Beyonce – Billboard’s Woman of the Year 2009

Billboard announced today (25 Aug 2009) that Beyoncé will be accepting its Woman Of The Year Award at the 2009 Billboard Women In Music Event, taking place on 2 October 2009 in New York City. The honor, given to a female recording artist like Beyoncé that has inspired the music business with her success, leadership and new ideas, will be awarded to the singer for her accomplishments over the past 12 months.

On August 25, it was announced that Beyonce Knowles is the recipient of Billboard’s Woman of the Year title. The Grammy winner’s selection was based on a number of factors. In addition to releasing one of the catchiest songs ever (and a successful album overall), the singer-dancer-actress, i.e., Beyonce has “inspired the music business with her success, leadership and new ideas.”

In the last year, Beyoncé kicked off her world tour “I Am…” in support of her third solo album “I Am…Sasha Fierce”, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart in November and features the hit singles “If I Were A Boy”, “Single Ladies”, “Halo”, “Ego” and “Sweet Dreams”.

The tour also showcased Beyoncé’s philanthropic side as she gave 2,500 tickets to families affected by the auto industry crisis in Detroit and joined forces with General Mills’ Hamburger Helper and Feeding America to deliver 3.5 million meals to local food banks.

“Beyoncé is multi-platinum artist and a multi-talented woman who clearly embodies the qualities of excellence and achievement that the Billboard Woman Of The Year Award was created to honor,” said Bill Werde, Billboard’s Editorial Director, about Beyoncé, who is the only performer in the 51-year history of the Billboard Hot 100 to top the chart for 10 weeks or more with a group and as a solo artist. “She has not only influenced pop culture with her hit songs and signature dance moves, but has inspired women everywhere with her unique style, business savvy and dedication to charitable causes.”

The Billboard Women in Music Event celebrates the most powerful and talented women in the music business and is also held in conjunction with the Women In Music Power Players List issue, which recognizes the top female music executives who are leading the industry with their artistic and business vision.

 

Beyonce – Picture Gallery 2

Beyonce

Beyonce Knowels

Beyonce Knowles

Beyonce

Beyonce

 

Beyonce – Video Releases

Here is the list of Video Releases by Beyonce:

Year	Title	Chart Positions		RIIA Certification
		US	UK
2004	Live at Wembley	17	2	2x Platinum
2006	BET Presents Beyoncé	-	-
2006	Beyoncé The Ultimate Performer	-	-
2007	B’Day Anthology Video Album	-	-	2x Platinum
2007	The Beyoncé Experience Live	2	14	3x Platinum
2009	I Am… Yours	-	-
2009	I Am… Tour Live!	-	-
2009	Above and Beyoncé: Dance Mixes	35	-

 

Beyonce – Studio Albums

Here is the list of Studio Albums by Beyonce:

Year	Album	Chart Position		Certification
		US	UK	RIAA	BPI
2003	Dangerously in Love	1	1	4x Platinum	2x Platinum
2006	B’Day	1	3	3x Platinum	2x Platinum
2008	I Am… Sasha Fierce	1	2	2x Platinum	2x Platinum

 

Beyonce – Destiny’s Child Albums

Destiny's Child - Independent Women Part 1

Here is the list of Albums of Destiny’s Child:

Year	Album	Chart Position		Certification
		US	UK	RIAA	BPI
1998	Destiny’s Child	67	64	Platinum	-
1999	The Writing’s on the Wall	5	10	8x Platinum	3x Platinum
2001	Survivor	1	1	4x Platinum	3x Platinum
	8 Days of Christmas	34	117	Gold	-
2002	This Is the Remix	29	25	N/A	-
2004	Destiny Fulfilled	2	5	3x Platinum	Platinum
2005	#1’s	1	6	Platinum	-

 

Beyonce – Picture Gallery 1

Beyonce Knowels

Beyoncé

Beyoncé Knowels

Beyonce

Beyonce Knowels

 

Beyonce – Personal Life

Beyonce

Beyonce Knowles was born in Houston, Texas, the daughter of Mathew Knowles, a successful record manager, and Tina Beyincé, a costume designer and hair stylist. Knowles’ father is African American and her mother is of Creole (African American, Native American, and French) descent. Knowles was baptized after her mother’s maiden name, as a tribute to her mother and to prevent the name from becoming obsolete, since only a few of the Beyincé males carry the name. Her maternal grandparents, Lumis Albert Beyincé and Agnéz Deréon, were French-speaking Louisiana Creoles. She is the elder sister of Solange Beyonce, a singer-songwriter and actress.

During the turmoil of Destiny’s Child in 2000, Beyonce Knowles had admitted in December 2006 that she had experienced depression from an accumulation of struggles: the publicized split of LeToya Luckett and LaTavia 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 Beyonce 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 remembers 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?”

Since 2002, Beyonce Knowles has been in a relationship with 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 about their relationship, they remained discreet about it. In 2005, rumors began to spread about the marriage of the couple. Knowles closed the speculation stating that she and Jay-Z were not even engaged. When asked again about the subject in September 2007, Jay-Z replied, “One day soon—let’s leave it at that.” Laura Schreffler, senior writer for OK! magazine, said, “They are intensely private people”.

On April 4, 2008, Beyonce Knowles and Jay-Z were married in New York City. It became a matter of public record on April 22, 2008, but Knowles did not publicly debut her wedding ring until the Fashion Rocks concert on September 5, 2008 in New York City. Knowles finally revealed their marriage through an opening montage video at the listening party for I Am… Sasha Fierce in Manhattan’s Sony Club.

 

Beyonce – Introduction

Beyoncé Knowles

Beyoncé Giselle Knowles (born September 4, 1981), best known mononymously as Beyoncé is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, dancer, choregrapher, video director, actress and model. 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 girl group Destiny’s Child. Knowles has sold more than 50 million records worldwide with the group and over 75 million records in her total career.

In June 2003, during the hiatus of Destiny’s Child, Beyonce Knowles released her debut solo album, Dangerously in Love, which became one of the most successful albums of that year, and signaled her viability as a solo artist. The album was a commercial and critical success, spawning the hits “Crazy in Love”, “Baby Boy”, and earning Knowles five Grammy Awards in 2004.

The disbanding of Destiny’s Child in 2005 facilitated her continued success: her sophomore solo album, B’Day, released in 2006, debuted at number one on the Billboard charts, and produced the hits “Deja Vu”, “Irreplaceable”, and “Beautiful Liar”. Her third solo album, I Am… Sasha Fierce, was released in November 2008, and included the hits “If I Were a Boy”, “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)”, and “Halo”. Knowles has attained five Hot 100 number one singles, becoming one of the two female artists with the most number ones attained within the 2000-2009 decade. She is the also the female artist with the most cumulative weeks at number one this decade, with 37 total weeks at number one, the most top fives and the most top ten hits this decade with twelve, as well as the most top 40 hits of the decade with 17 top 40 hits.

The success of Beyonce’s solo albums has established Knowles as one of the most marketable artists in the music industry, and she has expanded her career to acting and product endorsement. She began her acting career in 2001, appearing in the musical film Carmen: A Hip Hopera. In 2006, she starred in the lead role in the film adaptation of the 1981 Broadway musical Dreamgirls, for which she earned two Golden Globe nominations. Knowles launched her family’s fashion line, House of Deréon, in 2004, and has been engaged to endorse such brands as Pepsi, Tommy Hilfiger, Armani and L’Oréal.

In 2009, Forbes listed Beyonce 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 number one on the list of top Best-Paid Celebs Under 30 with over $87 million dollars in earnings between 2008 and 2009.