Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter (/biˈɒnseɪ/ⓘbee-ON-say;[6] born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and businesswoman. With a career spanning over three decades, she has established herself as one of the mostsignificant figures of the 21st century through her vocal ability, musical versatility,live performances, and culturally important works. Credited with revolutionizing the sound ofpopular music, Beyoncé is often deemed one of the most influential artists of all time.[7]Time named her one of the100 most influential people in the world in 2013, 2014, and 2023.
Beyoncé was raised within multiple religious traditions, attending both St. John's United Methodist Church and St. Mary of the Purification Catholic Church in Houston.[24][25] She received her early education at St. Mary's Catholic Montessori School in Houston, where she also enrolled in dance classes.[26] Her vocal talent was discovered when her dance instructor, Darlette Johnson, began humming a song and Beyoncé completed it, showing her ability to reach high-pitched notes.[27] Her passion for music and performance deepened after she won a school talent show at the age of seven by singingJohn Lennon's "Imagine", outperforming competitors aged fifteen and sixteen.[28][29] In 1990, a nine-year-old Beyoncé enrolled in Parker Elementary School, a musicmagnet school in Houston, where she performed with the school's choir.[30][31] She later attended theKinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts and subsequentlyAlief Elsik High School.[32] Beyoncé was also a member of the choir at St. John's United Methodist Church where she sang her firstsolo and was asoloist for two years.[24][33]
In 1990, Beyoncé and childhood friendKelly Rowland metLaTavia Roberson while in an audition for an all-girl entertainment group.[34] They were placed inGirl's Tyme with three other girls, a group that performed rap and dance routines on Houston's talent show circuit.[29][35]R&B producer Arne Frager noticed them and later entered the group inStar Search, the largest national talent show on television at the time. Although they lost, Beyoncé later attributed the failure to a poor song choice.[36][37] In 1995, Beyoncé's father Mathew left his job to manage the group, which halved the family's income and led to them moving into separated apartments.[34][38][39] He reduced the group's lineup to four members, and they continued performing as an opening act for established R&B girl groups.[34] After being briefly signed byElektra Records and later dropped, tensions led to a six-month separation of Beyoncé's parents.[40][41] After the Knowles family later reunited, the group secured a contract withColumbia Records, aided by talent scoutTeresa LaBarbera Whites.[28]
The remaining members of Destiny's Child—Beyoncé,Kelly Rowland, andMichelle Williams—recorded "Independent Women Part I" in 2000, which was featured on the soundtrack of the filmCharlie's Angels (2000). The song became the group's highest-charting single, spending eleven consecutive weeks at number one in the U.S.[52] In early 2001, while Destiny's Child was completing work on their third album, Beyoncé secured a leading role in the MTV made-for-television filmCarmen: A Hip Hopera, starring alongside American actorMekhi Phifer. Set in Philadelphia, the film is a 21st century interpretation of the 19th-century operaCarmen by French composerGeorges Bizet.[34] Upon its release in May 2001, Destiny's Child's third album,Survivor, debuted at number one on theBillboard 200, selling 663,000 copies in its first week.[53] Around the same time, former membersLeToya Luckett and Roberson filed a lawsuit, alleging that some of the album's content was directed at them.[54][55] The album produced "Bootylicious" and the title track, "Survivor", which peaked at number one and two in the United States, respectively.[56][57] "Survivor" earned the group a Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.[58] Following the release of their holiday album,8 Days of Christmas (2001), Destiny's Child announced a hiatus to allow each member to pursue solo careers.[34]
2002–2007:Dangerously in Love,B'Day, andDreamgirls
In July 2002, Beyoncé made her theatrical film debut, portraying the characterFoxxy Cleopatra alongsideMike Myers in the comedyAustin Powers in Goldmember. The film debuted at number one at the U.S. box office and earned $73 million during its opening weekend.[60][61] To accompany the film, Beyoncé released "Work It Out" as the lead single from its soundtrack.[62] Beyoncé's hit as a solo artist was a feature onJay-Z's track "'03 Bonnie & Clyde" from his albumThe Blueprint 2: The Gift & The Curse (2002).[63] The single peaked at number four on the Hot 100 chart.[64] Beyoncé appeared as Jay-Z's girlfriend in the music video for the song, fueling speculation about a relationship.[65] She shared that they began dating when she was nineteen, after being friends for a year and a half before going on any dates.[66]
On June 14, 2003, Beyoncé premiered songs from her debut solo album,Dangerously in Love, during her first solo concert, which was broadcast as apay-per-view television special.[67] The album was officially released on June 24, 2003, following the solo releases of her Destiny's Child bandmates Williams and Rowland.[34][68]Dangerously in Love debuted at number one on theBillboard 200 chart, selling 317,000 copies in its first week.[69] The album's lead single, "Crazy in Love", featuring Jay-Z, became Beyoncé's first number-one single as a solo artist in the US.[70] The single "Baby Boy" also reached number one,[59] while "Me, Myself and I" and "Naughty Girl" both reached the top-five.[71] The album earned Beyoncé a then record-tying five awards at the46th Annual Grammy Awards, includingBest Contemporary R&B Album and Best R&B Song for "Crazy in Love".[72] She later starred alongsideCuba Gooding Jr. in the musical comedyThe Fighting Temptations (2003), portraying a single mother and the love interest of Gooding's character. It received mixed reviews from critics andunderperformed at the box office.[73][74] Beyoncé performed several songs for thefilm's soundtrack, including its two singles, "Fighting Temptation" and "Summertime".[75]
In November 2003, Beyoncé embarked on theDangerously in Love Tour across Europe,[76] and later joinedMissy Elliott andAlicia Keys for theVerizon Ladies First Tour in North America.[77][78] On February 1, 2004, she performed theAmerican national anthem atSuper Bowl XXXVIII, held atReliant Stadium in Houston.[79][80] Beyoncé had planned to produce a follow-up toDangerously in Love using several of the leftover tracks; this was put on hold so she could concentrate on recording Destiny's Child's final album,Destiny Fulfilled.[81] Released on November 15, 2004, in the U.S.[82] and peaking at number two on theBillboard 200,[83][84]Destiny Fulfilled included the singles "Lose My Breath" and "Soldier", both of which reached within the top five in the U.S.[85] Destiny's Child embarked on a global concert tour titledDestiny Fulfilled... and Lovin' It. It featured performances of many of the group's biggest hits, including "No, No, No" and "Say My Name", as well as selections from each member's solo career.[86][87] At the final stop of their European tour inBarcelona in June 2005, Rowland announced that Destiny's Child would disband following the North American leg of the tour.[87][88] The group released their first compilation album,#1's, in October and were honored with a star on theHollywood Walk of Fame in March 2006.[89][90]
Beyoncé's second solo album,B'Day, was released in the United States on September 4, 2006, to coincide with her twenty-fifth birthday.[91][92] The album debuted at number one on theBillboard 200 chart, selling 541,000 copies in its first week, making it her second consecutive number-one album in the U.S.[93][94] The album's lead single, "Déjà Vu", featuring Jay-Z, reached number four on theBillboard Hot 100 chart.[95] The second international single, "Irreplaceable", topped the charts in several territories worldwide, including the U.S.[96]B'Day also produced several additional singles, including "Ring the Alarm", "Get Me Bodied", and "Green Light".[97][98] At the2007 Grammy Awards,B'Day received five nominations, includingBest Contemporary R&B Album andBest R&B Song andBest Rap/Sung Collaboration for "Déjà Vu".[99] In 2008, the album garnered more nominations, includingRecord of the Year for "Irreplaceable".[100]
Beyoncé's first acting role in 2006 was in the comedy filmThe Pink Panther, in which she starred alongsideSteve Martin.[101] The film was a commercial success, grossing $158 million worldwide.[102] Her second film that year,Dreamgirls—a cinematic adaptation ofthe 1981 Broadway musical—received critical acclaim and earned $154 million globally. Portraying a pop singer modeled afterDiana Ross, Beyoncé starred alongsideJennifer Hudson,Jamie Foxx, andEddie Murphy.[103] In April 2007, Beyoncé embarked onthe Beyoncé Experience, her first worldwide concert tour, which visited 97 venues[104] and grossed over $24 million.[b] Beyoncé conducted pre-concert food donation drives during six major stops in conjunction with her pastor at St. John's andAmerica's Second Harvest. At the same time,B'Day was re-released with five additional songs, including her duet withShakira "Beautiful Liar".[106] In June 2007, Beyoncé and Jay-Z announced their engagement.[107]
On April 4, 2008, Beyoncé and Jay-Z married without publicity.[108] Inspired by their marriage, Beyoncé releasedI Am... Sasha Fierce in November 2008 and formally introduced heralter ego Sasha Fierce.[109] It was met with mixed reviews from critics,[110] but sold 482,000 copies in its first week, debuting atop theBillboard 200, and giving Beyoncé her third consecutive number-one album in the U.S.[111] The album featured her fourth UK number-one single "If I Were a Boy" and her fifth U.S. number-one song "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)".[112] "Halo" achieved the accomplishment of becoming her longest-running Hot 100 single in her career,[113] "Halo"'s success in the U.S. helped Beyoncé attain more top-ten singles on the list than any other woman during the 2000s.[114]
The music video for "Single Ladies" has been parodied and imitated around the world, spawning the "first major dance craze" of theInternet age according to theToronto Star.[115] At the2009 MTV Video Music Awards, the video won three categories, including Video of the Year.[116] In March 2009, Beyoncé embarked on theI Am... Tour, her second headlining worldwide concert tour, consisting of 108 shows, grossing $119.5 million.[117]
Beyoncé further expanded her acting career, starring asblues singerEtta James in the 2008 musical biopicCadillac Records. Her performance in the film received praise from critics,[118] and she garnered several nominations for her portrayal of James, including aSatellite Award nomination forBest Supporting Actress, and anNAACP Image Award nomination forOutstanding Supporting Actress.[119][120] Beyoncé donated her entire salary from the film to Phoenix House, an organization of rehabilitation centers for heroin addicts around the country.[121] Beyoncé starred oppositeAli Larter andIdris Elba in the thriller,Obsessed. She played Sharon Charles, a mother and wife whose family is threatened by her husband'sstalker. The film received negative reviews from critics,[122] and did well at the U.S. box office, grossing $68 million – $60 million more thanCadillac Records[123] – on a budget of $20 million.[124]
At the52nd Annual Grammy Awards, Beyoncé received ten nominations, tying withLauryn Hill for most Grammy nominations in a single year by a female artist.[125] Beyoncé went on to win six of those nominations,breaking a record she previously tied in 2004 for the most Grammy awards won in a single night by a female artist with six. In 2010, Beyoncé provide guest vocals onLady Gaga's single "Telephone".[126][127] The song topped the U.S.Pop Songs chart, becoming the sixth number-one for both Beyoncé and Gaga, tying them withMariah Carey for most number-ones since theNielsen Top 40 airplay chart launched in 1992.[128]
2010–2012:4 and first child
Beyoncé announced a hiatus from her music career in January 2010, heeding her mother's advice, "to live life, to be inspired by things again".[129][130] During the break, she and her father parted ways as business partners.[131][132] Beyoncé's musical break lasted nine months and saw her visit multiple European cities, theGreat Wall of China, theEgyptian pyramids, Australia,English music festivals and various museums and ballet performances.[129][133] "Eat, Play, Love", a cover story written by Beyoncé forEssence that detailed her 2010 career break, won her a writing award from theNew York Association of Black Journalists.[134] Around this time, Beyoncé miscarried, describing it as "the saddest thing" she had ever endured.[135] She returned to the studio and wrote music to cope with the loss.[136]
In April 2011, Beyoncé and Jay-Z traveled toParis to shoot the album cover for her upcoming studio album, where she unexpectedly became pregnant.[136] On June 26, 2011, she became the first solo female artist to headline the main Pyramid stage at the2011 Glastonbury Festival in over twenty years.[137][138]The performance was lauded, with several publications noting an ascension in Knowles' capabilities as a live performer. Other publications discussed the polarized attitude of the UK music establishment in response to a Black woman performing on the same stages and to the same crowd sizes that were past reserved for legacy rock acts.[139][140] Her fourth studio album4 was released two days prior in the U.S.[141]4 sold 310,000 copies in its first week and debuted atop theBillboard 200 chart, giving Beyoncé her fourth consecutive number-one album in the U.S. The album was preceded by two of its singles "Run the World (Girls)" and "Best Thing I Never Had".[71][126][142] The fourth single "Love on Top" spent seven consecutive weeks at number one on theHot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, while peaking at number 20 on theBillboard Hot 100, the highest peak from the album.[143]
In August, Beyoncé and Jay-Z attended the2011 MTV Video Music Awards, at which she performed "Love On Top" and ended the performance by revealing her pregnancy.[144] Her appearance helped that year's MTV Video Music Awards become the most-watched broadcast inMTV history, pulling in 12.4 million viewers;[145] the announcement was listed inGuinness World Records for "most tweets per second recorded for a single event" onTwitter,[146] receiving 8,868 tweets per second[147] and "Beyonce pregnant" was the mostGoogled phrase the week of August 29, 2011.[148]
In late 2011, she took the stage at New York'sRoseland Ballroom for four nights of special performances:[149] the 4 Intimate Nights with Beyoncé concerts saw the performance of her4 album to a standing room only.[149] On August 1, 2011, the album was certified platinum by theRecording Industry Association of America (RIAA), having shipped 1 million copies to retail stores.[150] By December 2015, it reached sales of 1.5 million copies in the U.S.[151] The album reached one billionSpotify streams on February 5, 2018, making Beyoncé the first female artist to have three of their albums surpass one billion streams on the platform.[152] On January 7, 2012, Beyoncé gave birth to a daughter,Blue Ivy, atLenox Hill Hospital in New York City.[153] In June 2012, sheperformed for four nights atRevel Atlantic City's Ovation Hall to celebrate the resort's opening, her first performances since giving birth to her daughter.[154][155]
In January 2013, Beyoncé performed the American national anthem singing along with a pre-recorded track at President Obama'ssecond inauguration in Washington, D.C.[156][157] The following month, Beyoncé performed at theSuper Bowl XLVII halftime show, held at theMercedes-Benz Superdome inNew Orleans.[158] The performance stands as the second most tweeted about moment in history at 268,000 tweets per minute.[159] Her feature-length documentary film,Life Is But a Dream, first aired onHBO on February 16, 2013.[160] The film was co-directed by Beyoncé herself.[161]
On December 13, 2013, Beyoncé unexpectedly released hereponymous fifth studio album on theiTunes Store without any prior announcement or promotion. The album debuted atop theBillboard 200 chart, giving Beyoncé her fifth consecutive number-one album in the U.S.[168] This made her the first woman in the chart's history to have her first five studio albums debut at number one.[169]Beyoncé received critical acclaim[170] and commercial success, selling one million digital copies worldwide in six days;[171] Musically anelectro-R&B album, it concerns darker themes previously unexplored in her work, such as "bulimia,postnatal depression [and] the fears and insecurities of marriage and motherhood".[172] The single "Drunk in Love", featuring Jay-Z, peaked at number two on theBillboard Hot 100 chart.[173]
In April 2014, Beyoncé and Jay-Z officially announced theirOn the Run Tour. It served as the couple's first co-headlining stadium tour together.[179] On August 24, 2014, she received theMichael Jackson Video Vanguard Award at the2014 MTV Video Music Awards. Beyoncé also won home three competitive awards: Best Video with a Social Message and Best Cinematography for "Pretty Hurts", as well as best collaboration for "Drunk in Love".[180] In November,Forbes reported that Beyoncé was the top-earning woman in music for the second year in a row – earning $115 million in the year, more than double her earnings in 2013.[181]
2015–2017:Lemonade
Beyoncé released "Formation" in on February 6, 2016, and performed it live for the first time during theNFLSuper Bowl 50 halftime show. The appearance was considered controversial as it appeared to reference the 50th anniversary of theBlack Panther Party and the NFL forbids political statements in its performances.[182][183][184] Immediately following the performance, Beyoncé announcedThe Formation World Tour, which highlighted stops in both North America and Europe.[185][186] It marked the first ever all-stadium tour by a female artist and ended on October 7, with Beyoncé bringing out her husbandJay-Z,Kendrick Lamar, andSerena Williams for the last show.[187] The tour went on to win Tour of the Year at the44th American Music Awards.[188]
Beyoncé performing duringThe Formation World Tour in 2016. The tour grossed $256 million from 49 sold-out shows.
In April 2016, Beyoncé released a teaser clip for a project calledLemonade. A one-hourfilm which aired onHBO on April 23, acorresponding album with the same title was released on the same day exclusively on Tidal.[189]Lemonade debuted at number one on the U.S.Billboard 200, making Beyoncé the first act inBillboard history to have their first six studio albums debut atop the chart; she broke a record previously tied withDMX in 2013.[190] With all 12 tracks ofLemonade debuting on theBillboard Hot 100 chart, Beyoncé also became the first female act to chart 12 or more songs at the same time.[191]Lemonade was streamed 115 million times through Tidal, setting a record for the most-streamed album in a single week by a female artist in history.[192] It was 2016's third highest-selling album in the U.S. with 1.554 million copies sold in that time period within the country[193] as well as the best-selling album worldwide with global sales of 2.5 million throughout the year.[194]
Lemonade became the most critically acclaimed work of her career.[195] Several music publications included the album among the best of 2016, includingRolling Stone, which listedLemonade at number one.[196] The album's visuals were nominated in 11 categories at the2016 MTV Video Music Awards, the most ever received by Beyoncé in a single year, and went on to win 8 awards, including Video of the Year for "Formation".[197][198] The eight wins made Beyoncé the most-awarded artist in the history of the VMAs (24), surpassing Madonna (20).[199] Beyoncé occupied the sixth place forTime magazine's 2016Person of the Year.[200]
In January 2017, it was announced that Beyoncé would headline theCoachella Music and Arts Festival. This would have made Beyoncé only the second female headliner of the festival since it was founded in 1999.[201] It was later announced on February 23, 2017, that Beyoncé would no longer be able to perform at the festival due to doctor's concerns regarding her pregnancy. The festival owners announced that she would instead headline the 2018 festival.[202] Upon the announcement of Beyoncé's departure from the festival lineup, ticket prices dropped by 12%.[203] At the59th Grammy Awards in February 2017,Lemonade led the nominations with nine, including Album, Record, and Song of the Year forLemonade and "Formation" respectively,[204] ultimately winning two,Best Urban Contemporary Album forLemonade andBest Music Video for "Formation".[205]
On February 1, 2017, Beyoncé revealed on herInstagram account that she was expecting twins. Her announcement gained over 6.3 million likes within eight hours, breaking the world record for themost liked image on the website at the time.[206] On July 13, 2017, Beyoncé uploaded the first image of herself and the twins onto her Instagram account, confirming their birth date as a month prior, on June 13, 2017,[207] with the post becoming the second most liked on Instagram, behind her own pregnancy announcement.[208][209] The twins, a daughter named Rumi and a son named Sir, were born atRonald Reagan UCLA Medical Center inCalifornia viacaesarean section.[210][211] In late 2017, Beyoncé featured onEminem's "Walk on Water"—the lead single from his albumRevival—and remix toEd Sheeran's song "Perfect".[212] "Perfect Duet" reached number-one in the United States, becoming Beyoncé's sixth song of her solo career to do so.[213]
2018–2021:Everything Is Love andThe Lion King
On January 4, 2018, the music video of Beyoncé and Jay-Z's4:44 collaboration, "Family Feud" was released.[214] It was directed byAva DuVernay. On March 1, 2018,DJ Khaled released "Top Off" as the first single from his forthcoming albumFather of Asahd featuring Beyoncé, husband Jay-Z, andFuture.[215] On April 14, 2018, Beyoncé played the first of two weekends as the headlining act of theCoachella Music Festival. Herperformance of April 14, attended by 125,000 festival-goers, was immediately praised, with multiple media outlets describing it as historic. It was also named one of the greatest concert performances of all time.[216] The performance became the most-tweeted-about performance of weekend one, as well as the most-watched live Coachella performance and the most-watched live performance on YouTube of all time. The show paid tribute to black culture, specificallyhistorically black colleges and universities and featured a live band with over 100 dancers. Destiny's Child also reunited during the show.[217][218] Its livestream on YouTube was the most watched of all time.[219]
Beyoncé starred as the voice ofNala in the remakeThe Lion King, which was released in July 2019.[229] Beyoncé is featured on the film'ssoundtrack, released on July 11, 2019, with a remake of the song "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" alongsideDonald Glover,Billy Eichner andSeth Rogen, which was originally composed byElton John.[230] An original song from the film by Beyoncé, "Spirit", was released as the lead single from both the soundtrack andThe Lion King: The Gift – a companion album released alongside the film, produced and curated by Beyoncé.[231][232] The album, influenced byR&B, pop, hip hop,gqom and Afro Beat,[231][233] were produced by African producers, which Beyoncé said was because "authenticity and heart were important to [her]", since the film is set in Africa.[231] In September of the same year, a documentary chronicling the development, production and early music video filming ofThe Lion King: The Gift entitled "Beyoncé Presents: Making The Gift" was aired onABC.[234]
On March 27, 2022, Beyoncé performed "Be Alive" at the 94th Academy Awards. Choreographed by friend and past collaboratorFatima Robinson, Beyoncé was applauded for choosing to perform on the Compton tennis courtsVenus andSerena Williams practiced on in their childhood instead of at the venue.[243][244]
On June 9, 2022, Beyoncé removed her profile pictures across various social media platforms, causing speculation that she would be releasing new music.[245] Days later, Beyoncé caused further speculation via her nonprofit BeyGood's Twitter account hinting at her upcoming seventh studio album.[246] On June 15, 2022, Beyoncé officially announced her seventh studio album, titledRenaissance.[247] The lead single ofRenaissance, "Break My Soul", was released on June 20, 2022.[248] The album was released on July 29, 2022.[249][250] "Break My Soul" became Beyoncé's 20th top ten single on theBillboard Hot 100, which made her joinPaul McCartney andMichael Jackson as the only artists in Hot 100 history to achieve at least twenty top tens as a solo artist and ten as a member of a group.[251]
AsRenaissance was released, Beyoncé announced that the album was the first installment of atrilogy she conceived and recorded over three years during theCOVID-19 pandemic, a time she found to be her "most creative [period]."[252][247] The three recorded projects are designated intoacts underRoman numerals.[253] Upon release,Renaissance received universal acclaim from critics.[254]Renaissance debuted at number one on theBillboard 200 chart, making her the first female artist to have her first seven studio albums debut at number one in the United States.[255] "Break My Soul" concurrently rose to number-one on theBillboard Hot 100, becoming the twelfth song to do so across her career discography.[256]
On January 21, 2023, Beyoncéperformed in Dubai at a private show.[257] The performance, which was her first full concert in more than four years, was delivered to an audience of influencers and journalists.[258] Beyoncé was reportedly paid $24 million to perform.[259] Beyoncé faced criticism for her decision to perform in theUnited Arab Emirates where homosexuality is illegal.[259][258][260] On February 1, Beyoncé announced theRenaissance World Tour with dates in North America and Europe,[261] which would become for a short-span thehighest-grossing tour by a female artist.[262] Her feature on rapperTravis Scott's "Delresto (Echoes)" became her 100th career appearance on theBillboard Hot 100 chart—including Destiny's Child, her solo career, and the Carters.[263] On November 30, 2023, Beyoncé released documentary concert filmRenaissance: A Film by Beyoncé written, directed, and produced by her in collaboration with film distributorAMC Theatres. The film chronicles the development and execution of Beyoncé's Renaissance World Tour, and contained new song "My House" in the end credits.[264]
In July 2024,NBC released two promotional commercials featuring Beyoncé for their coverage of the2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France.[269] Set toCowboy Carter songs "Ya Ya" and "Just For Fun", she introduced the entireUSA Olympic Team and Gold-medal gymnastSimone Biles, respectively.[270][271] On August 20, Beyoncé announcedSirDavis, awhiskey in collaboration withMoët Hennessy developed for years prior and co-founded withmaster distiller Dr. Bill Lumsden.[272] In October 2024,Levi's launched a four-part global campaign with Beyoncé titled "Reiimagine" that stretched into 2025 and focused on women's history of the company, using theCowboy Carter track "Levii's Jeans".[273] The first commercial starring Beyoncé amassed 2.4 billion impressions in under a month.[274]
With "Single Ladies", clearly I'd just gotten married, and people want to get married every day – then there was the wholeJustin Timberlake thing [recreating the video] onSaturday Night Live, and it was also the year YouTube blew up. With "Irreplaceable", the aggressive lyrics, the acoustic guitar, and the808 drum machine – those things don't typically go together, and it sounded fresh. "Crazy in Love" was another one of those classic moments in pop culture that none of us expected. I asked Jay to get on the song the night before I had to turn my album in – thank God he did. It still never gets old, no matter how many times I sing it.
Critics have described Beyoncé's voice as beingmezzo-soprano.[283][284]Jody Rosen highlights hertone andtimbre as particularly distinctive, describing her voice as "one of the most compelling instruments in popular music".[285] Her vocal abilities mean she is identified as the centerpiece of Destiny's Child.[286] Jon Pareles ofThe New York Times commented that her voice is "velvety yet tart, with an insistent flutter and reserves of soulbelting".[287] Rosen notes that thehip hop era highly influenced Beyoncé's unique rhythmic vocal style, but also finds her quite traditionalist in her use of balladry,gospel andfalsetto.[285]
Other critics praise herrange and power, with Chris Richards ofThe Washington Post saying she was "capable of punctuating any beat with goose-bump-inducing whispers or full-bore diva-roars."[288] On the 2023Rolling Stone's list of the 200 Greatest Singers of all time, Beyoncé ranked at number eight, with the publication noting that "in [her] voice lies the entire history of Black music".[289]
Beyoncé's music is generallyR&B,[290][291]pop[290][292] andhip hop[293] but she also incorporatessoul andfunk into her songs.4 demonstrated Beyoncé's exploration of 1990s-style R&B, as well as further use of soul and hip hop than compared to previous releases.[282] While she almost exclusively releases English songs, Beyoncé recorded several Spanish songs forIrreemplazable (re-recordings of songs fromB'Day for a Spanish-language audience), and the re-release ofB'Day. To record these, Beyoncé was coached phonetically by American record producer Rudy Perez.[294]
Songwriting
Beyoncé has received co-writing credits for most of her songs.[295] Her early songs with Destiny's Child were personally driven and female-empowerment themed compositions like "Independent Women" and "Survivor", but after the start of her relationship with Jay-Z, she transitioned to more man-tending anthems such as "Cater 2 U".[296] Beyoncé's songwriting process is also known for combining parts of different tracks, resulting in alteration of song structures.Sia, who co-wrote "Pretty Hurts", called Beyoncé "veryFrankenstein when she comes to songs";[297]Diana Gordon, who co-wrote "Don't Hurt Yourself" called her a "scientist of songs";[298]Caroline Polachek who co-wrote "No Angel", called her a "genius writer and producer for this reason. She's so good at seeing connections."[299]
In 2001, she became the first Black woman and second female lyricist to win the Pop Songwriter of the Year award at theASCAP Pop Music Awards.[300][301] Beyoncé was the third woman to have writing credits on three number-one songs ("Irreplaceable", "Grillz" and "Check on It") in the same year, afterCarole King in 1971 and Mariah Carey in 1991. She is tied with American lyricistDiane Warren at third with nine songwriting credits on number-one singles.[302] The latter wrote her song "I Was Here" for4, which was motivated by theSeptember 11 attacks.[303] In May 2011,Billboard magazine listed Beyoncé at number 17 on their list of the Top 20 Hot 100 Songwriters for having co-written eight singles that hit number one on theBillboard Hot 100 chart. She was one of only three women on that list, along withAlicia Keys andTaylor Swift.[304]
Beyoncé has received criticism, including from journalists and musicians, for the extensive writing credits on her songs.[295] The controversy surrounding her songwriting credits began with interviews in which she attributed herself as the songwriter for songs in which she was a co-writer[305] or for which her contributions were marginal.[295] In a cover story forVanity Fair in 2005, she claimed to have "written" several number-one songs for Destiny's Child, contrary to the credits, which list her as a co-writer among others.[305] During a 2007 interview withBarbara Walters, she claimed to have conceived the musical idea for the Destiny's Child song "Bootylicious",[306] which provoked the song's producerRob Fusari to call her father and then-manager Mathew Knowles in protest over the claim. In 2010, Fusari toldBillboard: "[Knowles] explained to me, in a nice way, he said, 'People don't want to hear about Rob Fusari, producer from Livingston, N.J. No offense, but that's not what sells records. What sells records is people believing that the artist is everything.'"[307] However, in an interview forEntertainment Weekly in 2016, Fusari said Beyoncé "had the 'Bootylicious' concept in her head. That was totally her. She knew what she wanted to say. It was very urban pop angle that they were taking on the record."[308]
Beyoncé namesMichael Jackson as her major musical influence.[309][310] Aged five, Beyoncé attended her first ever concert where Jackson performed and she claims to have realized her purpose.[311] When she presented him with a tribute award at theWorld Music Awards in 2006, Beyoncé said, "if it wasn't for Michael Jackson, I would never ever have performed."[312] Beyoncé was heavily influenced byTina Turner, and once said "Tina Turner is someone that I admire, because she made her strength feminine and sexy".[313]
The feminism and female empowerment themes on Beyoncé's second solo albumB'Day were inspired by her role inDreamgirls[331] and by singerJosephine Baker.[332] Beyoncé paid homage to Baker by performing "Déjà Vu" at the 2006 Fashion Rocks concert wearing Baker's trademark mini-hula skirt embellished with fake bananas.[333] Beyoncé's third solo album,I Am... Sasha Fierce, was inspired by Jay-Z and especially by Etta James, whose "boldness" inspired Beyoncé to explore other musical genres and styles.[334] Her fourth solo album,4, was inspired by Fela Kuti,1990s R&B,Earth, Wind & Fire,DeBarge,Lionel Richie,Teena Marie,The Jackson 5,New Edition,Adele,Florence and the Machine, andPrince.[282]
Beyoncé has stated that she is personally inspired byMichelle Obama (the44th First Lady of the United States), saying "she proves you can do it all",[335] and has describedOprah Winfrey as "the definition of inspiration and a strong woman".[314] She has also discussed how Jay-Z is a continuing inspiration to her, both with what she describes as his lyrical genius and in the obstacles he has overcome in his life.[336] Beyoncé has expressed admiration for the artistJean-Michel Basquiat, posting in a letter "what I find in the work of Jean-Michel Basquiat, I search for in every day in music ... he is lyrical and raw".[337][338] Beyoncé has also citedCher as a fashion inspiration.[339]
In 2006, Beyoncé introduced her all-female tour bandSuga Mama (also the name of a song onB'Day) which includes bassists, drummers, guitarists, horn players, keyboardists and percussionists.[340] Her background singers, The Mamas, consist ofMontina Cooper-Donnell,Crystal Collins andTiffany Moniqué Riddick. They made their debut appearance at the 2006 BET Awards, re-appeared in the music videos for "Irreplaceable" and "Green Light", and have since supported Beyoncé in may of her subsequent live performances.[294]
Beyoncé has received praise for her stage presence and voice during live performances. According to Barbara Ellen ofThe Guardian, Beyoncé is the "most in-charge[...] female artist [she's] seen onstage".[341] Similarly, Alice Jones ofThe Independent wrote she "takes her role as entertainer so seriously she's almost too good".[342] The ex-President ofDef JamL.A. Reid has described Beyoncé as the greatest entertainer alive.[343] Jim Farber of theDaily News and Stephanie Classen ofThe StarPhoenix both praised her strong voice and her stage presence.[344][345]
Beyoncé has worked with numerous directors for her music videos throughout her career, includingMelina Matsoukas,Jonas Åkerlund, andJake Nava.Bill Condon, director ofBeauty and the Beast, stated that theLemonade visuals in particular served as inspiration for his film, commenting, "You look at Beyoncé's brilliant movieLemonade, this genre is taking on so many different forms ... I do think that this very old-school break-out-into-song traditional musical is something that people understand again and really want."[346]
Alter ego
Described as being "sexy, seductive and provocative" when performing on stage, Beyoncé has said that she originally created thealter ego "Sasha Fierce" to keep that stage persona separate from who she really is. She described Sasha Fierce as being "too aggressive, too strong, too sassy [and] too sexy", stating, "I'm not like her in real life at all."[347] Sasha was conceived during the making of "Crazy in Love", and Beyoncé introduced her with the release of her 2008 album,I Am... Sasha Fierce. In February 2010, she announced in an interview withAllure magazine that she was comfortable enough with herself to no longer need Sasha Fierce.[348] However, Beyoncé announced in May 2012 that she would bring her back for herRevel Presents: Beyoncé Live shows later that month.[349]
Public image
Beyoncé at the premiere of her 2006 filmDreamgirls
Beyoncé has been described as havingsex appeal, with music journalistTouré writing that since the release ofDangerously in Love, she has "become a crossoversex symbol".[350] When off stage, Beyoncé says that while she likes to dress sexily, her onstage dress "is absolutely for the stage".[351] Due to her curves and the term's catchiness, in the 2000s, the media often used the term "bootylicious" (aportmanteau of the words "booty" and "delicious") to describe Beyoncé,[352][353] the term popularized by thesingle of the same name by her group Destiny's Child. In 2006, it was added to theOxford English Dictionary.[354]
Beyoncé has beennicknamed "Queen Bey" by publications over the years. The term is a reference to the common phrase "queen bee", a term used for the leader of a group of females. The nickname also refers to theQueen bee of abeehive, with her fan base being named "BeyHive".BeyHive was previously titled "The Beyontourage", (a portmanteau of Beyoncé and entourage), but was changed after online petitions onTwitter and online news reports during competitions.[355]Time named her one of the100 most influential people in the world in 2013, 2014, and 2023.[356][357][358]
In September 2010, Beyoncé made her runway modelling debut atTom Ford's Spring/Summer 2011 fashion show.[359] She was named the "World's Most Beautiful Woman" byPeople[360] and the "Hottest Female Singer of All Time" byComplex in 2012.[361] In January 2013,GQ placed her on its cover, featuring her atop its "100 Sexiest Women of the 21st Century" list.[362][363]VH1 listed her at number 1 on its 100 Sexiest Artists list.[364] Severalwax figures of Beyoncé are found atMadame Tussauds Wax Museums in major cities around the world.[365]
According to Italian fashion designerRoberto Cavalli, Beyoncé uses different fashion styles to work with her music while performing.[366] Her mother co-wrote a book, published in 2002, titledDestiny's Style,[367] an account of how fashion affected the trio's success.[368] TheB'Day Anthology Video Album showed many instances of fashion-oriented footage, depicting classic to contemporary wardrobe styles.[369] In 2007, Beyoncé was featured on the cover of theSports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, becoming the second African American woman after model and television personalityTyra Banks,[370] andPeople magazine recognized Beyoncé as the best-dressed celebrity.[371]
Beyoncé has conducted several fundraising and donation campaigns during her tours.
In a 2013 interview withVogue, Beyoncé stated that she considered herself to be "amodern-day feminist".[383] She would later align herself more publicly with themovement, sampling "We should all be feminists", a speech delivered by Nigerian authorChimamanda Ngozi Adichie at aTEDx talk in April 2013, in her song "Flawless", released later that year.[384] The next year she performed live at theMTV Video Awards in front a giant backdrop reading "Feminist".[385] Her self-identification incited a circulation of opinions and debate about whether her feminism is aligned with older, more established feminist ideals.Annie Lennox, celebrated artist and feminist advocate, referred to Beyoncé's use of her word feminist as "feminist lite".[386]
She has condemnedpolice brutality againstblack Americans. She and Jay-Z attended a rally in 2013 in response to the acquittal ofGeorge Zimmerman for thekilling ofTrayvon Martin.[392] The film for her sixth albumLemonade included the mothers of Trayvon Martin,Michael Brown andEric Garner, holding pictures of their sons in the video for "Freedom".[393] In a 2016 interview withElle, Beyoncé responded to the controversy surrounding her song "Formation" which was perceived to be critical of the police. She clarified, "I am against police brutality and injustice. Those are two separate things. If celebrating my roots and culture duringBlack History Month made anyone uncomfortable, those feelings were there long before a video and long before me".[394]
Beyoncé has been a vocal advocate for theBlack Lives Matter movement. The Feburary 2016 release of "Formation" saw her celebrate her Sub-Saharan Black African ancestry, with the song's music video featuringpro-black imagery. She later performed it at the2016 Super Bowl halftime show with back up dancers dressed to represent theBlack Panther Party, ensuing criticism fromconservative politicians and police officers; some police boycotted Beyoncé's then upcomingFormation World Tour.[395] Beyoncé responded to the backlash by releasing tour merchandise that said "Boycott Beyoncé".[396][397][398]
In 2002, Beyoncé, Kelly Rowland and Tina Knowles built the Knowles-Rowland Center for Youth, a community center in Downtown Houston. AfterHurricane Katrina in 2005, Beyoncé and Rowland founded the Survivor Foundation to provide transitional housing to displaced families and provide means for new building construction, to which Beyoncé contributed an initial $250,000.[399] The foundation has since expanded to work with other charities in the city,[400] and also provided relief followingHurricane Ike three years later.[401] Beyoncé also donated $100,000 to the Gulf Coast Ike Relief Fund.[402] In 2007, Beyoncé founded the Knowles-Temenos Place Apartments, a housing complex offering living space for 43 displaced individuals. As of 2016, Beyoncé had donated $7 million for the maintenance of the complex.[403]
Beyoncé (center) and her mother,Tina, (left) at the opening of the Beyoncé Cosmetology Center on March 5, 2010
After starring inCadillac Records in 2009 and learning aboutPhoenix House, a non-profit drug and alcohol rehabilitation organization, Beyoncé donated her full $4 million salary from the film to the organization.[404] Beyoncé and her mother Tina opened the Beyoncé Cosmetology Center at the BrooklynPhoenix House, offering a seven-month cosmetology training course for men and women.[405] In April 2011, Beyoncé joined forces with U.S. First LadyMichelle Obama and the National Association of Broadcasters Education Foundation, to help boost the latter's campaign againstchild obesity[406] by reworking her single "Get Me Bodied".[407] Beyoncé became an ambassador for the 2012World Humanitarian Day campaign.[408][409] In 2013, it was announced that Beyoncé would work withSalma Hayek andFrida Giannini on aGucci "Chime for Change" campaign that aims to spread female empowerment.[410] With help of thecrowdfunding platform Catapult, visitors of a concert promoting the cause could choose between several projects supporting the education of women and girls.[411]
Beyoncé and Jay-Z secretly donated tens of thousands of dollars to bail outBlack Lives Matter protesters in Baltimore and Ferguson, as well as funded infrastructure for the establishment of Black Lives Matter chapters across the U.S.[412] Before Beyoncé's Formation World Tour show in Tampa, her team held a private luncheon for more than 20 community leaders to discuss how Beyoncé could support local charitable initiatives, including pledging on the spot to fund 10 scholarships to provide students with financial aid.[413] In June 2016, Beyoncé donated over $82,000 to theUnited Way of Genesee County to support victims of theFlint water crisis. Beyoncé additionally donated money to support 14 students in Michigan with their college expenses.[414] In August 2016, Beyoncé and Jay-Z donated $1.5 million to civil rights groups including Black Lives Matter,Hands Up United andDream Defenders.[415] AfterHurricane Matthew, Beyoncé and Jay-Z donated $15 million to the Usain Bolt Foundation to support its efforts in rebuilding homes in Haiti.[416]
DuringHurricane Harvey in August 2017, Beyoncé launchedBeyGood Houston to support those affected by the hurricane in Houston. The organization donated necessities such as cots, blankets, pillows, baby products, feminine products and wheelchairs, and funded long-term revitalization projects.[417] She additionally donated $75,000 worth of new mattresses to survivors of the hurricane.[418] Later that month, Beyoncé released a remix of J Balvin and Willy William's "Mi Gente", with all of her proceeds being donated to disaster relief charities in Puerto Rico, Mexico, the U.S. and the Caribbean after hurricanes Harvey,Irma andMaria, and theChiapas andPuebla earthquakes.[419]
In April 2020, Beyoncé donated $6 million to the National Alliance in Mental Health,UCLA and local community-based organizations in order to provide mental health and personal wellness services to essential workers during theCOVID-19 pandemic. BeyGood also teamed up with local organizations to help provide resources to communities of color, including food, water, cleaning supplies, medicines and face masks.[420][421] The same month, Beyoncé released a remix of Megan Thee Stallion's "Savage", with all proceeds benefiting Bread of Life Houston's COVID-19 relief efforts, which includes providing over 14 tons of food and supplies to 500 families and 100 senior citizens in Houston weekly.[422][423] In July, Beyoncé established the Black-Owned Small Business Impact Fund in partnership with theNAACP, which offered $10,000 grants to black-owned small businesses in need following theGeorge Floyd protests.[424][425][426]
In October 2020, Beyoncé released a statement that she had been working with the Feminist Coalition to assist supporters of theEnd SARS movement in Nigeria, including covering medical costs for injured protestors, covering legal fees for arrested protestors, and providing food, emergency shelter, transportation and telecommunication means to those in need. Beyoncé also showed support for those fighting against other issues in Africa, such as theAnglophone Crisis in Cameroon,ShutItAllDown in Namibia,Zimbabwean Lives Matter in Zimbabwe and the Rape National Emergency in Liberia.[427] In December 2020, Beyoncé donated $500,000 to help alleviate the housing crisis in the U.S. caused by the cessation of the eviction moratorium, giving 100 $5,000 grants to individuals and families facing foreclosures and evictions.[428]
Wealth
Forbes magazine began reporting on Beyoncé's earnings in 2008, calculating that the $80 million earned between June 2007 to June 2008, for her music, tour, films and clothing line made her the world's best-paid music personality at the time, aboveMadonna andCeline Dion.[429][430] It placed her fourth on theCelebrity 100 list in 2009[431] and ninth on the "Most Powerful Women in the World" list in 2010.[432] The following year, the magazine placed her eighth on the "Best-Paid Celebrities Under 30" list, having earned $35 million in the past year for her clothing line and endorsement deals. In 2012,Forbes placed Beyoncé at number 16 on the Celebrity 100 list, twelve places lower than three years ago yet still having earned $40 million in the past year for her album4, clothing line and endorsement deals.[433][434]
In 2012, Beyoncé and Jay-Z placed at number one on the "World's Highest-Paid Celebrity Couples", for collectively earning $78 million.[435] The couple made it into the previous year'sGuinness World Records as the "highest-earning power couple" for collectively earning $122 million in 2009.[436] For the years 2009 to 2011, Beyoncé earned an average of $70 million per year, and earned $40 million in 2012.[437] In 2013, Beyoncé's endorsements ofPepsi and H&M made her and Jay-Z the world's first billion-dollar couple in the music industry.[438] That year, Beyoncé was listed as the fourth-most-powerful celebrity in theForbes rankings.[439] In June 2014, Beyoncé ranked at number one on theForbes Celebrity 100 list, earning an estimated $115 million in the past twelve months. This was the first time she had topped the Celebrity 100 list.[440] In 2016, Beyoncé ranked at number 34 on the Celebrity 100 list with earnings of $54 million. She and Jay-Z also topped the highest-paid celebrity couple list, with combined earnings of $107.5 million.[441]
Beyoncé is one of thewealthiest musical artists. In 2018,Forbes calculated her net worth to be $355 million, and in June of the same year, ranked her as the 35th-highest-earning celebrity, with annual earnings of $60 million. This tied Beyoncé with Madonna as the only two female artists to earn more than $100 million within a single year twice.[442][443] As a couple, Beyoncé and Jay-Z have a combined net worth of $1.16 billion.[444] In July 2017,Billboard announced that Beyoncé was the highest-paid musician of 2016, with an estimated total of $62.1 million.[445] By December 2023,Forbes estimated Beyoncé's net worth to be $800 million.[446]
Beyoncé has been recognized as one of the most influential figures in music history by numerous publications, includingRolling Stone and theAssociated Press.[7] She was namedBillboard's Greatest Pop Star of the 21st Century,[447] and toppedNPR list of the "21st Century's Most Influential Women Musicians".[448] She was repeatedly named the defining artist of both the 2000s decade[449][450][451][452] and the 2010s decade.[453][454][455][456] InThe New Yorker, music criticJody Rosen described Beyoncé as "the most important and compelling popular musician of the twenty-first century ... the result, the logical end point, of a century-plus of pop."[457] James Clear, in his bookAtomic Habits (2018), draws a parallel between Beyoncé's success and the dramatic transformations in modern society: "In the last one hundred years, we have seen the rise of the car, the airplane, the television, the personal computer, the internet, the smartphone, and Beyoncé."[458] In 2018,Rolling Stone included her on its Millennial 100 list.[459] Several critics have listed some of heralbums,singles,music videos, and live performances as some of the greatest of all time.[460]
Beyoncé has revolutionized themusic industry, transforming theproduction,distribution,promotion, and consumption of music.[461][462] Beyoncé has been credited with reviving thealbum format in an era dominated bysingles andstreaming, with albums becoming increasingly cohesive and narrative-led.[463][464] She revolutionized how music is released and marketed with the invention of thesurprise album, which became a common practice in the 2010s and 2020s.[465] This move was "arguably the single most pivotal moment in all of 21st-century pop music" according toBillboard, with Beyoncé reorienting the music market to cohesive albums and unconventional promotional rollouts.[461] She is also credited with reviving the music video as an art form and popularizing thevisual album.[466] Her impact on the music industry led to theGlobal Release Day being moved to Friday.[467]
Beyoncé's use ofstaccato rap-singing and chopped and re-pitched vocals have changed the sound of popular music and became defining features of the 21st-century music landscape.[468][469][470][471] With her work frequently transcending traditionalgenre boundaries, Beyoncé has created new artistic standards that have shaped contemporary music and set the precedent for music artists to move between and beyond genre confines.[472][473][474] Beyoncé has helped to revive and popularize several genres of music, includinghip-hop in the 2000s,R&B in the 2010s,Afrobeats in the late 2010s / early 2020s, andcountry music in the 2020s.[461][463][475][476][477]
Beyoncé has been recognized as setting the playbook for music artists in the modern era,[472] with musicians from across genres, generations and countries citing her as a major influence on their career.Taylor Swift described Beyoncé's as a major influence and a "guiding light throughout my career", who has "paved the road" and shown how to "break rules and defy industry norms".[478][479]Lady Gaga explained how Beyoncé gave her the determination to become a musician, recalling seeing her in Destiny's Child music video and saying: "Oh, she's a star. I want that."[480]Rihanna was inspired to start her singing career after watching Beyoncé, tellingetalk that after Beyoncé releasedDangerously In Love (2003), "I was like 'wow, I want to be just like that.' She's huge and just an inspiration."[481]Ariana Grande learned to sing by mimicking Beyoncé.[482]Adele cited Beyoncé as her inspiration and favorite artist, tellingVogue: "She's been a huge and constant part of my life as an artist since I was about ten or eleven ... I think she's inspiring. She's beautiful. She's ridiculously talented, and she is one of the kindest people I've ever met ... She makes me want to do things with my life."[483] BothPaul McCartney andGarth Brooks said they watch Beyoncé's performances to get inspiration for their shows, with Brooks saying that when watching one of her performances, "take out your notebook and take notes. No matter how long you've been on the stage – take notes on that one."[484][485]
Beyoncé has won 30MTV Video Music Awards, making her the joint most-decorated artist in Video Music Award history.[497] She won 26 awards as a solo artist, two awards each with The Carters and Destiny's Child.[498] Beyoncé tied the record set by Lady Gaga in 2010 for the most VMAs won in one night for a female artist with eight in 2016.[199] She is also the most-awarded and nominated artist inBET Award history,[499] winning 36 awards (includingtwo with Destiny's Child) from over 80 nominations,[500] the most-awarded artist of theSoul Train Music Awards with25 wins (21 as a soloist andfour with Destiny's Child),[501] and the most-decorated artist at theNAACP Image Awards with 27 wins as a solo artist andfive with Destiny's Child.[502][503][504]
In 2010, Beyoncé founded her own entertainment companyParkwood Entertainment which formed as an imprint based from Columbia Records. Originally launched in 2008 as a production unit,[512] it is headquartered in New York City and serves as an umbrella for Beyoncé's various brands in music, movies, videos, and fashion. Parkwood Entertainment's first production was the musical biopicCadillac Records (2008), in which Beyoncé starred and co-produced.[513] The company has distributed all of Beyoncé's albums since4 (2011), including herself-titled fifth studio album (2013) andLemonade (2016), as well asthe Carters'Everything is Love (2018). Beyoncé has signed other artists to Parkwood such asChloe x Halle, who performed atSuper Bowl LIII in February 2019.[514]
In February 2024, Beyoncé launchedCécred, a hair care product line developed to fit different hair textures.[515] Following its launch, she established an annualgrant in collaboration with BeyGood. This is an effort to provide financial support tocosmetology students and professionalhair stylists within thebeauty industry.[516] A yearly $500,000 is fundingcosmetology school scholarships and salon business grants across five cities chosen for their large, diverse community of hair stylists:Atlanta,Chicago,Houston,Los Angeles andClementon.[c][517]
Endorsements and partnerships
Beyoncé began working withPepsi in 2002;[518] in 2004, she appeared in aGladiator-themed commercial with Britney Spears,Pink, andEnrique Iglesias.[519] In 2012, Beyoncé signed a $50 million deal to endorse Pepsi.[520] TheCenter for Science in the Public Interest wrote her an open letter asking her to reconsider the deal due to the unhealthiness of the product and to donate the proceeds to a medical organization.[521] Nevertheless, NetBase found that Beyoncé's campaign was the most discussed endorsement in April 2013, with a 70percent positive audience response to the commercial and print advertisements.[522] Beyoncé has also collaborated with Tommy Hilfiger for the fragrancesTrue Star—for which she recorded a cover of "Wishing on a Star"[523]—and True Star Gold.[524] In 2007, she promoted Emporio Armani’s Diamonds fragrance.[525] Beyoncé launched her first official fragrance, Heat, in 2010, followed byHeat Rush in February 2011 and Pulse in September 2011.[526][527][528]
The release of a video-gameStarpower: Beyoncé was cancelled after she pulled out of a $100 million deal with GateFive who alleged the cancellation meant the sacking of 70 staff and millions of pounds lost in development.[529] It was settled out of court by her lawyers in June 2013 who said that they had cancelled because GateFive had lost its financial backers.[530] Beyoncé also has had deals withAmerican Express,[430]Nintendo DS[531] and L'Oréal since the age of 18.[532] In March 2015, Beyoncé became a co-owner, with other artists, of the music streaming serviceTidal. The service specializes inlossless audio and high definition music videos. Jay-Z acquired the parent company of Tidal,Aspiro, in early 2015.[533] Including Beyoncé and Jay-Z, sixteen artist stakeholders—includingKanye West andNicki Minaj—co-own Tidal, with most owning a 3% equity stake.[534]
In November 2020, Beyoncé entered a multi-year partnership with the exercise equipment and media companyPeloton. The collaboration was launched to celebrate homecoming season athistorically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), offering themed workout experiences inspired by her filmHomecoming (2019) andlive album (2019), following the cancellation of 2020 homecoming events due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of the initiative, Beyoncé and Peloton provided free memberships to students at ten HBCUs, while Peloton pursued long-term recruitment partnerships with these institutions.[535] Upon news of the partnership, a decline in Peloton's shares reversed, and its shares rose by 8.6%.[536]
In 2021, Beyoncé and Jay-Z partnered withTiffany & Co. for the company's "About Love" campaign. Beyoncé became the fourth woman, and first Black woman, to wear the 128.54-caratTiffany Yellow Diamond.[537] The campaign featured arobin egg blue painting by Jean-Michel Basquiat titledEquals Pi (1982).[538] Both Beyoncé and the brand faced significant backlash for the campaign, as theTiffany Yellow Diamond, which was discovered in the Kimberley diamond mines in South Africa in 1877, is classified as a blood diamond and viewed as a symbol of British colonialism over Africa.[539][540][541]
Fashion lines
Beyoncé and her mother introducedHouse of Deréon, a women's fashion line, in 2005.[542] The concept is inspired by three generations of women in their family, with the name paying tribute to Beyoncé's grandmother, Agnèz Deréon, a respected seamstress.[543][544] According to Tina, the overall style of the line best reflects her and Beyoncé's taste and style. Beyoncé and her mother founded their family's company Beyond Productions, which provides the licensing and brand management for House of Deréon, and its junior collection, Deréon.[542] House of Deréon pieces were exhibited inDestiny's Child's shows and tours, during theirDestiny Fulfilled era.[545][546] The collection features sportswear, denim offerings with fur, outerwear and accessories that include handbags and footwear, and are available at department and specialty stores across the U.S. and Canada.[542]
In 2005, Beyoncé teamed up with House of Brands, a shoe company, to produce a range of footwear for House of Deréon.[547] In January 2008, Starwave Mobile launched Beyoncé Fashion Diva, a "high-style"mobile game with a social networking component, featuring the House of Deréon collection.[542] In July 2009, Beyoncé and her mother launched a new junior apparel label, Sasha Fierce for Deréon, for back-to-school selling. The collection included sportswear, outerwear, handbags, footwear, eyewear, lingerie and jewelry.[548] It was available at department stores includingMacy's andDillard's, and specialty stores Jimmy Jazz and Against All Odds.[548]
In October 2014, Beyoncé signed a deal to launch an activewear line of clothing with British fashion retailerTopshop.[549][550] The 50–50 venture is calledIvy Park and was launched in April 2016. The brand's name is a nod to Beyoncé's daughter and her favorite number four (IV inRoman numerals), and also references the park where she used to run in Texas.[551] She has since bought outTopshop ownerPhilip Green from his 50% share after he was alleged to have sexually harassed, bullied and racially abused employees.[552] She now owns the brand herself.[553]
In April 2019, it was announced that Beyoncé would become a creative partner withAdidas and further develop her athletic brand Ivy Park with the company. Knowles will also develop new clothes and footwear for Adidas. Shares for the company rose 1.3% upon the news release.[554] In December 2019, they announced a launch date of January 18, 2020.[555] Beyoncé uploaded a teaser on her website andInstagram.[556] The collection was previewed on the upcomingElle January 2020 issue, where Beyoncé is seen wearing several garments, accessories and footwear from the first collection.[557] In February 2023,The Wall Street Journal reported that the line was struggling financially with revenue falling by more than 50% over the past fiscal year to $40 million; well short of the company's $250 million projected forecast.[558] In March 2023, it was announced that Beyoncé and Adidas reached a mutual decision to end their partnership.[559][560]
In March 2023,Olivier Rousteing, the creative director ofBalmain, announced that he and Beyoncé collaborated on a couture collection complete with sixteen looks corresponding to the sixteen tracks on her albumRenaissance. This "Renaissance Couture" collection marked the first time that a Black woman oversaw the development of a collection from a Parisian couture house.[561] In September 2024, Beyoncé partnered withLevi Strauss & Co. to remake a classic '80s 'Launderette' campaign.[562]Michelle Gass, the CEO of Levis Strauss & Co., shared insights regarding the advantages of the company's collaboration with Beyoncé, emphasizing that the advertising campaign could significantly enhance sales in the women's clothing segment.[563]
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