Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter (born September 4, 1981), known mononymously as Beyoncé (  /biˈjɒnseɪ/ bee-YON-say), is an American singer, songwriter, dancer and actress. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, she enrolled in 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 Destiny's Child, one of the world's best-selling girl groups of all time.

 

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

 

Apart from her work in music, Knowles has also ventured into acting and designing clothes and various perfumes. She made her acting debut in the musical TV film Carmen: A Hip Hopera (2001), prior to appearing in major films, Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002), The Fighting Temptations (2003), Dreamgirls (2006), which earned her two Golden Globe nominations, Cadillac Records (2008) and Obsessed (2009). Knowles introduced her family's fashion line House of Deréon in 2005, and has endorsed such brands as L'Oréal, Pepsi, Tommy Hilfiger, Nintendo and Vizio. In 2010, Knowles was ranked first on Forbes list of the "100 Most Powerful and Influential Musicians in the World", and second on its list of the "100 Most Powerful and Influential Celebrities in the World".

 

Knowles' work has earned her numerous awards and accolades, including 16 Grammy Awards, 12 MTV Video Music Awards, a Billboard Millennium Award, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame with Destiny's Child. In 2009, Billboard named her the Top Female Artist and Top Radio Songs Artist of the 2000s decade, and ranked her as the fourth Artist of the Decade.The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) also recognized Knowles as the Top Certified Artist of the 2000s.She is the eighth best-selling digital artist in the United States, with more than 30.4 million digital singles sold as of January 2012.Knowles has sold over 13 million albums in the US and over 75 million records worldwide, making her one of the best-selling music artists of all time.In 2010, she appeared on VH1's list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time",and was ranked third on their "100 Greatest Women in Music" list in 2012. In April 2008, Knowles married American rapper Jay-Z, and gave birth to their first child, Blue Ivy Carter, in January 2012.

 

Artistry

Music and voice

"With 'Single Ladies,' clearly I'd just gotten married, and people want to get married every day - then there was the whole Justin Timberlake thing [recreating the video] on "Saturday Night Live," and it was also the year YouTube blew up. With 'Irreplaceable,' the aggressive lyrics, the acoustic guitar, and the 808 drum machine - those things don't typically go together, and it sounded fresh. 'Crazy in Love' was another one of those classic moments in pop culture that none of us expected. I asked Jay to get on the song the night before I had to turn my album in - thank God he did. It still never gets old, no matter how many times I sing it."

—Knowles reflects on her musical style and the impact it has had on her life and pop culture during her Billboard Cover story in 2011.

 

Knowles' music is generally contemporary R&B, but she also incorporates pop, electropop, funk, hip hop, and soul into her songs. While she almost exclusively releases English songs, Knowles recorded several Spanish songs for Irreemplazable and the re-release of B'Day. Prior to recording these, Knowles was coached phonetically by American record producer Rudy Perez.Since Destiny's Child, Knowles has artistically been involved in her career.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 Billboard 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.In May 2011, Keith Caulfield and Gary Trust of Billboard magazine listed Knowles at number 17 on their list of the "Top 20 Hot 100 Songwriters", for having co-written eight singles that hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. She was one of only three women on that list.

 

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."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.

 

Influences

Knowles' credits Michael Jackson as her major musical influence and idol.Knowles has also named Diana Ross as another one of her influences because "she's an all-around entertainer: a great actor, a good singer, and a beautiful, elegant woman. She's one of the few singers able to cross over into really good movies."Knowles cites Whitney Houston as another idol saying she "inspired [her] to get up there and do what [she] did."Her other musical influences include Cher,Tina Turner,Prince,Lauryn Hill,Sade Adu,[194] Aaliyah,Mary J. Blige,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."

 

Many of the themes and musical styles on Knowles' second solo album B'Day (2006) were inspired by her role in Dreamgirls (2006).

 

She was inspired to produce an album with an overriding theme of feminism and female empowerment.Knowles also cited Josephine Baker as an influence on the album.Knowles' paid homage to Baker by performing "Déjà Vu" at the Fashion Rocks concert on September 8, 2006, with Knowles and her female dancers wearing Baker's trademark mini-hula skirt embellished with fake bananas.For Knowles' third solo album I Am... Sasha Fierce (2008), she was inspired by Jay-Z and especially by Etta James, whose "boldness" inspired Knowles to explore other musical genres and styles.On her fourth solo album 4 (2011), Knowles acknowledged that she was inspired by Fela Kuti, 1990s R&B, Earth, Wind & Fire, DeBarge, Lionel Richie, Teena Marie with additional influences by The Jackson 5, New Edition, Adele, Florence and the Machine and Prince.Knowles also mentioned that she was influenced by Jay-Z's own work as well.

 

Stage and alter ego

In 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 also 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. Jarett Wieselman of the New York Post placed Knowles at number one on her list of The Five Best Singer/Dancers, writing, "the megastar consistently devote[s] every ounce of her to the routine."In reviewing her I Am... Tour, Renee Michelle Harris of 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."Barbara 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".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 Star Phoenix declares "Beyoncé is no ordinary performer ... from note one, the 27-year-old powerhouse rose above all the gimmicks, mastering the show like a sexy alien overlord princess. Nothing but extraterrestrial origins could explain that voice ... [Beyoncé] could perform circles around any other pop star today." Editors of 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 "Crazy in Love", Knowles introduced her alter ego with the release of her third album I Am... Sasha Fierce (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."In May 2012, Knowles announced that she would be bringing Sasha Fierce back for her Revel shows.

 

Public image

Knowles has stated: "I like to dress sexy and I carry myself like a lady," but she has said that the way she dresses on stage is "absolutely for the stage".The media often use the term "Bootylicious" (a portmanteau of the words booty and delicious), to describe Knowles because of her curves.The term was made widely known by the Destiny's Child single 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 (2003), "[Beyoncé] has become a crossover sex symbol a la Halle Berry ..." In 2006, the animal rights organization People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), criticized Knowles for wearing fur coats and using fur in her clothing line House of Deréon.

 

During the release of Rihanna's second album A Girl Like Me (2006), 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 described Rihanna as the "Bajan Beyoncé".In 2007, Knowles was featured on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, and became the first non-model and non-athlete woman to pose on the issue, and the second model of African American descent 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 Ciara, when the latter released the music video of her single "Love Sex Magic" (2009).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 25 on the "50 Most Beautiful Women in Film" list.The following month, she appeared on the cover of French fashion magazine L'Officiel, in honor of the magazine's 90th anniversary and in tribute to Nigerian musician Fela Kuti. Knowles appeared in blackface and tribal makeup, that 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".Men's Health magazine placed Knowles at number 33 on the "100 Hottest Women of All-Time" list. In 2012, she was named "World's Most Beautiful Woman" by People magazine.

 

Legacy

Throughout Knowles' career, she has earned numerous awards and honors. As a solo artist, she has sold over 13 million albums in the United States and over 75 million records worldwide, making her one of the best-selling music artists of all time.Nielsen SoundScan ranked Knowles as the eighth best-selling digital artist in the US, with more than 30.4 million digital singles sold as of January 2012.Her songs "Crazy in Love", "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)", "Halo" and "Irreplaceable" are some of the best-selling singles of all time worldwide. Knowles is the seventh biggest-selling female singles artist of all time in the United Kingdom, with more than 6.9 million singles sold as of October 2012.The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) listed Knowles as the Top Certified Artist of the 2000s decade, with a total of 64 certifications, including albums, digital songs, master ringtones and music videos.In November 2009, The Observer named her the Artist of the Decade, writing that "she made not one but two of the decade's greatest singles, with 'Crazy in Love' and 'Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)', not to mention her hits with Destiny's Child".In December 2009, Billboard named Knowles the Top Female Artist and Top Radio Songs Artist of the Decade, and ranked her as the fourth Artist of the Decade.At the 2007 American Music Awards, Knowles became the first female artist to be honored the International Artist Award.At the 2008 World Music Awards, she was honored the legend award for Outstanding Contribution to the Arts.Knowles was also honored the Billboard Millennium Award at the 2011 Billboard Music Awards, for her "achievements and influence in the music industry".She has won 16 Grammy Awards, both as a solo artist and member of Destiny's Child, making her the third most honored female artist by the Grammys.

 

Knowles' debut solo album Dangerously in Love was ranked at number 183 on the "Top 200 Definitive Albums" list by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.The music video for "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" achieved fame for its intricate choreography and its deployment of jazz hands with a wrist twist.It has been credited with starting the "first major dance craze of both the new millennium and the Internet",triggering a number of parodies of the dance choreography.The music video inspired a legion of amateur imitators to post videos of themselves performing the choreography on YouTube.In 2010, Knowles was ranked at number 52 on VH1's list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time".On November 19, 2010, Billboard named her in their "Top 50 R&B/Hip-Hop Artists of the Past 25 Years" list at number 15. In 2011, "Crazy in Love" was declared the "Greatest Song of the 2000s" by VH1.Knowles and her husband Jay-Z made it into the 2011 Guinness Book of Records as the "highest-earning power couple" for collectively earning $122 million in 2009.In September 2011, Knowles set a new Guinness World Record for most tweets per second about her pregnancy.In October 2011, Prefix magazine ranked her first on their list of the "Best Female R&B Singers", writing "What's almost unbelievably insane is that not only can Beyoncé sing better than anybody else out there, but she can also dance better than anyone else out there, and unlike virtually every single performer, she can do both at the same time."She was also ranked 13th on The Root's list of "The 100 Most Influential African Americans". In 2012, Knowles was ranked third on VH1's list of the "100 Greatest Women in Music".In January 2012, it was announced that Scaptia beyonceae, a species of horse fly found in Northern Queensland, Australia, was named after Knowles. Bryan Lessard, the research scientist who named the species, did so due to the fly's unique golden hairs on its abdomen, calling it the "all-time diva of flies".Later that month, Rutgers University in New Jersey introduced a course named after Knowles called "Politicizing Beyoncé".The course allows students to explore the "social and cultural significance" of Knowles' music and image, including her alter ego Sasha Fierce and whether Knowles "racy performances" are of female sexual empowerment or "merely complying with western gender stereotypes".

 

Artists have cited her as an inspiration, including Alexandra Burke,Jessica Sanchez,Leona Lewis,Misha B,Nicole Scherzinger,Rachel Crow,and Rita Ora.Rihanna stated, "when she came out with Dangerously in Love ... I was like 'wow, I want to be just like that.' She's huge and just an inspiration and one of the artists that I admire a lot."Jessie J stated that she would like to be as successful as Knowles within the next decade.JoJo cited Knowles as an inspiration in her music, stating: "I think she's incredible as an entertainer, a role model, and a writer. I think she can do it all." Adele stated that she was inspired by Knowles' alter ego Sasha Fierce, to create her own named Sasha Carter. The composite of Sasha Fierce and late country icon June Carter, is pulled out whenever she needs to give herself a shot of confidence.Adele said: "I don't know her but she's a huge part of my life ... Everything I refer to has always got something to do with Destiny's Child or her. She just knows what she wants. She's in control of it all. She's classy. She's still totally fucking relevant. And just a nice person." Hillary Scott of the country pop group Lady Antebellum stated she admires Knowles as a female artist.Azealia Banks stated, "I definitely think career-wise and personally, I'm very, very inspired by Beyoncé. She's so well-mannered and so classy and so well-poised. It's important to have those kinds of skills."Australian recording artist Ricki-Lee Coulter cited Knowles as one of her musical influences, stating: "She's so driven, she pushes herself to the limits and she's achieved so much but she's always looking for what that next thing is and how she can improve from what she's done in the past. She's really setting the benchmark for female artists and I think she kind of is the Michael Jackson of this generation." Cheryl Cole cited Knowles as a big inspiration for her career, stating: "I just think she's such a beautiful person, inside and out. Apart from what she does on the stage, which is obviously incredible and aspirational, I just like her as a woman ... She's empowering, and I like that."Kelly Rowland cited Knowles as an inspiration for her second solo album Ms. Kelly (2007), and as one of her style icons.

 

American indie rock band White Rabbits also cited her an inspiration for their third album Milk Famous (2012). British girl group Little Mix cited Knowles as an influence for their single "Wings" (2012). Nicki Minaj stated that seeing Knowles' Pepsi commercial influenced her to appear in Pepsi's 2012 global campaign. She said: "Out of the people that have done something with Pepsi, I think I was probably the most influenced by the Beyoncé commercial. I felt like this is a young black girl, early on in her career and she's doing something so iconic and I never thought in a billion years that Pepsi would reach out to someone like me."

 

Gwyneth Paltrow has studied Knowles at her live concerts, while learning to become a musical performer in the film Country Strong (2010).[288] Miranda Lambert stated that Knowles' concert DVD Live at Wembley inspired her to "take little bits" from Knowles' performances for her live shows.Trey Songz named Knowles as his favorite female singer and stated: "I followed her since Destiny's Child's first single and I truly think she's deserving of all that she has. She works extremely hard. She's an amazing performer, vocalist, and even outside of that, she's an amazing businesswoman. She's the perfect model for what an artist can be."Miley Cyrus commented 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 recalled: "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."Blondie frontwoman Debbie Harry revealed that she was disappointed that she never became a "megastar" like Knowles, stating: "the temptation to be such a great entertainer and performer like Beyoncé [is] so fantastic. I would adore doing some of that stuff. Her track record with songs is phenomenal; I wish we had as many hits."Simon Cowell stated that she is "Ambitious, talented, competitive. She defines this new breed of what I call super popstars, and they are all girls at the moment. It's like a new super species who literally want to rule the world." Matthew Morrison stated that watching the "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" music video made him realize that Knowles is an icon. "As a singer-dancer myself, I know how hard and how rare it is to have that combination. Beyoncé is so amazing at both and then to see her act as well in Dreamgirls, it's pretty amazing".Fergie of The Black Eyed Peas stated: "Beyoncé has always been an icon to me. She's one of the most talented artists of our generation."

 

Other ventures

House of Deréon

Knowles and her mother introduced House of Deréon, a ready-to-wear contemporary women's fashion line, in 2005.The concept is inspired by three generations of women in their family, with the name Deréon paying tribute to Knowles' grandmother, Agnèz Deréon, who worked as a seamstress.According to Tina Knowles, the overall style of the line best reflects Knowles' taste and style.Knowles and her mother founded their family's company Beyond Productions, which provides the licensing and brand management for Deréon, a "junior lifestyle collection", and House of Deréon.Products of House of Deréon received public exhibitions through Destiny's Child's shows and tours, during their Destiny Fulfilled era.The House of Deréon collection features sportswear, denim offerings with fur, outerwear and accessories that include handbags and footwear, which are available at department and specialty stores across the United States and Canada.

 

In 2005, Knowles teamed up with House of Brands, a local shoe company, to produce a range of footwear for House of Deréon.In January 2008, Starwave Mobile launched Beyoncé Fashion Diva, a "high-style" mobile game with an online social networking component, featuring the House of Deréon collection.In July 2009, Knowles and her mother launched a new junior apparel label, Sasha Fierce for Deréon, for back-to-school selling. The collection included sportswear, outerwear, handbags, footwear, eyewear, lingerie and jewelry.It was available to buy at department stores including Macy's and Dillard's, and specialty stores Jimmy Jazz and Against All Odds.On May 27, 2010, Knowles teamed up with clothing store C&A to launch Deréon by Beyoncé at C&A stores in Brazil.The collection included Tailored blazers with padded shoulders, little black dresses, embroidered tops and shirts and bandage dresses.

 

Products and endorsements

In 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 on a commercial called "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 was shot 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 called 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 were available for download in the game.In February 2010, Knowles launched her first official 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, which begins with an image of Knowles appearing to lie naked in a room, had been deemed "too sexually provocative" to be seen by young children and was not shown before 7.30 pm.In February 2011, Knowles launched her second fragrance, Heat Rush.In April 2011, Knowles was sued by US game developer, Gate Five, for more than $100 million, who claimed she "destroyed [its] business ... on a whim".Gate Five alleged that Knowles changed her mind about plans for a game called Starpower: Beyoncé, forcing the company to sack 70 employees the week before Christmas 2010.Knowles' third fragrance, Pulse, was launched in September 2011.

 

Discography

• Dangerously in Love (2003)

• B'Day (2006)

• I Am... Sasha Fierce (2008)

• 4 (2011)

 

Filmography

• Carmen: A Hip Hopera (2001)

• Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002)

• The Fighting Temptations (2003)

• The Pink Panther (2006)

• Dreamgirls (2006)

• Cadillac Records (2008)

• Wow! Wow! Wubbzy!: Wubb Idol (2009)

• Obsessed (2009)

• Epic (2013)

 

Tours

• Dangerously in Love Tour (2003)

• Verizon Ladies First Tour (2004)

• The Beyoncé Experience (2007)

• I Am... Tour (2009–2010)