt such a performance? Does it matter? No. The focus is still image over substance." Britney Spears image and persona are also often contrasted to Christina Aguilera. David Browne of Entertainment Weekly observed "Christina Aguilera may flash skin and belly button, but in her music and manner, she's too eager not to offend — she's a good girl pretending to be bad. Spears, however, comes across as a bad girl acting good ... Spears' artificial-sweetener voice is much less interesting than the settings, yet that blandness is actually a relief compared with Aguilera's numbing vocal gymnastics. In contrast, Allmusic comments: "Like her peer Christina Aguilera, Britney equates maturity with transparent sexuality and the pounding sounds of nightclubs ... Where Christina comes across like a natural-born skank, Britney is the girl next door cutting loose at college, drinking and smoking and dancing and sexing just a little too recklessly, since this is the first time she can indulge herself. Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine notes, "The disparity between Aguilera and Spears can't be measured solely by the timbre and octave range of their voices ... [Aguilera's] popularity has never reached the fever pitch of Britney's."

It has been widely reported that Spears lip-syncs in concert. Author Gary Giddins wrote in his book Natural selection: Gary Giddins on comedy, film, music, and books (2006) that "among many other performers accused of moving their lips while a machine does the labor are Britney Spears, Luciano Pavarotti, Shania Twain, Beyoncé, and Madonna." Rashod D. Ollison of The Baltimore Sun observes: "Many pop stars ... feel they have no choice but to seek vocal enhancement. Since the advent of MTV and other video music channels, pop audiences have been fed elaborate videos thick with jaw-dropping effects, awesome choreography, fabulous clothes, marvelous bodies. And the same level of perfection is expected to extend beyond the video set to the concert stage. So if Britney Spears, Janet Jackson or Madonna sounds shrill and flat without a backing track, fans won't pay up to $300 for a concert ticket."Giddins adds, "it was reported Britney Spears fans prefer her to lip-sync—despite her denials of doing so (contradicted by her own director)—because they expect flawless digitalization when they pay serious money for a concert."

In Australia, NSW Fair Trading Minister Virginia Judge has advised disclaimers be printed on any ticket for concerts which contain any prerecorded vocals. Britney Spears commented: "There could have been some instances where people actually go and purchase a ticket thinking that they're going to have a live performance ... for some people that means that everything is live, it's fresh, it happens instantaneously, it's not something that's been pre-recorded. You want to make sure that they're actually paying for what they think they're getting." Noting on the prevalence of lip-syncing, Los Angeles Daily News reported "in the context of a Britney Spears concert, does it really matter? Like a Vegas revue show, you don't go to hear the music, you go for the somewhat-ridiculous spectacle of it all". Similarly, Aline Mendelsohn of the Orlando Sentinel remarked: "Let's get one thing straight: A Britney Spears concert is not about the music ... you have to remember that it's about the sight, not the sound." Critic Glenn Gamboa comments her concert tours are "like her life—a massive money-making venture designed to play up her talents and distract from her shortcomings with a mix of techno-tinged sex appeal and disco-flavored flash. And, like her life, it is, more or less, a success.

Influences   

Throughout her career, Spears has drawn frequent comparisons to Madonna and Janet Jackson, in terms of vocals, choreography and stage presence, citing both as influences in her work. Britney Spears has also named Michael Jackson as a source of inspiration. According to Spears: "I know when I was younger, I looked up to people... like, you know, Janet Jackson and Madonna. And they were major inspirations for me. But I also had my own identity and I knew who I was, you know." In the 2002 book Madonnastyle by Carol Clerk, she is quoted saying: "I have been a huge fan of Madonna since I was a little girl. Britney Spears's the person that I've really looked up to. I would really, really like to be a legend like Madonna."

Many critics have argued that Spears should not be considered in the same league of talent as Jackson or Madonna. Journalists Erika Montalvo and Jackie Sheppard of the Rocky Mountain Collegian observed "[s]ome may argue that Spears is not only a good recording artist but also an important cultural icon." However, in examining her level of skill as an artist, it is questioned that "[a]lthough she has been classified among female elites such as Janet Jackson and Madonna, what does Ms. Spears really have in common with these divas of rock?" Joan Anderman of The Boston Globe remarked that "[t]hirteen costume changes in 90 minutes won't bless her with Madonna's intelligence or cultural barometer. An army of cutting-edge R&B producers won't supply her with Janet Jackson's sense of humor or sincere smile ... Britney's heroes aren't great singers. But they're real singers. Spears sounds robotic, nearly inhuman, on her records, so processed is her voice by digital pitch-shifters and synthesizers."

Reporter Ed Bumgardner commented her transition from teen pop start to adult sex symbol with her third studio album Britney "takes its cues from two other successful performers—Madonna and Janet Jackson—both of whom she brazenly rips off and both of whom, like Spears, are passable singers, at best." Critic Shane Harrison wrote: "From the minimalist thump and "Nasty" feel of "I'm a Slave 4 U" to the scattered quotes in "Boys", [Britney] feels like [Spears's] attempt at 'Control'."

Spears performing her idol Madonna's early hit "Burning Up" on her 2011 tour.Citing Jackson's resolve to incorporate personal and social issues into her work and Madonna's ability to constantly redefine the boundaries of socially acceptable material in the industry, Spears's catalog ultimately pales in comparison, because "[w]hile Jackson and Madonna wrote their own music about subjects of importance, [Spears's] music sounds like an upbeat version of either, 'I want to grow up but the media won't let me,' or 'Here kitty, kitty, I'm wearing my underwear outside of my leather pants'-type ballads." In contrast, Guy Blackman argues that although "no one would argue that Spears is some kind of pioneering pop auteur, there’s still a lot to like about her back catalogue. During her world-conquering peak, she was just about as cutting edge as you could get in the world of global pop superstardom. Spears didn’t just work with big names, she gave big names their names, and maintained her high currency in the world’s most fickle industry for years, when most aspiring starlets are lucky to manage months."

After meeting Spears face to face, Janet Jackson stated: "she said to me, 'I'm such a big fan; I really admire you.' That's so flattering. Everyone gets inspiration from some place. And it's awesome to see someone else coming up who's dancing and singing, and seeing how all these kids relate to her. A lot of people put it down, but what she does is a positive thing." Madonna's respect for Spears has also been a subject of observation. Santiago Fouz-Hernández and Freya Jarman-Ivens, authors of Madonna's drowned worlds: new approaches to her cultural transformations, 1983-2003 (2004) note that the most well known cross-generational relationship exists between Spears and Madonna in which "the entertainment newsmedia almost became obsessed with their relationship of mutual admiration." The biographers also report "[s]ome observers of popular culture, however, feel that the comparisons between the two artist are meaningless and fail to recognize Madonna's unique contribution: Madonna was never 'just another pop star' whereas Britney can more easily be seen as a standard manufactured pop act."

Spears's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame Spears became an international pop culture icon immediately after launching her recording career. Rolling Stone magazine wrote: "One of the most controversial and successful female vocalists of the 21st century," she "spearheaded the rise of post-millennial teen pop ... Spears early on cultivated a mixture of innocence and experience that broke the bank". Britney Spears is listed by the Guinness World Records as having the "Best-selling album by a teenage solo artist" for her debut album ...Baby One More Time which sold over thirteen million copies in the United States. Melissa Ruggieri of the Richmond Times-Dispatch reported, "Britney Spears's also marked for being the best-selling teenage artist. Before she turned 20 in 2001, Spears sold more than 37 million albums worldwide".

Barbara Ellen of The Observer has reported: "Spears is famously one of the 'oldest' teenagers pop has ever produced, almost middle aged in terms of focus and determination. Many 19-year-olds haven't even started working by that age, whereas Britney, a former Mouseketeer, was that most unusual and volatile of American phenomena — a child with a full-time career. While other little girls were putting posters on their walls, Britney was wanting to be the poster on the wall. Whereas other children develop at their own pace, Britney was developing at a pace set by the ferociously competitive American entertainment industry". 'Britney Spears' was Yahoo!'s most popular search term between 2005 and 2008, and has been in a total of seven different years. Spears was named as Most Searched Person in the Guinness World Records book edition 2007 and 2009. Spears has also become a major influence among many new artists, including Kristinia DeBarge, Lady Gaga, Little Boots, Selena Gomez & the Scene, Pixie Lott and Miley Cyrus who has cited Spears as one of her biggest inspirations and has also referenced Spears in her hit song "Party in the U.S.A.". Spears' personal breakdown was also cited as an inspiration for Barry Manilow's album "15 Minutes".

In 2011, Adam Markovitz of Entertainment Weekly commented on the cultural significance of Spears' voice and music. "We don't ask a whole lot from Britney Spears as an entertainer...we'll still send her straight up the charts simply because she's Britney. Britney Spears's  an American institution, as deeply sacred and messed up as pro wrestling or the filibuster. Musically, though, Spears will always have to measure up to her own gold standards of pop euphony: the operatic slither of 2004's 'Toxic' and the candied funk of 2000's 'Oops!...I Did It Again.' Spears is no technical singer, that's for sure. But backed by Martin and Dr. Luke's wall of pound, her vocals melt into a mix of babytalk coo and coital panting that is, in its own overprocessed way, just as iconic and propulsive as Michael Jackson's yips or Eminem's snarls."

Bebo Norman wrote a song about Spears, called "Britney", which was released as a single. Boy band Busted also wrote a song about Spears called "Britney", which was on their debut album. Britney Spears is also mentioned in P!nk's song "Don't Let Me Get Me". Britney Spears was cited as the inspiration of Gwyneth Paltrow's character in the 2010 film Country Strong. Richard Cheese called Britney Spears "a remarkable recording artist" and also went on to say that she was "versatile" and what the industry calls an "artist". People magazine and MTV reported that October 1, 2008, the Bronx's John Philip Sousa Middle School, named their music studio in honor of Britney Spears. Spears herself was present during the ceremony and donated $10,000 to the school's music program.

Britney Spears discography & videography

...Baby One More Time (1999) 

Oops!... I Did It Again (2000) 

Britney (2001) 

In the Zone (2003) 

Blackout (2007) 

Circus (2008) 

Femme Fatale (2011) 

ToursMain article: List of Britney Spears concert tours

...Baby One More Time Tour (1999-2000) 

Oops!... I Did It Again World Tour (2000-01) 

Dream Within a Dream Tour (2001-02) 

The Onyx Hotel Tour (2004) 

The M+M's Tour (2007) 

The Circus Starring Britney Spears (2009) 

Femme Fatale Tour (2011) 

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Beyoncé Knowles Biography

Name:Beyoncé Giselle Knowles

Date of Birth:September 4, 1981

Place of Birth: Houston, Texas, United States

Beyoncé Giselle Knowles known simply as Beyoncé, is an American 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 competitions as a child. Knowles rose to fame in the late 1990s as the lead singer of the R&B girl group Destiny's Child, one of the world's best-selling girl groups of all time.

During the hiatus of Destiny's Child, Knowles released her debut solo album, Dangerously in Love, in 2003, which spawned two number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100—"Crazy in Love" and "Baby Boy"—and became one of the most successful albums of that year, earning her a then record-tying five Grammy Awards. Following the disbandment of Destiny's Child in 2005, Knowles released her second solo album, B'Day, in 2006, and included the hits "Irreplaceable" and "Beautiful Liar". Beyoncé Knowles  third solo album I Am... Sasha Fierce, released in 2008, spawned four commercially successful singles—"If I Were a Boy", "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)", "Halo" and "Sweet Dreams". The album helped Knowles earn six Grammys in 2010, breaking the record for most Grammy Awards won by a female artist in one night. Three years later, Knowles released her fourth solo album, 4 (2011), which became her fourth consecutive number-one album on the Billboard 200 as a solo artist. This made her the second female artist and third artist overall, to have her first four studio albums debut atop the chart.

Apart from her work in music, Knowles has also launched a career in acting. Beyoncé Knowles made her debut in the 2001 musical film Carmen: A Hip Hopera, prior to appearing in major films, including Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002), Dreamgirls (2006), which earned her two Golden Globe nominations, and Cadillac Records (2008). In 2004, Knowles and her mother introduced their family's fashion line, House of Deréon. In June 2010, she was ranked first on Forbes list of the 100 Most Powerful and Influential musicians in the world, and second on its list of the 100 Most Powerful and Influential celebrities in the world.

Knowles' work has earned her numerous awards and accolades, including 16 Grammy Awards, 11 MTV Video Music Awards, a Billboard Millennium Award and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame with Destiny's Child. In 2009, Billboard named her the Top Radio Songs Artist of the 2000s decade,and ranked her as the 4th overall Artist of the decade (and as the First Female Artist of that period). The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), also recognized Knowles as the Top Certified Artist of the 2000s. In the United States, Knowles has sold over 11.2 million albums and 25 million singles. Beyoncé Knowles has also sold 75 million records worldwide, making her one of the best-selling music artists of all time. In 2010, VH1 included Knowles on its list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.

Life and Career

1981–96: Early life and career beginnings 
Knowles was born in Houston, Texas, the daughter of Mathew Knowles, a professional record manager, and Tina Knowles (née Beyincé), a costume designer and hair stylist. Knowles' father is African American and her mother is Louisiana Creole of African, French, and Native American descent.Knowles was baptized after her mother's maiden name, as a tribute to her mother. Beyoncé Knowles  is the elder sister of Solange, a singer-songwriter and actress.

Knowles was schooled at St. Mary's Elementary School in Texas, where she enrolled in dance classes, including ballet and jazz. Beyoncé Knowles talent in singing was discovered when her dance instructor began humming a song and she finished it, hitting the high-pitched notes.Knowles' interest in music and performing began after participating in a school talent show. Beyoncé Knowles  sang John Lennon's "Imagine" and won the competition. At age seven, Knowles started gaining attention from the press, having been mentioned in the Houston Chronicle as a nominee for the local performing arts award The Sammy. In the fall of 1990, Knowles enrolled in Parker Elementary School, a music magnet school in Houston, where she would perform on-stage with the school's choir.Beyoncé Knowles also attended the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in Houston and later went to Alief Elsik High School, located in the Houston suburban munincipality, Alief. Knowles was a member of the choir at St. John's United Methodist Church for two years, performing as a soloist.

At the age of eight, Knowles met LaTavia Roberson while in an audition for an all-girl entertainment group. They, along with Knowles' friend Kelly Rowland, were placed into a group that performed rapping and dancing. Originally named Girl's Tyme, they were eventually cut down to six members. West coast R&B producer Arne Frager flew into Houston to see them. He eventually brought them to his studio, The Plant Recording Studios, in Northern California, with Knowles' vocals being featured.As part of efforts to sign Girl's Tyme to a major label record deal, Frager's strategy was to début them in Star Search, the biggest talent show on national TV at the time.Girl's Tyme participated in the competition but lost it because the song they performed was not good, Knowles herself admitted. Knowles had her first "professional setback" after that defeat but regained confidence after learning that pop stars Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake had also the same experience. To manage the group, Knowles' father (who was at that time a medical-equipment salesman) resigned in 1995 from his job. He dedicated his time and established a "boot camp" for their training.The move reduced Knowles' family's income by half and her parents were forced to move into separated apartments.Not long after the inclusion of Rowland, Mathew cut the original lineup to four,with LeToya Luckett joining in 1993. Rehearsing in Tina's Headliners Salon and their backyards, the group continued performing as an opening act for other established R&B girl groups of the time; Tina contributed to the cause by designing their costumes, which she continued to do throughout the Destiny's Child era. With the continued support of Mathew, they auditioned before record labels and were finally signed to Elektra Records. They moved to Atlanta to work on their first recording, only to be cut by the record company in 1995. They returned home to start over again. This eventually put a strain on the family, and Beyoncé's parents separated briefly when she was 14. In 1996, the family reunited, and shortly after, the girls got a contract with Columbia Records.

1997–2001: 
Destiny's Child era and depression Main article: Destiny's Child

 Destiny's Child performing their 2000 hit single, "Say My Name".The group changed its name to Destiny's Child in 1993, based on a passage in the Book of Isaiah. Together, they performed in local events and, after four years on the road, the group was signed to Columbia Records in late 1997. That same year, Destiny's Child recorded their major label debut song, "Killing Time", for the soundtrack to the 1997 film, Men in Black. The following year, the group released their self-titled debut album, scoring their first major hit "No, No, No". The album established the group as a viable act in the music industry, amassing moderate sales and winning the group three Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards for "Best R&B/Soul Single" for "No, No, No", "Best R&B/Soul Album of the Year" and "Best R&B/Soul or Rap New Artist". The group released their multi-platinum second album The Writing's on the Wall in 1999. The record features some of the group's most widely known songs such as "Bills, Bills, Bills", the group's first number-one single, "Jumpin' Jumpin'", and "Say My Name", which became their most-successful song at the time, and would remain one of their signature songs. "Say My Name" won the Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals and the Best R&B Song at the 43rd Grammy Awards.The Writing's on the Wall sold more than eight million copies. During this time, Knowles recorded a duet with Marc Nelson on the song "After All Is Said and Done" for the soundtrack to the 1999 film, The Best Man.

Luckett and Roberson filed a lawsuit against the group for breach of contract. Michelle Williams and Farrah Franklin appeared on the video of "Say My Name", implying that Luckett and Roberson had already been replaced.Eventually, Luckett and Roberson left the group. Franklin would eventually fade from the group after five months, as evidenced by her absences during promotional appearances and concerts. Beyoncé Knowles attributed her departure to negative vibes in the group resulting from the strife. During this time, Knowles had experienced depression from an accumulation of struggles: the publicized split of Luckett and Roberson, being publicly attacked by the media, critics and blogs for causing the split-up, and a longstanding boyfriend (that she had dated from age 12 to 19 years) leaving her. The depression was so severe it lasted for a couple of years, during which she kept herself in her bedroom for days and refused to eat anything. Knowles stated that she struggled to speak about her depression because Destiny's Child had just won their first Grammy Award and she feared no one would take her seriously.All of these events had made her question herself and who her friends were, describing the situation she said, "Now that I was famous, I was afraid I'd never find somebody again to love me for me. I was afraid of making new friends." Beyoncé Knowles acknowledges her mother, Tina Knowles, for helping her out of her depression, "Why do you think a person wouldn't love you? Don't you know how smart and sweet and beautiful you are?"

After settling on their final lineup, the trio recorded "Independent Women Part I", which appeared on the soundtrack to the 2000 film, Charlie's Angels. It became their best-charting single, topping the Billboard Hot 100 for eleven consecutive weeks. Later that year, Luckett and Roberson withdrew their case against their now-former band mates, while maintaining the suit against Mathew, which ended in both sides agreeing to stop public disparaging. In early 2001, while Destiny's Child was completing their third album, Knowles landed a major role in the MTV made-for-television film, Carmen: A Hip Hopera, starring alongside American actor Mekhi Phifer. Set in Philadelphia, the film is a modern interpretation of the 19th century opera Carmen by French composer Georges Bizet.Luckett and Roberson refiled their lawsuit after Destiny's Child's third album, Survivor was released in May 2001, claiming that the songs were aimed at them. The album débuted at number one on U.S. Billboard 200 with 663,000 units sold.To date, Survivor has sold over ten million copies worldwide, over forty percent of which were sold in the U.S. alone. The album spawned other number-one hits, "Bootylicious" and the title track, "Survivor", the latter of which earned the group a Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. After releasing their holiday album, 8 Days of Christmas, the group announced a hiatus to pursue solo careers.

2002–03:
Solo career, films, and Dangerously in Love
In 2002, Knowles co-starred in the comedy film Austin Powers in Goldmember, playing Foxxy Cleopatra, opposite of Mike Myers. Knowles recorded her first solo single, "Work It Out", for the film's soundtrack.The following year, she starred opposite Cuba Gooding, Jr. in the romantic comedy film, The Fighting Temptations, and recorded numerous songs for the film's soundtrack, including "Fighting Temptation" and a cover version of "Fever". In October 2002, Knowles was featured on her then-boyfriend Jay-Z's single, "'03 Bonnie & Clyde". The song peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100 and number two on the Rap Songs chart. In March 2003, Knowles released a remix of 50 Cent's "In Da Club", which made its way onto several mixtapes.

After Williams and Rowland released their solo efforts, Knowles released her début solo album, Dangerously in Love, in June 2003. It debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and sold 317,000 copies in its first week. The album sold over 4.6 million copies in the United States, where it was certified four times Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). It went on to sell over 11 million copies worldwide, and remains as Knowles' best-selling album to date. The album's lead single, "Crazy in Love" featuring Jay-Z, spent eight consecutive weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100.

The album led Knowles to win a then record-tying five awards at the 46th Grammy Awards for Best Contemporary R&B Album, Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for "Dangerously in Love 2", Best R&B Song, Best Rap/Sung Collaboration, and Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.In November 2003, Knowles embarked on her Dangerously in Love Tour in Europe.

2004–05: 
Destiny Fulfilled and group disbandment

Destiny's Child star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.In March 2004, Knowles joined Alicia Keys, Missy Elliott, and Tamia for the Verizon Ladies First Tour in North America. Knowles had originally planned to release a follow-up to Dangerously in Love in March 2004, which would feature some of the left-over recordings from the album.However, Knowles decided to put the album on hold in order to concentrate on the next Destiny's Child album. After a three-year journey that involved concentration on individual solo projects, Knowles rejoined Rowland and Williams to release their fourth and final album, Destiny Fulfilled in November 2004.The album peaked at number two on the Billboard 200 and sold over 3.1 million copies in the United States,

In April 2005, the group embarked on their Destiny Fulfilled ... And Lovin' It tour, which ended in September of that year. During the last stop of their European leg of the tour in Barcelona, Rowland announced that Destiny's Child would disband following the North American leg of the tour. A compilation album titled, Number 1's, featuring the group's number-one hits and most well-known songs, was released in October 2005. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and certified Platinum by the RIAA. Knowles' song "Check on It" featuring Slim Thug, was released from the album in December 2005. The song spent five consecutive weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, and became Knowles' third Hot 100 number-one as a solo artist and Slim Thug's first Hot 100 single. In March 2006, Destiny's Child reunited to accept a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

2006–07:
B'Day and films

Knowles singing "Listen", which was inspired by her role in the film, Dreamgirls (2006)In February 2006, Knowles' starred opposite Steve Martin in the comedy film, The Pink Panther, as international pop star, Xania. Knowles released her second studio album, B'Day, in September 2006; it debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, selling 541,000 copies in its first week. It gained Knowles her largest first week sales of her solo career and became her second consecutive number one album. The album sold 3.2 million copies in the United States, and has been certified three times Platinum by the RIAA. The album's lead single, "Déjà Vu" featuring Jay-Z, peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. "Ring the Alarm" was released as the album's second US single, while "Irreplaceable" served as the second international single and later as the third US single. "Irreplaceable" spent ten consecutive weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Knowles' fourth number-one single as solo artist.

In December 2006, Knowles starred in Dream girls, a film adaptation of the 1981 Broadway musical about a 1960s singing group, alongside Jamie Foxx, Eddie Murphy, and Jennifer Hudson. Knowles recorded several songs for the film's soundtrack, including the original song, "Listen".Beyoncé Knowles role earned her two Golden Globe Award nominations in 2007 for Best Actress and Best Original Song.On April 3, 2007, Knowles re-released B'Day, as a deluxe edition, featuring five new songs, including "Beautiful Liar", a duet with Colombian singer Shakira. The song peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100.It performed better in international music markets, reaching number one in the United Kingdom, making it Knowles' third number-one single there and Shakira's second. On April 10, 2007, Knowles' embarked on her first solo worldwide concert tour, The Beyoncé Experience. The tour visited over ninety venues worldwide, and was later made into the concert DVD, The Beyoncé Experience Live!.

B'Day received five nominations at the 49th Grammy Awards for Best Contemporary R&B Album, Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for "Ring the Alarm" and Best R&B Song and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for "Déjà Vu". The Freemasons club mix of "Déjà Vu" without the rap was nominated for Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical. The album won the award for Best Contemporary R&B Album. The following year, B'Day received two nominations for Record of the Year for "Irreplaceable" and Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals for "Beautiful Liar". Knowles' also received a Grammy nomination for her work on Dreamgirls.

2008–09: 
Marriage, I Am... Sasha Fierce, and films

Jay-Z and Beyoncé performingIn 2002, Knowles began dating American rapper Jay-Z, with whom she has collaborated several times. Rumors began to circulate about their relationship after Knowles was featured on "'03 Bonnie & Clyde". In spite of persistent rumors they remained discreet about their relationship. On April 4, 2008, they married in New York City. Knowles did not publicly debut her wedding ring until the Fashion Rocks concert on September 5, 2008, in New York City.Before they were married, Knowles and Jay-Z were listed as the Most Powerful Couple of TIME magazine's 100 Most Influential people of 2006. In January 2009, Forbes ranked them as Hollywood's top-earning couple, with a combined total of $162 million. They also made it to the top of the list the following year, with a combined total of $122 million between June 2008 and June 2009.

In November 2008, Forbes magazine reported that Knowles earned $80 million between June 1, 2007 to June 1, 2008, for her music, tour, films and fashion business. This made her the world's second best-paid music personality for this span of time. Knowles released her third studio album, I Am... Sasha Fierce, on November 14, 2008. The album introduces Knowles' alter-ego "Sasha Fierce". It debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and sold 482,000 copies in its first week, giving Knowles her third consecutive number one album in the US. Eventually, Knowles became the third female artist of the 2000s decade to have her first three albums debut at number one on Billboard 200. The album sold 2.9 million copies in the United States, and certified double platinum by the RIAA. To date, the album has sold more than 7 million copies worldwide. "If I Were a Boy" and "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" were released as the album's first and second lead singles, respectively. The first lead single peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100, while the second peaked at number one, becoming Knowles' fifth number-one single. "Single Ladies" spent four non-consecutive weeks at the top spot. Its music video has achieved fame for its intricate choreography, which has been credited as having started the "first major dance craze of both the new millennium and the Internet". This prompted a legion of imitations and parodies from men and women all around the world, including celebrities Justin Timberlake Joe Jonas, Tom Hanks and US President Barack Obama.The music video received nine nominations at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards and ultimately won the award for Video of the Year and an additional two awards, though its loss in the Best Female Video category to Taylor Swift's "You Belong with Me" led to a controversy during the ceremony.

Knowles performing "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" during her I Am... Tour in 2009In December 2008, Knowles starred in the musical biopic Cadillac Records as blues singer, Etta James. Beyoncé Knowles performed James' classic hit "At Last" at The Neighborhood Inaugural Ball of Barack Obama and his wife Michelle's first dance as President and First Lady of the United States on January 20, 2009."Diva" was released as the third US single from I Am... Sasha Fierce, while "Halo" served as the third international single, and later as the fourth US single. The song peaked at number five on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Knowles' twelfth Hot 100 top-ten single as a solo artist. With this feat, Knowles achieved more top tens on the Hot 100 than any other female artist of the 2000s decade. "Ego" was released as the album's fifth US single, and subsequently came up with a remix featuring additional vocals from Kanye West. The song peaked at number thirty-nine on the Billboard Hot 100. "Broken-Hearted Girl" and "Sweet Dreams" became the album's sixth and seventh singles respectively. To promote the album, Knowles embarked on her worldwide I Am... Tour in March 2009. According to Pollstar, the tour earned Knowles $103.2 million for its 97 shows. In April 2009, Knowles starred opposite Ali Larter and Idris Elba in the thriller film, Obsessed. The film grossed $11.1 million on its first day of release, and ended its opening weekend at number one with a total of $28.5 million. In June 2009, Forbes listed Knowles fourth on its list of the "100 Most Powerful and Influential Celebrities in the World", third on its list of the "Top-Grossing Musicians", and first on the list of "Top Best-Paid Celebs Under 30" with over $87 million in earnings between 2008 and 2009. "Video Phone" was released as the eighth single from I Am... Sasha Fierce, with a music video and digital download release taking form of an extended remix featuring American pop artist, Lady Gaga. Its music video received two nominations at the 2010 BET Awards for Video of the Year and Best Collaboration, winning the former category on April 27, 2010. It also received five nominations at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards, in the categories of Best Choreography, Best Collaboration, Best Pop Video, Best Female Video and Best Art Direction.

Knowles received ten nominations at the 52nd Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year for I Am... Sasha Fierce, Record of the Year for "Halo", and Song of the Year for "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)", among others. Beyoncé Knowles tied with Lauryn Hill for most Grammy nominations in a single year by a female artist. Knowles ultimately set the record for the most Grammy awards won on a single night by a female artist, when she won six awards from her ten nominations; Song of the Year, Best R&B Song and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for "Single Ladies", Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for "Halo", Best Contemporary R&B Album and Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance for "At Last".

2010–present: New management, 4 and pregnancyIn January 2010, Knowles was interviewed by USA Today and announced plans to take a break from music in 2010. Beyoncé Knowles stated, "it's definitely time to take a break, to recharge my batteries. ... I'd like to take about six months and not go into the studio. I need to just live life, to be inspired by things again."During this time, a 60 Minutes segment aired, revealing Knowles was homeschooled as a child and prays before every performance. In February 2010, Lady Gaga's song "Telephone" was released featuring Knowles. The single reached number one on the US Pop Songs chart, thus becoming the sixth number-one on the chart for both Knowles and Lady Gaga. With this, they both tied with Mariah Carey for most number-ones since the Nielsen BDS-based Top 40 airplay chart launched in 1992. "Telephone" received a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals at the 53rd Grammy Awards.

In June 2010, Forbes placed Knowles at number three on its list of "Top-Earning Musicians" with $87 million in grosses for her 93-date world tour, deals with Nintendo and L'Oréal and her House of Deréon clothing line. This made her the world's best paid female artist for this span of time. In October 2010, Forbes recognized Knowles as the ninth "Most Powerful Woman in the World". Beyoncé Knowles also ranked at ninth place on Forbes' list of "Hollywood's 20 Highest Earners of 2010", becoming the only artist to break the top ten.

Knowles performing during the 4 Intimate Nights with Beyoncé revueIn January 2011, it was announced that Knowles would appear in a remake of A Star Is Born, to be directed and produced by Clint Eastwood for Warner Bros.. The remake will be the fourth telling of the A Star Is Born tale, the most memorable in recent years being the 1976 version with Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson. In February 2011, documents obtained by the WikiLeaks website revealed that Knowles along with Usher, Mariah Carey and Nelly Furtado had received as much as $1 million to perform for family members of Libyan politician Muammar Gaddafi.Rolling Stone magazine reported that the music industry was urging them to return the money they earned for the concerts. On March 2, 2011, a spokesperson for Knowles told The Huffington Post that she had donated the money to the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund, established to aid the victims of the 2010 Haiti earthquake. On March 28, 2011, it was announced that Knowles' father and longtime manager Mathew Knowles would no longer manage her. Knowles' publicist released a statement to The Associated Press revealing that Knowles and her father have split "on a business level." Beyoncé Knowles now manages herself and has hired her own team. In June 2011, Forbes placed Knowles eighth on its list of "Best-Paid Celebrities Under 30" for earning $35 million between the months of May 2010 and 2011. Forbes noted that was low placement for Knowles was due to the fact she spent most of the past year off the road and recording her then upcoming fourth studio album.

Knowles' fourth studio album 4 was released on June 24, 2011. The album was inspired by several musicians, including Fela Kuti, The Stylistics, Lauryn Hill, Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson. It debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, with first-week sales of 310,000 copies. This gave Knowles her fourth solo debut at the top of the chart and makes her the second female artist and third artist overall, to have her first four studio albums debut atop the Billboard 200. However, 4's first-week sales serve as Knowles' lowest sales start with a studio album to date. Its lead single, "Run the World (Girls)" peaked at number twenty-nine on the Billboard Hot 100, and became Knowles' lowest charting lead single as a solo artist. The album's second single, "Best Thing I Never Had", was released on June 1, 2011. As of September 25, 2011, the album had sold over 800,000 copies. Knowles headlined at the 2011 Glastonbury Festival, performing a 90-minute set on the last day of the festival on June 26, 2011. Beyoncé Knowles also performed at the T in the Park Festival in Scotland on July 9, 2011 and the Oxegen Festival in Ireland the next day. Knowles took the stage at New York's Roseland Ballroom for four nights of special performances. The set on each night of the 4 Intimate Nights with Beyoncé concerts was the entire collection of 4. For these four special nights, August 14, 16, 18 and 19, she performed her new songs to a standing room only audience.

On August 28, 2011 at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards, Knowles announced that she and Jay-Z are expecting their first child. Beyoncé Knowles  made the announcement during her red carpet appearance and again at the end of her performance of "Love on Top". The Huffington Post later confirmed that Knowles is 5 months pregnant and her pregnancy announcement had broken the "most tweets per second recorded for a single event" Twitter record, receiving 8,868 tweets per second. MTV reported that Knowles' performance of "Love on Top" and the announcement of her pregnancy at the awards ceremony helped the 2011's MTV Video Music Awards become the most-watched broadcast in MTV history, pulling in 12.4 million viewers.In addition, data from Google Insights showed that the most searched for term from August 29, 2011 to September 4, 2011 was "Beyonce pregnant" which reached 'breakout' levels - a term used by Google to describe a search with an increase of over 5,000 percent. Knowles' announcement of her pregnancy resulted in an increase in sales of her records, particularly 4, which had sold around than 700,000 copies as of August 2011. As of December 2011, 4 has sold 956,000 copies in the United States.

In October 2011, during an appearance on the Australian television program, Sunday Night, Knowles' pregnant belly appeared to collapse inwardly as she sat down on a chair. Following the interview, rumors then began circulating online that Knowles was faking her pregnancy and is actually wearing a prosthetic pregnant belly However, Knowles' representative later issued a statement to ABC News, saying that the rumors are "stupid, ridiculous and false".On October 8, a pre-taped performance of Knowles performing Michael Jackson's "I Wanna Be Where You Are" was shown at the "Michael Forever" tribute concert at Millenium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales. On November 30, 2011, Knowles received two nominations for 54th Grammy Awards; Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for "Party", and Best Long Form Music Video for I Am... World Tour. In December 2011, it was revealed that Knowles was working with The-Dream to record new music. In an interview with The BoomBox, The-Dream explained, "Beyoncé Knowles's ready to work ... Beyoncé Knowles's crazy! Beyoncé Knowles never stops doing anything. I don't know if [pregnancy] is going to slow her down. Beyoncé Knowles's just incredible with doing things, I don't know how she's going to do it, she's just a maniac ... in a good way."

Artistry Music and voice "Trust in Me"

While predominately R&B, Knowles' music explores various styles. The Daily Mail calls Knowles' voice "versatile", capable of exploring power ballads, soul, rock belting, operatic florishes, and hip hop.

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Knowles' music is generally contemporary R&B, but she also incorporates pop, funk, hip hop, and soul into her songs. While she almost exclusively releases English songs, Knowles recorded several Spanish songs for Irreemplazable and the re-release of B'Day. Prior to recording these, Knowles was coached phonetically by American record producer Rudy Perez.

Since Destiny's Child, Knowles has artistically been involved in her career. Beyoncé Knowles received co-writing credits for most of the songs recorded by the group, as well as her solo efforts. Known for writing personally driven and female-empowerment themed compositions, Knowles has stated that having Jay-Z in her life has changed a few of her thoughts about how men and women relate to one another, which helped her transition from writing songs such as "Independent Women" and "Survivor" to man-tending anthems such as, "Cater 2 U" in which she sings about bringing him slippers and drawing his bath. Some of her songs are autobiographical, which she has admitted are taken from personal experiences, as well as her friends'.Knowles has also received co-producing credits for most of the records in which she has been involved, especially during her solo efforts. However, she does not formulate beats herself, but typically comes up with melodies and ideas during production, sharing them with producers. Knowles was recognized as a songwriter during the run of Destiny's Child in the 1990s and early to mid-2000s. Beyoncé Knowles won the Pop Songwriter of the Year award at the 2001 American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers Pop Music Awards, becoming the first African-American female and second female songwriter of all time to accomplish the feat.Knowles received songwriting credits in a single year for co-writing "Irreplaceable", "Grillz" and "Check on It", all of which reached number one on the Hot 100, the only woman to have written three songs which went to number-one in the same year since Carole King did it in 1971 and Mariah Carey in 1991. In terms of credits, she is tied with Diane Warren at third with nine number-one singles.

Knowles possesses a mezzo-soprano vocal range that spans more than three octaves. Beyoncé Knowles has often been identified as the centerpiece of Destiny's Child.Jon Pareles of The New York Times commented that she has the voice that defines the group, writing that her voice is "velvety yet tart, with an insistent flutter and reserves of soul belting". Other critics praise her range and power. In reviewing her second album B'Day, Jody Rosen of Entertainment Weekly wrote "Beyoncé Knowles is a storm system disguised as a singer. On her second solo album, B'Day, the songs arrive in huge gusts of rhythm and emotion, with Beyoncé's voice rippling over clattery beats; you'd have to search far and wide—perhaps in the halls of the Metropolitan Opera – to find a vocalist who sings with more sheer force...No one—not R. Kelly, not Usher, to say nothing of her rival pop divas—can match Beyoncé's genius for dragging her vocal lines against a hip-hop beat."Chris Richards of The Washington Post wrote, "Even when she's coasting, she soars above her imitators. It's all in her voice—a superhuman instrument capable of punctuating any beat with goose-bump-inducing whispers or full-bore diva-roars. Smitten, scorned, amorous, antagonistic—Beyoncé sings from all of these vantage points with undeniable virtuosity."

Knowles has often been criticized for oversinging. A prominent employer of melisma, she earns frequent comparison to such artists as Mariah Carey, whose vocal embellishments have been known to detract from the melody of their songs. Editors from Eye Weekly wrote, "There’s no question that Beyoncé is one of the best singers in pop, maybe one of the best alive...[However] as judicious as her singing can be, the effect in sum is still like being hit in the head with a fist in a velvet glove."

Influences Knowles' credits Michael Jackson as her major musical influence and idol. Knowles has also named Diana Ross as another one of her influences because "she's an all-around entertainer: a great actor, a good singer, and a beautiful, elegant woman. Beyoncé Knowles's one of the few singers able to cross over into really good movies." Beyoncé Knowles other musical influences include Tina Turner, Prince,Lauryn Hill, Aaliyah, Mary J. Blige, Whitney Houston, Janet Jackson,Anita Baker and Rachelle Ferrell. Knowles credits Mariah Carey's singing and her song "Vision of Love" as influencing her to begin practicing vocal runs as a child, as well as helping her pursue a career as a musician.Beyoncé Knowles is also inspired by Oprah Winfrey and US First Lady Michelle Obama. Knowles says Winfrey is "the definition of inspiration and a strong woman. When I'm around her, I want to stand up straight, pronounce my words right, and articulate."

Stage and alter egoIn 2006, Knowles introduced her all-female tour band Suga Mama, which includes bassists, drummers, guitarists, horn players, keyboardists and percussionists. They made their début appearance at the 2006 BET Awards and re-appeared in the music videos for "Irreplaceable" and "Green Light". The band has supported Knowles in live performances, including her 2007 concert tour, The Beyoncé Experience, and her 2009 I Am... Tour.

Knowles often receives praise for her stage presence and live performances. In March 2011, Jarett Wieselman of The New York Post placed Knowles at number one on her list of The Five Best Singer/Dancers, writing, "the megastar consistently devote[s] every ounce of her to the routine." In reviewing her live show for her 2009 I Am... Tour, Renee Michelle Harris of the South Florida Times wrote, Knowles "owns the stage with her trademark swagger and intensity... showcasing her powerful vocals without missing a note, often while engaged in vigorous, perfectly executed dance moves...no one, not Britney, not Ciara and not Rihanna can offer what she does—a complete package of voice, moves and presence."Babara Ellen of The Guardian wrote, "whether charismatic and soulful, or teasing and flirty, Beyoncé is, above all, in charge. Probably the most "in charge" of any female artist I've seen onstage". In reviewing her I Am... Tour, Alice Jones of The Independent wrote, "Watching Beyoncé sing and strut her stuff can feel at best overawing, at worst, alienating. Beyoncé Knowles takes her role as entertainer so seriously she's almost too good." Tamara Hardingham-Gill of the Daily Mail wrote, "many industry experts have been tipping Beyoncé as the next Michael Jackson. While it’s far too early for such comparisons, she certainly proved that she is one of the most exciting and talented performers around and may well go down in history as such".

 "Dangerously in Love" (live)

Reviewers have praised Knowles live vocal performances. In reviewing one of her performances, Jim Farber of The Daily News wrote "Beyoncé showed off pipes of steely power. As the song's signature horn riff pumped away, she soared over the melody with athletic ease. The way Beyoncé used her body intensified the sense of triumph. With her hair teased into Medusa-like tresses, a pelvis in perpetual churn and legs long enough to make Tina Turner proud, Beyoncé's presence punctuated her singing like an exclamation point." Stephanie Classen of the Star Phoenix declares "Beyoncé is no ordinary performer... from note one, the 27-year-old powerhouse rose above all the gimmicks, mastering the show like a sexy alien overlord princess. Nothing but extraterrestrial origins could explain that voice....[Beyoncé] could perform circles around any other pop star today." Editors from Newsday wrote, "she proves that hot choreography and strong vocals don't have to be mutually exclusive... No worries of lip-synching here."

Known for being sexy, seductive and provocative when performing on stage, Knowles has stated that's her alter ego, Sasha Fierce. Beyoncé Knowles described Sasha as being "too aggressive, too strong, too sassy [and] too sexy", stating "I'm not like her in real life at all ... I'm not flirtatious and super-confident and fearless like her. What I feel onstage I don't feel anywhere else. It's an out-of-body experience. I created my stage persona to protect myself so that when I go home I don't have to think about what it is I do. Sasha isn't me. The people around me know who I really am." Although Sasha was born during the making of her 2003 hit single, "Crazy in Love", Knowles introduced her alter ego with the release of her third album, I Am... Sasha Fierce in 2008. In February 2010, Knowles announced in an interview with Allure magazine that "Sasha Fierce is done. I killed her". Beyoncé Knowles then went on saying that she is comfortable enough with herself to be all of those things without an alias, stating "I don't need Sasha Fierce anymore, because I've grown and now I'm able to merge the two."

Knowles performing "Ave Maria" during her I Am... Tour in 2009 Knowles has stated, "I like to dress sexy and I carry myself like a lady," but she has said that the way she dresses on stage is "absolutely for the stage". The media often use the term "Bootylicious" (a portmanteau of the words booty and delicious), to describe Knowles because of her curves.The term was made widely known by the Destiny's Child hit song of the same name, and has been added to the Oxford English Dictionary.As someone who is fond of fashion, Knowles combines its artistic elements with her music videos and performances. According to Italian fashion designer Roberto Cavalli, she uses different styles and tries to harmonize it with the music while performing. The B'Day Anthology Video Album showed many instances of fashion-oriented footage, depicting classic to contemporary wardrobe styles. People magazine recognized Knowles as the best-dressed celebrity in 2007. Knowles' mother wrote a 2002-published book, titled Destiny's Style: Bootylicious Fashion, Beauty and Life style Secrets From Destiny's Child, an account of how fashion had an impact on Destiny's Child's success.

As one of the most media-exposed black celebrities in the United States, Knowles has often received criticism that some believe is due to racism and sexism.Toure of Rolling Stone stated that since the release of Dangerously in Love, "[Beyoncé] has become a crossover sex symbol a la Halle Berry ..."In 2006, the animal rights organization, PETA, had criticized Knowles for wearing fur coats and using fur in her clothing line, House of Deréon.The organization said they had previously attempted to reach Knowles through faxes, letters and rallies outside her concerts. However with no reply, PETA confronted her at a dinner in New York. During the release of pop singer Rihanna's second album, A Girl Like Me, many critics felt that her image was too heavily similar to Knowles'. Some media even claimed that Jay-Z fashioned her to be a replica of Knowles. Amina Taylor of The Guardian, noted her as the "Bajan Beyoncé". In 2007, Knowles was featured on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, the first non-model and non-athlete woman to pose on the issue and the second African American model after Tyra Banks. In the same year, Knowles appeared on billboards and newspapers across the United States showing her holding an antiquated cigarette holder. Taken from the back cover of B'Day, the image provoked response from an anti-smoking group, stating that she did not need to add the cigarette holder "to make herself appear more sophisticated".Knowles has several wax figures of herself at Madame Tussauds Wax Museums in major cities around the world, including New York, Washington, D.C., Amsterdam, Bangkok and Hollywood.

In March 2009, comparisons were made between the fashions of Knowles and R&B singer Ciara, when the latter released the music video of her single, "Love Sex Magic". In the video, Ciara is seen wearing a black leotard and metallic glasses, similar to those worn by Knowles in both her "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" and "Diva" videos.However, Ciara stated that her outfits were "inspired by the Vegas shows" she attended.In September 2010, Knowles made her runway modelling debut at Tom Ford’s Spring/Summer 2011 fashion show. In February 2011, LA Times magazine placed Knowles at number twenty-five on its list of the 50 Most Beautiful Women in Film. In the same month, Knowles appeared on the cover of the March issue of the French fashion magazine, L'Officiel, in honor of the magazine's 90th anniversary, and in tribute to Nigerian musician Fela Kuti. Beyoncé Knowles appeared in blackface makeup and tribal makeup, that has drawn criticism from the media.A statement released from a spokesperson for the magazine, said that Knowles' look was "far from the glamorous Sasha Fierce" and explained that it was "a return to her African roots, as you can see on the picture, on which her face was voluntarily darkened."In 2011, Knowles became the first major solo female performer to appear on the Pyramid stage, in over twenty years, during the Glastonbury Festival in England.

Legacy In November 2009, Knowles was named the Artist of the Decade by The Observer. In December 2009, Billboard magazine ranked Knowles the fourth Artist of the 2000s decade and named her the most successful female artist of the 2000s, as well as the top radio artist. Knowles was also ranked 15th on Billboard magazine's list of The Top 50 R&B/Hip Hop Artists of the Past 25 Years (1985–2010). In February 2010, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), listed Knowles as the top certified artist of the decade, with a total of 64 certifications, including albums, digital songs, master ringtones and music videos. In August 2010, Knowles was ranked 52nd on VH1's list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. In 2011, The Root magazine ranked Knowles 13th on their list of The 100 Most Influential African Americans. In May 2011, Keith Caulfield and Gary Trust of Billboard magazine listed Knowles at number 17 on their list of the Top 20 Hot 100 Songwriters, for having co-written eight singles that hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Beyoncé Knowles was one of only three women on that list. In September 2011, it was made known that Knowles had set a new Guinness World Records, for most tweets per second about her pregnancy. A year earlier, Knowles and her husband Jay-Z made it into the Guinness Book of World Records, cited as the "Power Couple" for collectively earning $122 million in 2009.On September 29, 2011, "Crazy in Love" was ranked number one on VH1's list of The 100 Greatest Songs of the 2000s. In October 2011, Prefix magazine listed Knowles at number one on their list of the Best Female R&B Singers, writing that "What's almost unbelievably insane is that not only can Beyoncé sing better than anybody else out there, but she can also dance better than anyone else out there, and unlike virtually every single performer, she can do both at the same time."

Knowles performing "Listen" during "The Beyoncé Experience" in Munich, GermanyThroughout her career, Knowles has received numerous awards and achievements. In 2007, she became the first female artist to be awarded the International Artist Award at the American Music Awards. At the 2008 World Music Awards, Knowles was honored the legend award for Outstanding Contribution to the Arts.Beyoncé Knowles was also honored with a Billboard Millennium Award at the 2011 Billboard Music Awards, for recognizing her career achievements and influence in the music industry. Knowles is one of the most honored artists by the Grammys, and third among female artists, with a total of 16 Grammy Awards—13 as a solo artist and 3 as a member of Destiny's Child. Beyoncé Knowles debut solo album, Dangerously in Love, was listed as one of the top 200 definitive albums in music history by the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.As of September 2009, Knowles has sold 75 million records worldwide as a solo artist, making her one of the best-selling music artists of all time.

Knowles has become a musical inspiration among many contemporary artists, including Rihanna,Alexandra Burke, Leona Lewis, Jessie J, Nicki Minaj,JoJo and Nicole Scherzinger Minaj has cited Knowles as one of her idols and admires her for being "so driven". Adele has also stated that Knowles is one of her idols and has revealed to Rolling Stone magazine, that she was inspired by Knowles' alter ego to create her own named Sasha Carter. The composite of Sasha Fierce and late country icon June Carter is pulled out whenever she needs to give herself a shot of confidence. Trey Songz, Keri Hilson, Jazmine Sullivan and Miranda Lambert have also mentioned that they are fans of Knowles' music. Kelly Rowland revealed in an interview with MTV News that Knowles was one of the artists she was inspired by while recording her second solo album, Ms. Kelly. Miley Cyrus told Seventeen magazine that she would like to be like Knowles, saying "Beyoncé Knowles is the ultimate woman. You look at her and you don't think, I wonder what her personal life is like. You look at her and you go, that girl on the stage is a superstar. You don't care about anything else; you only care about her music. So I would hope that would be me in the future."Lady Gaga, in an interview for her MTV special Lady Gaga: Inside the Outsidetold, revealed that she drew inspiration from Knowles before becoming famous. Beyoncé Knowles  said "You know, I've never told Beyoncé this, but I remember laying on my grandmother's couch crying, and a Destiny's Child video came on. I remember watching Beyoncé thinking, 'Oh, she's a star. I want that. I want to be on MTV'. And now I'm in music videos with Beyoncé." Actress Gwyneth Paltrow revealed to Harper’s Bazaar UK that she studied Knowles a lot at her live concerts, while learning to become a musical performer in the film Country Strong. Katy Perry told InStyle magazine that she looked to Knowles for some "trend-setting inspiration", and stated that she adopted Knowles' glowing legs. Blondie frontwoman Debbie Harry revealed that she was disappointed that she never became a megastar like Knowles, and told Billboard magazine, "the temptation to be such a great entertainer and performer like Beyoncé [is] so fantastic. I would adore doing some of that stuff. Beyoncé Knowles track record with songs is phenomenal; I wish we had as many hits."During an interview with Extra, Simon Cowell and LA Reid were asked for their thoughts on Knowles. Cowell said: "Ambitious, talented, competitive. Beyoncé Knowles defines this new breed of what I call super popstars, and they are all girls at the moment. It's like a new super species who literally want to rule the world." Reid added: "Beyoncé Knowles may arguably be the most talented performer alive."

Knowles' music video for "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" has achieved fame for its intricate choreography, which has been credited as having started the "first major dance craze of both the new millennium and the Internet". This prompted a legion of imitations and parodies from men and women all around the world posting videos of themselves onto YouTube attempting to perform the choreography. Celebrities have also tried the choreography, including Justin Timberlake, Joe Jonas, Tom Hanks and US President Barack Obama.

Other ventures Clothing lines Knowles and her mother introduced House of Deréon, a ready-to-wear contemporary women's fashion line, in 2005. The concept is inspired by three generations of women in their family, with the name Deréon paying tribute to Knowles' grandmother, Agnèz Deréon, who worked as a seamstress. According to Tina Knowles, the overall style of the line best reflects Knowles' taste and style. Launched in 2006, products of House of Deréon received public exhibitions during the group's shows and tours during the Destiny Fulfilled era. The store, which is available across the United States and Canada, sells sportswear, denim along with fur, outerwear and accessories including handbags. Knowles also teamed up with House of Brands, a local shoe company, to produce a range of footwear for House of Deréon.

In 2004, Knowles and her mother founded their family's company Beyond Productions, which provides the licensing and brand management for House of Deréon.In early 2008, they launched Beyoncé Fashion Diva, a mobile game with an online social networking component, featuring House of Deréon. In July 2009, Knowles and her mother launched a new junior apparel label, Sasha Fierce for Deréon, for back-to-school selling. The collection, which is inspired by Knowles' stage presence, consists of sportswear, outerwear, handbags, footwear, eyewear, lingerie and jewelry. The clothing line was picked up by department stores including Macy’s and Dillard’s and specialty stores, Jimmy Jazz and Against All Odds. In May 2010, Knowles teamed up with clothing store C&A to release her Deréon clothing line labeled, Deréon by Beyoncé for C&A. The collection was only made available in Brazilian C&A stores.

Products and endorsementsIn 2002, Knowles signed a promotional deal with Pepsi to appear in two television commercials, as well as in radio and Internet advertisements and in-store promotional materials. A 2004 Pepsi television commercial in the theme of "Gladiators" featured Knowles with singers Britney Spears, Pink, and Enrique Iglesias, and the following year with Jennifer Lopez and David Beckham entitled "Samurai". Knowles' range of commercial deals and products also includes beauty care products and perfumes. Beyoncé Knowles has worked with L'Oréal since the age of 18. In 2004, Knowles launched her fragrance, True Star, with Tommy Hilfiger. The commercial for the scent is in black and white and has Knowles singing a cover version of "Wishing on a Star", for which she earned $250,000.The following year, Knowles launched her second fragrance with Hilfiger, True Star Gold. In 2007, Knowles appeared in an advertisement campaign for the Emporio Armani Diamonds fragrance.

In March 2009, Knowles appeared in a television commercial for the Nintendo DS game "Rhythm Heaven". In January 2010, Knowles signed a three-year endorsement deal with Vizio. Beyoncé Knowles also appeared in two television commercials for "Style Savvy", a fashion video game for the Nintendo DS and Nintendo DSi. Five designs from her House of Deréon clothing line were available for download in the game.In February 2010, Knowles launched her first fragrance, Heat. Beyoncé Knowles  re-recorded her cover version of "Fever" for the fragrance's television commercial. The commercial was banned from daytime television in the United Kingdom, after it had received 14 viewer complaints. The commercial begins with an image of Knowles appearing to lie naked in a room, had been deemed "too sexually provocative" to be seen by young children and was not shown before 7.30 pm. In February 2011, Knowles launched her second fragrance, Heat Rush. In April 2011, Knowles was sued by US game developer, Gate Five, for more than $100 million, who claimed she "destroyed [its] business ... on a whim". Knowles changed her mind about plans for a game called "Starpower: Beyoncé", forcing the company to sack 70 employees the week before Christmas 2010. Knowles' third fragrance, Pulse, was launched in September 2011.

Philanthropy Knowles and Destiny's Child band mate, Kelly Rowland, along with the former's family, founded the Survivor Foundation, a charitable entity set up to provide transitional housing for 2005 Hurricane Katrina victims and storm evacuees in the Houston, Texas area. The Survivor Foundation extended the philanthropic mission of the Knowles-Rowland Center for Youth, a multi-purpose community outreach facility in downtown Houston. Knowles donated $100,000 to the Gulf Coast Ike Relief Fund, which benefits victims of Hurricane Ike in the Houston area. Beyoncé Knowles  is organizing a fund raising benefit for Hurricane Ike relief through the Survivor Foundation. In 2005, music producer David Foster, his daughter Amy Foster-Gillies, and Knowles wrote "Stand Up for Love", which would serve as the anthem of World Children's Day, an event which takes place annually around the world on November 20 to raise awareness and funds for children's causes worldwide. Destiny's Child lent their voices and support as global ambassadors for the 2005 World Children's Day program. Knowles conducted food drives during stops on The Beyoncé Experience tour in Houston on July 14, Atlanta on July 20, Washington, D.C. on August 9, Toronto on August 15, Chicago on August 18, and Los Angeles on September 2, 2006.

Knowles at the opening of the Beyoncé Cosmetology Center on March 5, 2010On October 4, 2008, Knowles attended the Miami Children's Hospital Diamond Ball & Private Concert at the American Airlines Arena in Miami, where she was inducted into the International Pediatric Hall of Fame. Seven-year-old Ethan Bortnick dedicated and performed "Over the Rainbow" to Knowles.After completing work on Cadillac Records, Knowles donated her entire salary to Phoenix House, an organization of rehabilitation centers around the country. Knowles visited a Brooklyn, New York site in preparation for portraying singer Etta James, who was once addicted to heroin. During this time, she recorded with various artists for "Just Stand Up!", a charity single for the Stand Up to Cancer charity. Joining Knowles on the song was Mariah Carey, Leona Lewis, Rihanna, Leann Rimes and Mary J. Blige, among others. Knowles also teamed up with the "Show Your Helping Hand" hunger relief initiative and General Mills Hamburger Helper. The goal was to help Feeding America deliver more than 3.5 million meals to local food banks. Knowles encouraged her fans to bring non-perishable groceries to her U.S. concert tour stops.

In January 2010, Knowles participated in the Hope for Haiti Now: A Global Benefit for Earthquake Relief. Beyoncé Knowles appeared in London with Jay-Z, Rihanna, and U2's Bono and The Edge, where she performed a piano version of her song "Halo". Knowles was named the official face of the limited edition "Fashion For Haiti" T-shirt by the Council of Fashion Designers of America. The shirt, which reads: "To Haiti With Love", was designed by Peter Arnell, who also created the "Fashion for America" T-shirt which raised $2 million after 9/11.

On March 5, 2010, Knowles and her mother, Tina Knowles, opened the Beyoncé Cosmetology Center at the Brooklyn Phoenix House. The program offers a seven-month cosmetology training course for men and women there. L'Oréal has donated all the products to be used at the center, and Knowles, along with her mother, have pledged to donate $100,000 annually. In April 2011, Knowles joined forces with US First Lady Michelle Obama and the National Association of Broadcasters Education Foundation to help boost her campaign against child obesity. Knowles reworked "Get Me Bodied" (2007) and renamed it "Move Your Body" for the Let’s Move! Flash Workout initiative. On April 9, 2011, an instructional video featuring a group of teenagers dancing to "Move Your Body" was released online. On April 26, 2011, Knowles released a video of her own version of the exercise routine.Following the death of Osama bin Laden, Knowles released a charity single titled, "God Bless the USA", to help raise funds for the New York Police and Fire Widows' and Children's Benefit Fund. The song was originally released in 1984 by country musician Lee Greenwood.Its popularity increased after the September 11 attacks, and it was re-released following the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

Beyoncé Knowles Discography

Dangerously in Love (2003)

B'Day (2006)

I Am... Sasha Fierce (2008)

4 (2011)

Beyoncé Knowles Videography

Carmen: A Hip Hopera (2001)

Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002)

The Fighting Temptations (2003)

The Pink Panther (2006)

Dreamgirls (2006)

Cadillac Records (2008)

Obsessed (2009)

A Star Is Born (2012)

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