Beyoncé - 1600 x 1000

Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter, often referred to simply as Beyoncé, is an American singer, songwriter, dancer and actress. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, Knowles enrolled in performing arts schools and was first exposed to singing and dancing competitions as a child. She 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 five Grammy Awards. Following the disbandment of Destiny's Child in 2005, Knowles released her second solo album, B'Day (2006), which spawned the top five singles "Déjà Vu", "Irreplaceable" and "Beautiful Liar". Her third solo album I Am... Sasha Fierce (2008), contained 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. Her fourth solo album, 4 (2011), became her fourth consecutive number one album on the Billboard 200 as a solo artist.

Knowles' work has earned her numerous awards and accolades, including 17 Grammy Awards, 12 MTV Video Music Awards, a Billboard Millennium Award, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (with Destiny's Child). As a solo artist, Knowles 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. 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. Following year, Knowles was ranked first on Forbes list of the "100 Most Powerful and Influential Musicians in the World". She also 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.

Apart from her work in music, Knowles has also ventured into acting, designing clothes and endorsing various perfumes. Her performance in Dreamgirls eventually earned her two Golden Globe nominations. 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 April 2008, Knowles married rapper Jay-Z. She gave birth to their first child, Blue Ivy Carter, in January 2012.