The Queen is back. Just two years after she gave us the beautiful and creative, “RENAISSANCE,” Beyoncé is back for more. Fans are extremely intrigued with what the legendary performer will do on “Cowboy Carter,” her first country album. It’s already caused a lot of controversy and conversation across the industry, what will fans think of it?
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This is why now is the perfect time to look back at the career and life of one of the most beloved, iconic, and influential artists of all time. This is the evolution of Beyoncé.
Born in Houston
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter was born on Sept. 4, 1981, in Houston, Texas, to Mathew Knowles and Tina Lawson. She has a younger sister, Solange, who was also a backup dancer for Destiny’s Child and went on to become a successful singer in her own right.
Girl’s Tyme
Before Destiny’s Child, there was Girl’s Tyme, a girl group created in 1990 along with founding members Beyoncé and LaTavia Roberson. Kelly Rowland joined the group two years later in 1992, along with Támar Davis and sisters Nikki and Nina Taylor. A year later, the Davis and the Taylor sisters were cut from the group and LeToya Luckett joined the team. Up until 1998, the group changed its name multiple times to Somethin’ Fresh, Cliché, The Dolls, and Destiny before finally landing on Destiny’s Child.
Destiny’s Child
When the group’s first album dropped in 1998, the members of the group were Beyoncé, Kelly Rowland, LaTavia Roberson, and LeToya Luckett. In 2000, Roberson and Luckett left the group and were replaced by Farrah Franklin and Michelle Williams. Franklin left the group after only six months. It ended up working out for the best because the trio of Beyoncé, Rowland, and Williams became the most popular iteration of the group. Their last album, “Destiny Fulfilled,” was released in 2004.
Austin Powers in Goldmember
In 2003, Beyoncé made her film debut in the movie “Austin Powers in Goldmember,” where she played the love interest. Her catchphrase was “I’m a whole lotta woman.”
“‘03 Bonnie & Clyde”
Appearing on Jay-Z’s 2002 single “‘03 Bonnie & Clyde,” this collab was Beyoncé’s first solo appearance since Destiny’s Child broke up. It also signaled that the two were dating, which ended up being true. They married in 2008.
Dangerously in Love
Queen Bey’s first solo album was an R&B hit when it was released in 2003. It included the popular single “Crazy in Love” which featured her boyfriend Jay-Z. He was also featured on “That’s How You Like It.”
B’Day
In 2006, her sophomore solo album B’Day was released on the same day as her 25th birthday. The album was wildly popular and included hit singles “DéJa Vu,” “Irreplaceable,” and “Ring the Alarm.”
Dreamgirls
Her most popular acting role was arguably in the 2006 movie “Dreamgirls,” which was a film version of the 1981 Broadway musical of the same name. It was loosely based on The Supremes and Beyoncé played Deena Jones, who was based on Diana Ross. Her co-star, Jennifer Hudson, won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress because of her performance.
I Am… Sasha Fierce
In 2008, Beyoncé’s third album formally introduced her alter ego, Sasha Fierce. The album includes some of Queen Bey’s most popular songs ever such as “Single Ladies,” “If I Were a Boy,” and “Halo.”
2009 MTV Video Music Awards
At the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards Awards, everything was going smoothly until Kanye uttered the words, “Beyoncé had one of the best videos of all time!” Leaving Bey in an awkward position. I mean, he’s not wrong “Single Ladies” is one of the most iconic videos of all time. Beyoncé later let Taylor Swift finish her speech after she was cut off by West.
4
Beyoncé came back with a simple name for her fourth album in 2011, but like many of her other releases, it was also a hit and included popular singles “Love On Top,” “Party” and “Run the World (Girls).”
Pregnancy
The Houston singer performed “Love on Top ‘’ at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards and to close out the show Beyoncé revealed her baby bump, which ended up being her first daughter Blu Ivy Carter.
Super Bowl XLVII halftime show
Like almost every famous pop star of a generation, Beyoncé performed at the halftime show of Super Bowl XLVII where she also made a surprise appearance with Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams to reunite Destiny’s Child. Her performance was so amazing that the lights went out during the game.
Beyoncé (The Album)
Don’t forget who started the trend. On December 12, 2013, Beyoncé dropped her self-titled surprise album. That’s right, no promo, no announcement, just an album full of songs. Every song on the album had a music video. Many of the songs became bangers, noticeably “Drunk in Love,” “Flawless,” “7/11” and “Partition.”
Jay-Z Vs. Solange
In a video released by TMZ, you can see Solange, Beyoncé’s sister, just wailing at Jay-Z in an elevator while Bey stands in the corner. The incident occurred right after the Met Gala in 2014 and was also the inspiration for Jay-Z’s 2017 album “4:44,” which was the address where the incident occurred.
Super Bowl 50
Beyoncé was not the headliner for the show, that would be Coldplay. But she stole the show along with Bruno Mars with her Black Panther-inspired dancers. Weirdly, her performance caused some controversy because people weren’t happy with her “Black power” inspired routine. But everyone who appreciates good live performances loved it.
Lemonade
At that Super Bowl halftime show, Beyoncé debuted the song “Formation,” which was the lead single for her 2016 album “Lemonade.” Along with the album, she released a one-hour film that aired on HBO which corresponded with the music. The album ended up being one of the best of the decade and one of Bey’s best albums to date.
Twins
Beyoncé announced her second pregnancy on Feb. 1, 2017, on Instagram with an iconic post. It sent fans on social media into a frenzy not only because the pictures were amazing, but because she revealed she was having twins, Rumi and Sir.
EVERYTHING IS LOVE
In collaboration with her husband, Jay-Z, they released the album “EVERYTHING IS LOVE” under the name, “THE CARTERS.” The project included many good songs but the track, “APESHIT” was a smash hit.
Homecoming
Everybody remembers where when Beyoncé performed at Coachella in 2018. It was an incredible performance that was watched by millions across the world. She later released “Homecoming,” a documentary on Netflix that detailed her preparation for the show and the behind-the-scenes of the performance. She used bands and dancers who attended HBCUs.
The Lion King
In 2019, Beyoncé voiced the character of Nahla in the remake of “The Lion King.” She also made an accompanying album along with the movie, “The Lion King: The Gift,” which featured many prominent singers and artists from Africa.
RENAISSANCE
In 2022, Beyoncé recently released her exceptional dance album, “RENAISSANCE” which took over social media when it was released. Reviews of the album have been sensational and it is set to be one of three “acts” that Queen Bey is set to release.
Renaissance World Tour
Shortly after releasing, “Renaissance,” Queen Bey returned to work and embarked on a worldwide tour for the ages. Her “Renaissance World Tour” became the highest-grossing tour for a woman in music HISTORY.
Renaissance: A Film By Beyoncé
Even people who aren’t in the Beyhive were floored by the quality of this film. It was a beautiful watch that gave fans an emotional and inclusive behind-the-scenes look at the “Renaissance World Tour.”
Cowboy Carter
In early March, Beyoncé announced her first country album, “Cowboys Carter,” and released “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM” and “16 CARRIAGES” to get fans excited about the record. Everyone in the industry is interested to see how well the Queen can make a country album.
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