Flickr Photos : Model Gisele Bundchen

Model Gisele Bundchen, a photo by Biilboard Hot 100 on Flickr.

Via Flickr:
Gisele Bundchen

Born Gisele Caroline Bundchen 20 July 1980 (age 31) Horizontina, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Hair color Light Brown
Eye color Blue
Measurements 35-23-35.5 (89-59-90)
Weight 57 kg (130 lb; 9.0 st)
Dress size 38 EU/6 US
Shoe size 37 EU/6 US/4 UK
Agency IMG Models
Spouse Tom Brady (2009–present)

Website
www.giselebundchen.com.br

GISELE BUNDCHEN USA FASHION & MUSIC NEWS
MODEL GISELE BUNDCHEN USA FASHION & MUSIC NEWS



==Gisele Bundchen Biography==
Gisele Caroline Bundchen ( born July 20, 1980 in Horizontina, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil) is a Brazilian model, occasional film actress and goodwill ambassador for the United Nations Environment Program. According to Forbes, she is the highest-paid model in the world and also the sixteenth richest woman in the entertainment world, with an estimated $150 million fortune.

==Family and early life==
Bundchen was born in the Brazilian town of Tres de Maio and grew up in Horizontina, Rio Grande do Sul, to Vania Nonnenmacher, a bank clerk pensioner, and Valdir Bundchen, a university teacher and writer. She has five sisters - Raquel, Graziela, Gabriela, Rafaela and her fraternal twin Patrícia, Gisele's junior by five minutes. Bundchen is Roman Catholic and speaks Portuguese as her native language. She also speaks Spanish and English.

- I was born in Horizontina, a town in the backcountry of (Brazilian) state Rio Grande do Sul. The town was once mainly colonized by Germans. In the school which I attended, learning German was actually obligatory from third grade on. But being out of touch with the language for such a long time, I unfortunately forgot it. I belong to the sixth generation of my family in Brazil.

==Modeling career==
Originally, Bundchen wanted to be a professional volleyball player and considered playing for the Brazilian team, Sogipa. While in school, Bundchen was so thin that her friends used to call her "Olivia Palito" (Portuguese for Olive Oyl, Popeye's skinny girlfriend) and "Saracura" (a type of Brazilian shorebird).

In 1993, a then-13-year-old Bundchen joined a modeling course with her sisters Patrícia and Gabriela at her mother's insistence.The following year, Bundchen went to Sao Paulo on a school excursion to give them an opportunity to walk in a big city. In a shopping mall, while eating at McDonald's with her friends, Bundchen was discovered by a modeling agency. She was subsequently selected for a national contest, Elite Look of the Year, in which she placed second Claudia Menezes, from Bahia, took first place. Bundchen placed fourth in the world contest, held in Ibiza, Spain. In 1996, Bundchen moved to New York City usa to begin her modeling career, debuting at Fashion Week.


Gisele Bundchen on the Fashion Rio Inverno 2006, January 30, 2006. Her debut on the cover of the July 1999 issue of Vogue magazine, and the accompanying editorial entitled "The Return of the Sexy Model", is widely viewed as marking the end of the fashion's "heroin chic" era. She graced the cover again in November and December of that year. She won the VH1/Vogue Model of the Year for 1999, and a January 2000 cover gave her the rare honor of three consecutive Vogue covers. In 2000, she became the fourth model to appear on the cover of the music magazine Rolling Stone, when she was named "the most beautiful girl in the world." Bundchen has been on the covers of many top fashion magazines including W, Harper's Bazaar, ELLE, Allure, international editions of Vogue, as well as style and lifestyle publications such as i-D, The Face, Arena, Citizen K, Flair, GQ, Esquire, and Marie Claire. She has been featured both in the Pirelli Calendar 2001 and 2006 and in broader market publications such as Time, Vanity Fair, Forbes, Newsweek and Veja, more than 500 magazine covers throughout the world.

Bundchen consistently works with acclaimed photographers such as Mario Testino, Steven Meisel, Nick Knight, Mert and Marcus, Rankin, Annie Leibovitz, Karl Lagerfeld, Peter Lindbergh, David LaChapelle, Mario Sorrenti, Nino Munoz and Patrick Demarchelier, and with renowned directors such as Jean Baptiste Mondino and Bruno Aveillan.

Claudia Schiffer said: "Supermodels, like we once were, don't exist any more" and reckoned that Gisele Bundchen was the only one close to earning the supermodel title.

Naomi Campbell said: "Models need to earn their stripes - I just think the term is used a little too loosely. Kate Moss is obviously a supermodel but, after Gisele, I don’t think there’s been one."

On August 26, 2008, the New York Daily News, in a list, named Bundchen the fourth-most-powerful person in the fashion world.

On May 12, 2009, The Independent, called her the biggest star in fashion history.

==Endorsements and earnings==
Since her debut, Bundchen has been the face of a variety of advertising campaigns including several seasons of Christian Dior, Balenciaga, Mervyn's, Dolce & Gabbana, Missoni, Versace, Givenchy, Bvlgari, Lanvin, Guerlain, Valentino, Ralph Lauren, Earl Jean, Zara, Chloé, Michael Kors, Louis Vuitton and Victoria's Secret. She has appeared in advertisements for Nivea lotion and is the face of several Brazilian brands including Vivo, Multiplan (Shopping Malls), Colcci, Credicard (Citibank) and Volkswagen do Brasil. After C&A Brazil hired Bundchen as a spokesmodel and began airing television commercials, sales increased by 30%.


At the Fashion Rio Inverno 2006In May 2006, Bundchen signed another multi-million dollar deal, this time with American giant Apple Inc.. She starred in an advertising campaign to promote the new Macintosh line through the Get a Mac advertisements. Also in 2006, Bundchen became the new face of Swiss luxury watchmaker Ebel.

She has her own line of sandals with footwear company Grendene called Ipanema Gisele Bundchen. Forbes puts her 53rd on their list of the most powerful celebrities of 2007 because of the international success of her shoe line, making the brand Ipanema the most sold Brazilian flip-flop in the world, surpassing the legendary Havaianas. Custom Ipanema flip-flops sell for as much as $230 a pair. She is also the owner of a hotel in the south of Brazil, the Palladium Executive.

On May 1, 2007, it was announced that Bundchen had ended her contract with Victoria's Secret.

In July 2007, having earned an estimated total of $33 million in the past 12 months, Forbes magazine named her the world's top-earning model in the list of the World's 15 Top-Earning Supermodels.

An American economist named Fred Fuld developed a stock index to measure the profit performance improvement of companies represented by Bundchen compared with the Dow Jones Industrial Average. According to Fuld, the Gisele Bundchen Stock Index was up 15% between May and July 2007, substantially surpassing the Dow Jones Industrial Average which was up just 8.2%.


==Charity activities==
Bundchen lends her support and image to a number of charities and humanitarian causes, such as the I am African campaign, in which she painted her face to protest the lack of attention given to Africa's HIV/AIDS victims. Without receiving payment, Bundchen was, in 2006, the face of American Express Red Card, an initiative launched by U2 front man Bono and Bobby Shriver to send a percentage of monies earned from the financial transactions of this credit card to Africa's HIV/AIDS victims.

In 2009, she appeared almost simultaneously in more than 20 covers of the international issues of Elle magazines wearing (Product) Red clothing and posing with products from companies who support the same cause. (RED)’s primary objective is to engage the private sector in increasing assistance for the Global Fund, to help defeat AIDS in Africa. Companies whose products take on the mark contribute a percentage of the sales or portion of the profits from that product to the Global Fund to finance AIDS programs in Africa, with special attention on the health of women and children.


At the Fashion Rio Inverno 2006In 2003, Bundchen designed an exclusive and limited edition of platinum hearts, working with Platinum Guild International and Harper’s Bazaar, crafted by jewelers Gumuchian Fils. These platinum hearts were sold to raise money for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital which specializes in cancer treatment. She served as the spokesperson and campaign model for Fashion Targets Breast Cancer. Bundchen already gave a Sao Paulo Fashion Week's payment check for Zero Hunger (in Portuguese: Fome Zero), a Brazilian-government program introduced by Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva also in 2003.

She was, in 2009, one of the celebrities to sign up for the auction fundraiser of celebrities autographed iPods to raise cash for the victims of Hurricane Katrina, organised by Tonic.com., alongside former U.S.A.'s president Bill Clinton, Cher, Beyonce, Britney Spears, Mariah Carey, Ellen DeGeneres and others. The money is for the Music Rising institution which aims to recover and invest in the musical culture of the destroyed areas.

She promotes protecting the Brazilian Atlantic Forest and Amazon Rainforest water sources, donating to this cause a percentage of profits from her line of sandals named Ipanema Gisele Bundchen. Also, Bundchen helps projects such as Nascentes do Brasil, ISA, Y Ikatu Xingu and De Olho nos Mananciais.

Bundchen and Grendene, the company that produces and disseminates her line of sandals, also joined the Florestas do Futuro project for the reforestation of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. The project was created by the NGO named SOS Atlantic Forest in 2004. The new forest, named for Gisele Bundchen Sementes, started with 25,500 shoots of 100 different species, enough to revitalize an area of 15 hectares.

On 20 September, 2009, she was designated Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

==Acting career==
In 2004, Bundchen entered the film industry, playing the bank robbers' leader, Vanessa, in the 2004 remake Taxi. In 2006, she played a minor character in The Devil Wears Prada.

Personal life and Relationships:
On Thursday, February 26, 2009, Bundchen married New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady in a small Catholic ceremony in Los Angeles ( la ). On April 5, 2009, the couple remarried in Costa Rica with Brady's son, John Edward Thomas Moynahan, present. For the ceremony, Gisele wore a dress and veil designed by famed fashion designer John Galliano. Bundchen's three dogs were also present at the ceremony. Bundchen and Brady had been dating since late 2006. Before marrying him, she dated actor Leonardo DiCaprio and professional surfer Kelly Slater. On Friday, June 19 2009, People magazine reported that Gisele was pregnant with her first child with husband Tom Brady. The baby is due on December 14, 2009.

==Music tribute==
As an homage to Bundchen, Brazilian singer and songwriter Gabriel Guerra, along with musician Pedro Cezar, wrote the song Tributo a Gisele (Tribute to Gisele in English), which is currently the theme of the model's official website. In January 2008, Bundchen met Gabriel Guerra at Copacabana Palace Hotel in Rio de Janeiro.
There's another music called "Coisa Linda" ( Pretty Woman ) dedicated to Gisele Bundchen by Nelio Guerson and Carlos Guerson. More info on Palco MP3, Last FM and Garagem MP3.

==One reason to love New York==
In the December 2005 issue, New York magazine chose and publicized a list of 123 reasons to love New York City with reason number 43 being that Gisele Bundchen lives there.

==Nude photography==
On April 11, 2008, a black-and-white photo of Bundchen, shot by Irving Penn, was auctioned for US$193,000 (£96,000). The picture was one of dozens from the collection of Gert Elfering that were sold at Christie's International in New York. In all, the auction tallied US$4.27 million and included pictures of Brigitte Bardot, Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell, Christy Turlington and Carla Bruni. Bundchen's picture reached the highest price in comparison with the others. Bardot was the second with US$181,000 (£90,000).

In 2009, Gisele featured, on artistic nude picture, the cover of the work retrospective book of Australian photographer Russell James.

==Image inspiration==
In 2006, Elle magazine bosses surveyed the American leading stylists and asked them to name the star whose hair is a favourite for their clients. More than 50 per cent gave Gisele the title of best hair in Hollywood, followed by Sienna Miller in at second place and Nicole Richie in at third position.

In February 2008, a result of research was publicized by The International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ISAPS) to reveal how world celebrity images, which overwhelm popular media, influence people's choices and decisions to undergo plastic surgery. The question asked was "What influences do celebrities have on the decisions patients make?". The survey was sent to more than 20,000 plastic surgeons in 84 countries. Gisele Bundchen, Jennifer Lopez, Angelina Jolie, Nicole Kidman, Pamela Anderson, Sophia Loren, Brad Pitt and George Clooney were the most frequently mentioned celebrities. Gisele won the abdomen and hair categories and took second place in the breasts category.

==Controversies==
PETA anti-fur target
In 2002, during the taping of the annual Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, Bundchen was the target of a protest made by four members of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals because she was signed to be the new face of Blackglama, a trademark of a fur-farming cooperative. When Bundchen was on stage, four women jumped onto the runway holding posters that read "Gisele: Fur Scum" and included the logo for PETA. Bundchen tried to ignore them while several security guards detained the protesters. Bundchen told CNN that the protest was "unwarranted" because the fashion show featured only faux fur. After the incident, the producers decided to stop the music and redid Bundchen's segment once the protesters were removed.

References

a b c "In Childhood – Official Web Site". Giselebundchen.com.br. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
a b "Gisele Bündchen: "Brazil Should Become World Champion"". Deutsche Welle. 27 May 2006. Retrieved 3 March 2011. "Gisele Bündchen was born – together with her twin sister Patricia – on 20 July 1980 in Brazil"
IMG Models: Portfolio. IMG Models. Retrieved 25 January 2011
a b "IMG Models: Portfolio". IMG Models. Retrieved 19 May 2009.
"Gisele Bündchen in pictures and photos". www.pxdrive.com. Retrieved 3 January 2011.
Shanahan, Mark; Goldstein, Meredith (21 September 2009). "Bundchen the environmentalist". The Boston Globe.
"The World's Top-Earning Models-Forbes Magazine". Forbes. 19 July 2007. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
"The "20 Richest Women In Entertainment",18 January 2007,Forbes". Forbes. 17 January 2007. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
"Death of the supermodel". Vogue.co.uk. 4 September 2007. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
Antunes, Anderson. "Could Supermodel Gisele Bundchen Be On Track To Becoming a Billionaire?". Forbes.
a b Gisele Bündchen. "Celebrity Central: Gisele Bundchen biography". People. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
Please log in to comment View All Comments ». ""Top 10 Celebrities with twins" at Metromix". Chicago.metromix.com. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
"Gisele Bündchen: "Brazil Should Become World Champion"". Carlos Albuquerque. Retrieved 23 January 2008.
a b c Gisele Bündchen profile in the FMD-database. Retrieved 20 June 2008.
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Profile at Vogue.com
O'Connell, Vanessa (20 March 2008). "How to Walk Like a Model". Wall Street Journal (Dow Jones & Company, Inc). Retrieved 20 February 2011.
a b "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2011-09-01.
"A twelve-step program for beauty junkies, and more". Nymag.com. 17 January 2000. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
The Most Beautiful Girl in the World : Photos : Rolling Stone
""Career", from her official site". Giselebundchen.com.br. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
"Voguepedia: Gisele Bundchen". Vogue. Retrieved 2011-09-01.
"Gisele Bundchen – Biography". models.com.
"MaRIO DE JANEIRO Testino".
"Russell James Retrospective Book".
a b c d "Gisele Bundchen – Model Profile". Retrieved 2011-09-01.
"Gisele Bündchen – Campaigns".
"Biography for Gisele Bündchen". Retrieved 2011-09-01.
September 2004 American Vogue
"Reason to Love New York". New York Magazine. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
"Gisele Bündchen: Charmed life of the mega-model". The Independent (London). 12 May 2009. Retrieved 3 May 2010.
"Icons at Mdels.com". Models.com. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
"The Money Girls are Here".
"Accomplished Women Entertainers". CEOWORLD magazine. May 18, 2011.
100 Sexiest Women in the World 2011, FHM magazine
"Gisele Bundchen Named World's Richest Model". People. Retrieved 2011-09-01.
"FHM's 100 Sexiest Women in the World 2011". Retrieved 2011-09-01.
Gisele Bündchen Closes Out Givenchy’s All-Star Show – The Cut. Nymag.com. Retrieved on 2011-10-28.
Beggy, Carol; Shanahan, Mark (12 April 2008). ""Photo of Gisele brings big bucks", 12 April 2008 The Boston Globe". Boston Globe. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
""Foto de Gisele nua é comprada em leilão por US$ 193 mile", (Portuguese) xclusivo.terra.com.br". Exclusivo.terra.com.br. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
"Celebrity Central / Top 25 Celebs" People magazines
"Gisele Bundchen – Gisele Tops Elle Hair Poll". Contactmusic.com. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
"Celebrity Influences on Plastic Surgery" (PDF). Retrieved 22 June 2009.
"EXCLUSIVE: 14th Annual America's Most Wanted Celebrity Body Parts". Fox News. 6 January 2011.
"Who's the Most Desirable Actress in Hollywood?".
"Gisele Bündchen Closes Out Givenchy’s All-Star Show" October 3, 2011, New York Fashion
"Forbes Celebrity Top 100 2002". Forbes. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
a b Alexander, Ella (2 June 2011). "Gisele The Billionaire". Retrieved 18 August 2011.
Triggs, Charlotte (1 May 2007). "Gisele Bündchen, Victoria's Secret Part Ways". People. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
"The World's Top-Earning Models - Forbes.com". Forbes. 16 July 2007.
Índice Gisele Bündchen. Expo Money (2011-09-15). Retrieved on 2011-10-28.
Revista RI mostra relação entre Gisele Bündchen e ações. Revistapublicidad.com. Retrieved on 2011-10-28.
Bertoni, Steven (13 May 2010). ""Gisele is again highest paid model in the world". MSN report, January 2010". MSNBC. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
Our Founder Sejaa web site
Blankfeld, Keren; Bertoni, Steven (5 May 2011). "The World's Top-Earning Models". Forbes.
a b and Steven Bertoni, Keren Blankfeld (5 May 2011). "The World's Top-Earning Models". Forbes. Retrieved 11 May 2011.
"Procter & Gamble's CEO Discusses Q3 2011 Results – Earnings Call Transcript". Seeking Alpha. 28 April 2011. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
"Marca de lingerie de Gisele duplica procura por franquias Hope" 20 July 2011, Folha.com (in Portuguese)
Profile at Forbes
"The 20 Youngest Power Women of 2011" 24 August 2011, Forbes
[www.forbes.com/sites/andersonantunes/2011/11/17/gisele-bu...
"China Daily – Lifestyle". China Daily. 1 September 2006. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
"Gisele Bündchen To Be Latest Promoter Of (Product) Red Clothing & Products". Fashion.exposay.com. 12 May 2011. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
"Elle Magazine Features Gisele for (RED)". Joinred.com. 22 July 2009. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
"Gisele Bündchen ajuda a reflorestar a Mata Atlântica". Odebate.com.br. Retrieved 2011-06-03.
Morgan, John (16 December 2003). "Gisele Bundchen gives her heart to St. Jude's children". USA Today. Retrieved 3 May 2010.
"Charity IPod". Contactmusic.com. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
Shanahan, M (2011-03-18). "Gisele Bundchen supports earthquake relief; Brady sells New York pad". The Boston Globe.
"Supermodel Gisele Bundchen becomes UN Environmental Ambassador". Unep.org. 22 May 2007. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
Ipanema Flip Flop web site
"Most Beautiful Couples" 2005, People Magazine
Fin, Natalie (27 March 2009). "It's True. Tom Brady, Gisele Bündchen Secretly Wed". E!. Retrieved 12 September 2010.
"Report: Tom Brady, Gisele Bundchen marry – ESPN". ESPN. 27 February 2009. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
04:05 pm ET (15 December 2009). ""Gisele Bündchen and Tom Brady Name Son Benjamin", People, 18 December 2009". Celebrity-babies.com. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
"Gisele Bündchen Talks to Vogue's Joan Juliet Buck on Having a Baby, Tom Brady and Sejaa". Vogue Magazine. Retrieved 15 March 2010.
"Supermodel Gisele Bündchen: breastfeeding should be made law". The Daily Telegraph (London). 2 August 2010. Retrieved 20 January 2010.
"Gisele Explains Breastfeeding "Law" Comment After Outcry". UsMagazine.com.

Tags : gisele bundchen, Horizontina, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, Brazilian model, film actress, goodwill ambassador, United Nations, Forbes, highest-paid model, richest woman, entertainment, world, Brazilian, Roman Catholic, portuguese, spanish, english, Germans, school, German, professional, volleyball player, Brazilian team, Sogipa, Olivia Palito, Olive Oyl, Popeye's skinny girlfriend, Saracura, Brazilian shorebird, sao paulo, big city, shopping mall, McDonald's, modeling agency, national contest, Elite Look of the Year, New York City, usa, modeling, career, Fashion Week, Vogue magazine, Fashion Rio, sexy model, VH1, Vogue Model, Vogue, Model of the Year, Vogue covers, magazine Rolling Stone, magazine, Rolling Stone, the most beautiful girl in the world, W, Harper's Bazaar, ELLE, Allure, international editions of Vogue, Time, Vanity Fair, Forbes, Newsweek, Veja, photographers, Mario Testino, Steven Meisel, Nick Knight, Mert, Marcus, Rankin, Annie Leibovitz, Karl Lagerfeld, Peter Lindbergh, David LaChapelle, Mario Sorrenti, Nino Munoz, Patrick Demarchelier, Jean Baptiste, Mondino, Bruno Aveillan, Supermodels, Supermodel, Models, fashion world, biggest star, fashion history, advertising campaigns, seasons, Christian Dior, Balenciaga, Mervyn's, Dolce & Gabbana, Missoni, Versace, Givenchy, Bvlgari, Lanvin, Guerlain, Valentino, Ralph Lauren, Earl Jean, Zara, Chloe, Michael Kors, Louis Vuitton, Victoria's Secret, advertisements, Nivea, lotion, Brazilian brands, Vivo, Multiplan, Shopping Malls, Colcci, Credicard, Citibank, Volkswagen do Brasil, C&A, Brazil, spokesmodel, television, commercials, Fashion Rio Inverno, American giant, Apple Inc, advertising campaign, Swiss, luxury, watchmaker, sandals, footwear, company, Grendene, Ipanema, legendary, Havaianas, Ipanema, flip-flops, Palladium Executive, victoria's secret, Forbes magazine, top-earning model, Top-Earning, image, charities, humanitarian causes, African campaign, American Express, Red Card, international issues, Elle magazines, Platinum Guild International, Harper’s Bazaar, celebrities, Brazilian Atlantic Forest, Amazon Rainforest, Atlantic Forest, Music Rising, Fashion Targets, Goodwill Ambassador, United Nations, acting career, film industry, film, industry, The Devil Wears Prada, Music tribute, nelio guerson, carlos guerson, gabriel guerra, coisa linda, song, Nude photography, pretty woman, photo, picture, artistic, nude picture, Elle magazine, American, International Society, celebrity images, media, Victoria's Secret Fashion Show

Flickr Sets : Free Music & Music Download

Free Music & Music Download, a set on Flickr.

Via Flickr:
Tags : free music, download music, music download, music downloads free, music downloads, free downloads, free music, free mp3, free mp3 music, download music, mp3 music download, 4shared music, mp3 download, download, google music search, google music downloads, free music downloads, yahoo music, google radio, online music, free music, google music videos.

FREE MUSIC & MUSIC DOWNLOAD at PALCO MP3
palcomp3.com/nelioguerson/

Music Download
A music download is the transferral of a song from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment.
Popular examples of online music stores that sell digital singles and albums include the iTunes Store, Napster, Zune Marketplace, Amazon MP3, Nokia Music Store, TuneTribe, Kazaa and eMusic. Paid downloads are sometimes encoded with Digital Rights Management that restricts making extra copies of the music or playing purchased songs on certain digital audio players. They are almost always compressed using a lossy codec (usually MPEG-1 Layer 3 or Windows Media), reducing file size and therefore bandwidth requirements.
However, this may cause an apparent loss in quality to a listener when compared to a CD, and cause compatibility issues with certain software and devices. Uncompressed files and losslessly compressed files are available at some sites.
As of 2006, digital music sales are estimated to have reached a trade value of approximately US$2 billion, with tracks available through 500 online services located in 40 countries, representing around 10 percent of the total global music market. Around the world in 2006, an estimated five billion songs, equating to 38,000 years in music, were swapped on peer-to-peer websites, while 509 million were purchased online. As of January 2011, Apple's iTunes Store alone saw $1.1 billion of revenue in fiscal Q1.

Music downloads offered by artists
Some artists allow their songs to be downloaded from their websites, often as a short preview or a low-quality sampling. Others have embedded services in their sites that allow purchases of their singles or albums.

Challenges to legal music downloads
Even legal music downloads have faced a number of challenges from artists, record labels and the Recording Industry Association of America. In July 2007, the Universal Music Group decided not to renew their long-term contracts with iTunes. This legal challenge was primarily based upon the issue of pricing of songs, as Universal wanted to be able to charge more or less depending on the artist, a shift away from iTunes' standard 99 cents per song pricing. Many industry leaders feel that this is only the first of many show-downs between Apple Inc. and the various record labels.

Flickr Photos : Lady Gaga Tatoo

Lady Gaga Tatoo, a photo by Biilboard Hot 100 on Flickr.

Via Flickr:
LADY GAGA NEWS

LADY GAGA BIOGRAPHY Usa Fashion & Music News
thefireboys.blogspot.com/p/lady-gaga-wikipedia.html
LADY GAGA BIOGRAPHY Usa Fashion & Music News

Birth name Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta
Born March 28, 1986 (1986-03-28) (age 24)
Origin Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
Genres Pop, dance, electronica
Occupations Singer, songwriter, musician, dancer
Instruments Vocals, piano, synthesizer, keytar
Years active 2006-present
Labels Interscope, Streamline, Kon Live, Cherrytree, Def Jam
Website www.ladygaga.com

Lady Gaga (born Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta; March 28, 1986) is an American recording artist. She had enrolled at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts to study music, but left the college and began performing in the rock music scene of New York City's Lower East Side. She soon signed with Streamline Records, an imprint of Interscope Records, upon its establishment in 2007. During her early time at Interscope, she worked as a songwriter for fellow label artists and captured the attention of Akon, who recognized her vocal abilities, and got her signed to his own label, Kon Live Distribution.

Her debut album, The Fame, was released on August 19, 2008. In addition to receiving generally positive reviews, it reached number one in Canada, Austria, Germany and Ireland, and topped the Billboard Top Electronic Albums chart. Its first two singles, "Just Dance" and "Poker Face", co-written and co-produced with RedOne, became international number-one hits, topping the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States as well as the charts of other countries. The album later earned a total of six Grammy Award nominations and won awards for Best Electronic/Dance Album and Best Dance Recording. In early 2009 she embarked on her first headlining tour, The Fame Ball Tour. By the fourth quarter of the year, she had released her second studio album The Fame Monster, with the global chart-topping lead single "Bad Romance", as well as having embarked on her second headlining tour of the year, The Monster Ball Tour.

Lady Gaga is inspired by glam rock musicians such as David Bowie and Freddie Mercury, as well as pop music artists such as Madonna and Michael Jackson. She has also stated fashion is a source of inspiration for her songwriting and performances. In December, 2009 Lady Gaga was ranked the #73rd Artist of the Decade by Billboard Magazine. As of May 2010, she had sold over 11.5 million albums and over 40 million singles worldwide. In May 2010, Time magazine included Gaga in its annual Time 100 list of the most influential people in the world.

Contents
1 Biography
1.1 1986-2004: Early life
1.2 2005-07: Career beginnings
1.3 2008 onwards: The Fame and The Fame Monster
2 Musical style and influences
2.1 Public image
3 Discography
4 Tours
5 Awards and nominations



==Biography==
1986-2004: Early life
Stefani Germanotta was born on March 28, 1986, the eldest child of Italian American parents Joseph and Cynthia Germanotta (née Bissett), in New York City. She learned to play piano from the age of four, went on to write her first piano ballad at 13 and began performing at open mike nights by age 14. At the age of 11, Germanotta attended Convent of the Sacred Heart, a private Roman Catholic school. An avid thespian in high school musicals, Germanotta portrayed lead roles as Adelaide in Guys and Dolls and Philia in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. She described her academic life in high school as "very dedicated, very studious, very disciplined" but also "a bit insecure" as she told in an interview, "I used to get made fun of for being either too provocative or too eccentric, so I started to tone it down. I didn’t fit in, and I felt like a freak." Acquaintances dispute that she did not fit in school. "She had a core group of friends; she was a good student. She liked boys a lot, but singing was No. 1", recalled a former high school classmate. Referring to her "expressive, free spirit", Gaga told Elle magazine "I'm left-handed!"

At age 17, Germanotta gained early admission to the New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. There she studied music, and improved her songwriting skills by composing essays and analytical papers focusing on topics such as art, religion, social issues and politics. Germanotta lived in a NYU dorm on 11th Street but felt that she was more creative than some of her classmates. "Once you learn how to think about art, you can teach yourself," she said. By the second semester of her sophomore year, she withdrew from the school to focus on her musical career. Her father agreed to pay her rent for a year, on the condition that she re-enroll for Tisch, if she was unsuccessful. "I left my entire family, got the cheapest apartment I could find, and ate shit until somebody would listen," she said.

2005-07: Career beginnings
Germanotta had initially signed with Def Jam Recordings at the age of 19, after Island Def Jam Music Group Chairman and CEO L. A. Reid heard her singing down the hallway from his office. After three months, she was dropped from Def Jam, although they introduced her to songwriter and producer RedOne, whom they also managed. The first song she produced together with RedOne was "Boys Boys Boys", a mash-up inspired by Mötley Crüe's "Girls, Girls, Girls" and AC/DC's "T.N.T.". She moved into an apartment on the Lower East Side, and from there she started the Stefani Germanotta Band with some friends from NYU. They recorded an EP of their Fiona Apple-esque ballads, at a studio underneath a liquor store in New Jersey, becoming a local fixture at the downtown LES club scene. She began taking drugs soon after, while performing at burlesque shows. Her father did not understand the reason behind her drug addiction and could not look at her for several months. Music producer Rob Fusari, who helped her write some of her earlier songs, compared her vocal style to that of Freddie Mercury. Fusari helped create the moniker Gaga, after the Queen song "Radio Ga Ga". One day, Germanotta was in the process of trying to come up with a stage name, when she received a text message from Fusari that read "Lady Gaga". He explained, "Every day, when Stef came to the studio, instead of saying hello, I would start singing 'Radio Ga Ga.' That was her entrance song. Lasy Gaga was actually a glitch; I typed 'Radio Ga Ga' in a text and it did an autocorrect so somehow 'Radio' got changed to 'Lady'. She texted me back, "That's it." After that day, she was Lady Gaga. She’s like, "Don’t ever call me Stefani again."


Gaga performing at a barShe was known thereafter as Lady Gaga. Throughout 2007, Gaga collaborated with performance artist Lady Starlight, who helped create her onstage fashions. The pair began playing gigs at downtown club venues like the Mercury Lounge, The Bitter End, and the Rockwood Music Hall, with their live performance art piece known as "Lady Gaga and the Starlight Revue". Billed as "The Ultimate Pop Burlesque Rockshow", their act was a low-fi tribute to 1970s variety acts. In August 2007, Gaga and Starlight were invited to play at the American Lollapalooza music festival. The show was critically acclaimed, and their performance received positive reviews. Having initially focused on avant-garde, and electronic dance music, Gaga found her musical niche when she began to incorporate pop melodies and the vintage glam rock of David Bowie and Queen into her music.

Fusari sent the songs he produced with Gaga to his friend, producer and record executive Vincent Herbert. Herbert was quick to sign her to his label Streamline Records, an imprint of Interscope Records. She credited Herbert as the man who discovered her, adding "I really feel like we made pop history, and we're gonna keep going". Having already served as an apprentice songwriter under an internship at Famous Music Publishing, which was later acquired by Sony/ATV Music Publishing, Gaga subsequently struck a music publishing deal with Sony/ATV. As a result, she was hired to write songs for Britney Spears, and labelmates New Kids on the Block, Fergie, and the Pussycat Dolls. While Gaga was writing at Interscope, singer-songwriter Akon recognized her vocal abilities, when she sang a reference vocal for one of his tracks in studio. He then convinced Interscope-Geffen-A&M Chairman and CEO Jimmy Iovine to form a joint deal, by having her also sign with his own label Kon Live Distribution, and later called her his "franchise player." Gaga continued her collaboration with RedOne, by working with him in the studio for a week on her debut album, spawning the future singles "Just Dance" and "Poker Face". She also joined the roster of Cherrytree Records, an Interscope imprint established by producer and songwriter Martin Kierszenbaum, after co-writing four songs with Kierszenbaum including the single "Eh, Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say)".

2008 onwards: The Fame and The Fame Monster
By 2008, Gaga had relocated to Los Angeles, working closely with her record label to finalize her debut album The Fame. She combined a lot of different genres on the album, "from Def Leppard drums and hand claps to metal drums on urban tracks." The Fame received positive reviews from critics; according to the music review aggregation of Metacritic, it garnered an average score of 71/100. The album peaked at number one in Austria, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Ireland, and the top-five in Australia and the United States. Its lead single "Just Dance", topped the charts in six countries Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, Ireland, the United Kingdom, and the United States and later received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Dance Recording. The following single, "Poker Face", was an even greater success, reaching number-one in almost all major music markets in the world, including the United Kingdom and the United States. It won the award for Best Dance Recording at the 52nd Grammy Awards, over nominations for Song of the Year and Record of the Year. The Fame was nominated for Album of the Year; it won the Grammy Award for Best Electronic/Dance Album. Although her first concert tour happened as an opening act for fellow Interscope pop group, the reformed New Kids on the Block, she ultimately headlined her own concert tour, The Fame Ball Tour, which began on March 2009.


Gaga at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards.The cover of the annual 'Hot 100' issue of Rolling Stone in May 2009, featured a semi-nude Gaga wearing only strategically placed plastic bubbles. In the issue she discussed that while she was beginning her career in the New York club scene, she was romantically involved with a heavy metal drummer. She described their relationship and break-up, saying of it, "I was his Sandy, and he was my Danny of Grease, and I just broke." He later became an inspiration behind some of the songs on The Fame. She was nominated for a total of nine awards at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards, winning the award for "Best New Artist", while her single "Paparazzi" won two awards for "Best Art Direction" and "Best Special Effects." In October 2009, Gaga received Billboard magazine's Rising Star of 2009 award. She attended the Human Rights Campaign's "National Dinner" on October 10, 2009, before marching in the National Equality March in Washington, D.C. In November 2009, Gaga released The Fame Monster, a collection of eight songs that dealt with the darker side of fame as experienced by her over the course of 2008-09, while travelling around the world and are expressed through a monster metaphor. Her second concert tour, The Monster Ball Tour, was announced in support of The Fame Monster and began in November 2009. "Bad Romance" was released as the first single from the album and topped the charts in eighteen countries, while reaching the top-two in the United States, Australia and New Zealand. "Speechless", a song from The Fame Monster, was performed at The 2009 Royal Variety Performance where Gaga met and sang for Queen Elizabeth II.


Gaga performing on The Monster Ball TourGaga was chosen as of one the '10 Most Fascinating People of 2009' by Barbara Walters during Walters' annual ABC News special. When interviewed by the journalist, the singer went to dismiss the claim that she is intersex as an urban legend, responding to a question on this issue by stating: "At first it was very strange and everyone sorta said, 'That's really quite a story!' But in a sense, I portray myself in a very androgynous way, and I love androgyny." On January 7, 2010, she was named chief creative officer for a line of imaging products for Polaroid, stating that she will create fashion, technology and photography products. In the wake of the 2010 Haiti earthquake, Gaga donated all of her proceeds from the January 24 show of The Monster Ball (ticket sales, merchandise, etc.), and from her online store; the total amount donated was over $500,000. She also collaborated with artist Cyndi Lauper, for MAC AIDS Fund's VIVA Glam campaign, which raised over $160 million to fight against AIDS and HIV, and bring awareness about the diseases to women around the world. The second single "Telephone", which features R&B singer Beyoncé, became her fourth UK number-one single, while reaching the top three in Australia, France, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Canada and the United States. On March 19, 2010, Rob Fusari sued Gaga's production company Mermaid Music LLC, claiming that he was entitled to a 20% share of its earnings. Gaga's lawyer Charles Ortner described the agreement with Fusari as "unlawful" and declined to comment. In an interview with MTV United Kingdom, Gaga stated that she had begun work on her new studio album. She said that shes "already written the core of it" and that "it's certainly my best work to date." On April 16, 2010, her music videos gained over one billion viral views, becoming the first artist to reach this milestone. Later that month, Gaga was named one of Time magazine's 100 most influential people of the year. Cyndi Lauper, who wrote the article in TIME about Gaga, called her "a performance artist" saying that "she herself is the art, she is the sculpture."

==Musical style and influences==
Gaga has been influenced by glam rock musicians such as David Bowie and Freddie Mercury, as well as pop music artists such as Madonna and Michael Jackson. The Queen song "Radio Ga Ga" inspired her stage name, "Lady Gaga". She commented: "I adored Freddie Mercury and Queen had a hit called 'Radio Gaga'. That's why I love the name Freddie was unique one of the biggest personalities in the whole of pop music." Madonna told Rolling Stone that she sees "herself in Lady Gaga." In response to the comparisons between herself and Madonna, Gaga stated: "I don't want to sound presumptuous, but I've made it my goal to revolutionise pop music. The last revolution was launched by Madonna 25 years ago." Actress and singer Grace Jones was also cited as an inspiration by her. She has often been likened to Blondie singer Debbie Harry.

Gaga's vocals have drawn frequent comparison to Madonna and Gwen Stefani, while the structure of her music is said to be reminiscent of classic 1980s pop and 1990s Europop. While reviewing her debut album The Fame, The Sunday Times asserted "in combining music, fashion, art and technology, Lady GaGa evokes Madonna, Gwen Stefani circa 'Hollaback Girl', Kylie Minogue 2001 or Grace Jones right now." Similarly, The Boston Globe critic Sarah Rodman commented that she draws "obvious inspirations from Madonna to Gwen Stefani... in her girlish but sturdy pipes and bubbly beats." Though her lyrics are said to lack intellectual stimulation, "she does manage to get you moving and grooving at an almost effortless pace." Music critic Simon Reynolds wrote that "Everything about Gaga came from electroclash, except the music, which wasn't particularly 1980s, just ruthlessly catchy noughties pop glazed with Auto-Tune and undergirded with R&B-ish beats.

Gaga has stated that she is "very into fashion" and that it is "everything" to her. She considers Donatella Versace her muse. Gaga has her own creative production team called the Haus of Gaga, which she handles personally. The team creates many of her clothes, stage props, and hairdos. Her love of fashion came from her mother, who she stated was "always very well kept and beautiful." She said that: "When I'm writing music, I'm thinking about the clothes I want to wear on stage. It's all about everything altogether performance art, pop performance art, fashion. For me, it's everything coming together and being a real story that will bring back the super-fan. I want to bring that back. I want the imagery to be so strong that fans will want to eat and taste and lick every part of us." The Global Language Monitor named 'Lady Gaga' as the Top Fashion Buzzword with her trademark 'no pants' coming in at No. 3. Entertainment Weekly put her outfits on its end of the decade "best-of" list, saying, "Whether it's a dress made of Muppets or strategically placed bubbles, Gaga's outré ensembles brought performance art into the mainstream."

==Public image==
Gaga wearing a plastic bubble dress while performing on The Fame Ball Tour.Contrary to her subsequent outré style, the New York Post described her early look as like "a refugee from Jersey Shore" with "big black hair, heavy eye makeup and tight, revealing clothes." Gaga is a natural brunette, however she bleached her hair blonde, because she was often mistaken for Amy Winehouse. She often refers to her fans as her 'little monsters' and got a tattoo with that inscription as a tribute. She has another six known tattoos, among them a peace symbol, which was inspired by the late John Lennon who she stated was her hero, and a curling German script on her left arm which quotes the poet Rainer Maria Rilke, her "favorite philosopher," commenting that his "philosophy of solitude" spoke to her:

In the deepest hour of the night, confess to yourself that you would die if you were forbidden to write. And look deep into your heart where it spreads its roots, the answer, and ask yourself, must I write?
Rainer Maria Rilke
Toward the end of 2008, comparisons were made between the fashions of Lady Gaga and recording artist Christina Aguilera, noting similarities in their styling, hair, and make-up. Aguilera later said she was "completely unaware of Gaga" and "didn't know if it was a man or a woman." Gaga released a statement in which she welcomed the comparisons, due to the attention providing useful publicity, saying, "She's such a huge star and if anything I should send her flowers, because a lot of people in America didn't know who I was until that whole thing happened. It really put me on the map in a way." Comparisons continued into 2010 when Christina released the music video of her single "Not Myself Tonight". Critics noted similarities between the song and its accompanying music video with Gaga's video for "Bad Romance".


Gaga delivers a speech at the National Equality March, October 11, 2009.Gaga attributes much of her early success as a mainstream artist to her gay fans and is considered to be a rising gay icon. Early in her career she had difficulty getting radio airplay, and stated, "The turning point for me was the gay community. I've got so many gay fans and they're so loyal to me and they really lifted me up. They'll always stand by me and I'll always stand by them. It's not an easy thing to create a fanbase." She thanked FlyLife, a Manhattan-based LGBT marketing company with whom her label Interscope works, in the liner notes of her debut studio album, The Fame, saying, "I love you so much. You were the first heartbeat in this project, and your support and brilliance means the world to me. I will always fight for the gay community hand in hand with this incredible team." One of her first televised performances was in May 2008 at the NewNowNext Awards, an awards show aired by the LGBT television network Logo, where she sang her song "Just Dance". In June of the same year, she performed the song again at the San Francisco Pride event. After The Fame was released, she revealed that the song "Poker Face" was about her bisexuality. In an interview with Rolling Stone, she spoke about how her boyfriends tended to react to her bisexuality, saying "The fact that I’m into women, they’re all intimidated by it. It makes them uncomfortable. They’re like, 'I don’t need to have a threesome. I’m happy with just you'." When she appeared as a guest on The Ellen DeGeneres Show in May 2009, she praised DeGeneres for being "an inspiration for women and for the gay community". She proclaimed that the October 11, 2009, National Equality March rally on the national mall was "the single most important event of her career." As she exited, she left with an exultant "Bless God and bless the gays," similar to her 2009 MTV Video Music Awards acceptance speech for Best New Artist a month earlier.

==Discography==
Main article: Lady Gaga discography
The Fame (2008)
The Fame Monster (2009)
Tours
The Fame Ball Tour (2009)
The Monster Ball Tour (2009-2011)
Awards and nominations
Main article: List of awards and nominations received by Lady Gaga

Tags : lady gaga lyrics, video lady gaga, bad romance, youtube lady gaga, alejandro lady gaga, telephone, telephone lady gaga, born this way, poker face, judas, judas lady gaga

Google News : VIDEO YOUTUBE ShowBiz Minute: Beyonce, Hudson, Lohan

Beyonce Knowles

Birth name Beyonce Giselle Knowles
Born September 4, 1981 (1981-09-04) (age 29)
Origin Houston, Texas, United States
Genres R&B, soul, pop
Occupations Singer, songwriter, record producer, actress, dancer, entertainer, choreographer, model, video director
Years active 1997–present
Labels Columbia
Associated acts Destiny's Child, Jay-Z, Solange Knowles
Website http://www.beyonceonline.com


Beyonce Giselle Knowles ( /bi'j?nse?/ bee-yon-say; born September 4, 1981), often known simply as Beyoncé, is an American R&B recording artist, actress and fashion designer. 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 the number-one hits "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 group's disbandment in 2005, Knowles released her second solo album, B'Day in 2006. It debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and included the hits "Irreplaceable" and "Beautiful Liar". Her third solo album I Am... Sasha Fierce was released in 2008, and included the anthemic "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)". The album earned Knowles six Grammys at the 52nd Grammy Awards, breaking the record for most Grammy Awards won by a female artist in one night.

Apart from her work in music, Knowles has also launched a career in acting. In 2001, she made her debut in the musical film Carmen: A Hip Hopera, prior to appearing in major films, including 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; Knowles has also endorsed brands such as Pepsi, Tommy Hilfiger, Armani and L'Oréal. In June 2010, Knowles was ranked second on Forbes list of the 100 Most Powerful and Influential celebrities in the world, and first on its list of the Most Powerful and Influential musicians in the world.

Knowles has earned numerous awards and accolades. She 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. Knowles was ranked the 4th Artist of the 2000s decade by Billboard and was listed the most successful female artist of the decade, as well as the top radio artist of the decade. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), also listed Knowles as the top certified artist of the decade. In the United States alone, Knowles has sold over 11.2 million albums and nearly 25 million singles as of May 2010. As of September 2009, she has sold 75 million records worldwide, making her one of the best-selling music artists of all time.

Contents
1 Life and career
1.1 1981–96: Early life and career beginnings
1.2 1997–2001: Destiny's Child era and depression
1.3 2002–03: Solo career, films, and Dangerously in Love
1.4 2004–05: Destiny Fulfilled and group disbandment
1.5 2006–07: B'Day and films
1.6 2008–09: Marriage, I Am... Sasha Fierce, and films
1.7 2010–present: New management and 4
2 Artistry
2.1 Music and voice
2.2 Influences
2.3 Stage and alter ego
2.4 Public image
3 Awards and achievements
4 Other ventures
4.1 Clothing lines
4.2 Products and endorsements
5 Philanthropy
6 Discography
7 Videography



Life and career1981–96: Early life and career beginningsKnowles 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 of Creole (African, Native American, and French) descent. Knowles was baptized after her mother's maiden name, as a tribute to her mother. She 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. Her 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. She 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. She 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 soloist in the choir of her church, in St. John's United Methodist Church. She only lasted in the choir for two years.

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 depressionMain 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 début 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. She 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 had lasted for a couple of years, while she had 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." She acknowledges her mother, Tina Knowles, for finally saying to help 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 LoveIn 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's second single, "Baby Boy" featuring dancehall singer Sean Paul, spent nine consecutive weeks at number one. The album's third single, "Me, Myself and I", peaked at number four on the same chart. The album's fourth single, "Naughty Girl", peaked at number three and became Knowles' fourth consecutive top-five release from Dangerously in Love and Knowles' fifth consecutive top-five hit.

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, where it was certified three times Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The album spawned the hit singles, "Lose My Breath", "Soldier" and "Cater 2 U". 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 Dreamgirls, 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". Her 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 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. She 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. She 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 and 4In January 2010, Knowles was interviewed by USA Today and announced plans to take a break from music in 2010. She 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". She 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.

In January 2011, it was made known 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." She 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. Knowles headlined at the 2011 Glastonbury Festival, performing a 90-minute set on the last day of the festival on June 26, 2011. She will also be performing at the Oxegen Festival in Ireland, and the T in the Park Festival in Scotland during July 2011.

ArtistryMusic 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.

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 records for Irreemplazable and the re-release of B'Day. Prior to recording the Spanish titles on the album's re-release, Knowles was coached phonetically by American record producer, Rudy Perez.

Since Destiny's Child, Knowles has artistically been involved in her career. She 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. She 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. She 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." Cove magazine ranked Knowles seventh on their list of "The 100 Outstanding Pop Vocalists", giving her 48 out of 50 points based on several criteria ranging from her vocal ability to range to harmony.

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... 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."

InfluencesOne of Knowles' major influences and idol is Michael Jackson, who she credits as the reason why she does music. 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. She's one of the few singers able to cross over into really good movies." Her 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. She 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."

Aside from her influences, Knowles has become a musical inspiration among various contemporary artists, including Rihanna, Alexandra Burke, Leona Lewis, Adele and Nicki Minaj. Trey Songz, Keri Hilson and Jazmine Sullivan 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 album, Ms. Kelly. Adele revealed to Rolling Stone magazine, that she was inspired by Knowles' alter ego to create her own named, Sasha Carter. Carter is pulled out whenever she needs to give herself a shot of confidence. Pop singer Miley Cyrus told Seventeen magazine that she would like to be like Knowles, stating "She 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. She 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 she was learning to be a musical performer in the film, Country Strong.

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.

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 devotes 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. She 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".


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.... 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. She 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". She 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."

Public image
Knowles performing "Ave Maria" during her I Am... Tour in 2009Knowles 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 combination 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 Lifestyle 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, " 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. She 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."

Awards and achievementsMain article: List of awards and nominations received by Beyoncé Knowles
Throughout 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. She 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. Her debut studio album, Dangerously in Love, was listed as one of the top 200 definitive albums in music history by the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

In December 2009, Billboard listed Knowles as the most successful female artist and the top radio artist of the 2000s decade. Billboard also ranked her the 4th artist of the decade, and the 15th top 25 R&B/Hip-Hop artist of the past 25 years (1985–2010). BET also recognized Knowles as the second most influential artist of the decade. 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, VH1 listed her at number 52 on its list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. 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.

Other venturesClothing linesKnowles 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. She 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. She 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 was available for download in the game. In February 2010, Knowles launched her first fragrance, Heat. She 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. Her third fragrance, Beyonce Pulse, will launch in September 2011. 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.

PhilanthropyKnowles has been exposed to issues of social awareness since a young child, as her father would sometimes take her into the community, including African-American society. 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. She 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. She 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.

DiscographyMain article: Beyoncé Knowles discography
Dangerously in Love (2003)
B'Day (2006)
I Am... Sasha Fierce (2008)
4 (2011)
VideographyMain article: 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)

• FASHION WEEK - USA Fashion and Music News
• PALCO MP3 - Download Music Legally Direct From Artist
• LAST FM - Download Music Legally Direct From Artist
• PICASA WEB - USA Fashion Music News Photo Gallery
• DISNEY CHANNEL - Music News
• BABY JUSTIN BIEBER - Google Images Google News
• LADY GAGA  - Google Images Google News
• UNIVERSE PICTURES - Google Images Nature Picrtures
• FLICKR PHOTOS - Fashion Magazines