Destiny's Child was an American R&B girl group whose final line-up comprised Beyoncé Knowles, Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams. Formed in 1997 in Houston, Texas, Destiny's Child members began their musical endeavors in their pre-teens under the name Girl's Tyme. After years of performing underground, they were signed to Columbia Records as Destiny's Child, comprising Knowles, Rowland, LaTavia Roberson and LeToya Luckett.
Destiny's Child was launched into mainstream recognition following the release of their best-selling second album, The Writing's on the Wall, which contained the number-one singles "Bills, Bills, Bills" and "Say My Name". Despite critical and commercial success, the group was plagued by internal conflict and legal turmoil, as Roberson and Luckett attempted to split off the group's manager Mathew Knowles. They were soon replaced with Williams and Farrah Franklin; however, in 2000, Franklin was dismissed, leaving them as a trio. Their third album, Survivor, which contains themes the public interpreted as a channel to the group's experience, contains the worldwide hits "Independent Women", "Survivor" and "Bootylicious". In 2002, they announced a hiatus and re-united two years later for the release of their fourth studio album, Destiny Fulfilled (2004).
During their career, the group sold over 40 million records worldwide,[1][2] becoming one of the best-selling recording artists in the United States.[3] Billboard magazine ranks the group as one of the greatest musical trios of all time,[4] the ninth most successful artist/band of the 2000s,[5] and placed the group 68th in its All-Time Hot 100 Artists list in 2008.[6] In 2005, the World Music Awards recognized them as one of the world's best-selling female groups of all time (see List of best-selling girl groups).
Recording history
[edit] 1990–1997: Early beginnings and Girl's Tyme
In 1990, Beyoncé Knowles met rapper LaTavia Roberson while in an audition for a girl group.[7] Based in Houston, Texas, they were joined to a group that performed rapping and dancing. Kelly Rowland, who relocated to Knowles' house because of family issues, joined them in 1991. Originally named Girl's Tyme, they were eventually cut down to six members including Támar Davis and sisters Nikki and Nina Taylor.[8][9] With Knowles and Rowland, Girl's Tyme attracted nationwide attention:[8] west-coast R&B producer Arne Frager flew to Houston to see them. He brought them to his studio, The Plant Recording Studios, in Northern California, with focus on Knowles' vocals because Frager thought she had personality and the ability to sing.[8] With efforts to sign Girl's Tyme to a major record deal, Frager's strategy was to debut the group in Star Search, the biggest talent show on national TV at the time.[8] However, they lost the competition because, according to Knowles, their choice of song was wrong;[10] they were actually rapping instead of singing.[7]
Because of the group's defeat, Knowles' father, Mathew, voluntarily dedicated his time to manage them.[8][11] Mathew Knowles cut down the original lineup to four, with the removed of Davis and the Taylor sisters and the inclusion of LeToya Luckett in 1993.[7][8] Aside from spending time at their church in Houston, Girl's Tyme practiced at their backyards and Headliners Salon, owned by Knowles' mother, Tina. The group would test routines in the salon, when it was on Montrose Boulevard in Houston, and sometimes would collect tips from the customers. Their try out would be critiqued by the people inside. During their school days, Girl's Tyme performed at local gigs. When summer came, Mathew Knowles established a "boot camp" to train them in dance and vocal lessons.[12] After rigorous trainings, they began performing as opening acts for established R&B groups of that time such as SWV, Dru Hill and Immature.[7] Tina Knowles designed the group's attires for their performances. When she was on the road with Girl's Tyme most of the time, she left her managerial function in the salon to her best friend, Vernell Jackson.[12]
Over the course of the early years in their career, Girl's Tyme changed their name to Something Fresh, Cliché, the Dolls, and to Destiny.[13] The group signed with Elektra Records with the name Destiny, but it was dropped several months later before it could release an album.[11] The pursuit of a record deal affected the Knowles family: in 1995, Mathew Knowles resigned from his job as a medical-equipment salesman,[8] a move that reduced Knowles' family's income by half, and her parents briefly separated due to the pressure.[8][11] They finally changed their name to Destiny's Child in 1996, which was taken from a passage in the Book of Isaiah.[7][13] Mathew Knowles helped in negotiating a record deal with Columbia Records which signed the group in 1997.[7][9] Prior to signing with Columbia, the group had recorded several tracks in Oakland, California produced by Dwayne Wiggins of Tony! Toni! Toné!, including "Killing Time", which upon the label's recognition that Destiny's Child had a "unique quality", was included in the soundtrack to the 1997 film Men in Black.[7][14] The group released its debut single, "No, No, No", on November 11, 1997, in the United States.
1998–2000: Career breakthrough and lineup changes
Destiny's Child released their self-titled debut album in the United States on February 17, 1998, featuring productions by Rob Fusari, Jermaine Dupri, Wyclef Jean, Dwayne Wiggins and Corey Rooney.[7] Destiny's Child peaked at number sixty-seven on the Billboard 200 and number fourteen on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums.[15] It managed to sell over one million copies in the United States, earning a platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[16] The remix version to the album's lead single, "No, No, No", reached number one on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks and number three on the Billboard Hot 100. Domestically, the single sold over one million copies and certified platinum by the RIAA.[16] Its follow-up singles, "With Me Part 1" and "Get on the Bus" failed to reproduce the success of "No, No, No". In 1998, Destiny's Child garnered three Soul Train Lady of Soul awards[7] Best New Artist for "No, No, No". Knowles considered their debut successful but not as huge because she claimed it a neo soul record and was way too mature for them.[17]
After the success of their debut album, Destiny's Child re-entered the studio quickly, bringing in a new lineup of producers, including Kevin "She'kspere" Briggs[7] and Rodney Jerkins. Coming up with The Writing's on the Wall, they released it on July 27, 1999 and it eventually became their breakthrough album.[17] The Writing's on the Wall peaked at number five on the Billboard 200 and number two on R&B chart in early 2000.[15] "Bills, Bills, Bills" was released in 1999 as the album's lead single and reached the top spot of the Billboard Hot 100, becoming their first US number-one single.[7] The Writing's on the Wall has been credited to as Destiny's Child's breakthrough album, spurring their career and introducing them to wider audience.[12][18] The said key to the breakthrough is the album's third single, "Say My Name",[18] which topped the Billboard Hot 100 for three consecutive weeks. The successful release of the singles bolstered the album's sales,[9][19] eventually selling over eight million copies in the United States, gaining eight-time platinum certification by the RIAA.[7][16] The Writing's on the Wall sold more than fifteen million copies worldwide and was one of the top-selling albums of 2000.[20]
