Beyoncé Knowles-Carter is one of the most established and successful female pop artists in the world. Born on the 4th of September 1981, Beyoncé entered many singing and dancing competitions as a child. It was not until she became lead singer of all girl group Destiny’s Child in the late 1990’s that she rose to fame. Destiny’s Child were managed by Beyoncé’s father, Matthew Knowles and they became one of the biggest selling girl bands of that time.
Between the success of Destiny’s Child and Beyoncé’s success as one of the best female solo artists on the planet right now, there is no doubt that Beyoncé has reaped the financial rewards of her career. As of last month, Forbes reported that Beyoncé’s net worth is approximately $450 million. Then of course, there’s her husband Jay-Z to consider. Jay-Z is said to have a net worth of $650 million which means that this power couple are worth over a billion dollars combined.
Beyoncé’s net worth got a very nice boost this year when she performed at the Superbowl half time show. Beyoncé performed at the Superbowl half-time show this year however the artists that performed on the night did not get paid or receive royalties for their performances. The exposure alone was enough to boost Beyoncé’s net worth to where it is now.
In 2014, Beyoncé topped the Forbes Celebrity 100 list as it was estimated she earned an approximate $115 million from June 2013 – June 2014, no mean feat in itself.
Beyoncé’s Musical Career
Beyoncé was part of girl group, Destiny’s Child from 1997 through to 2001 before embarking on her solo career. Destiny’s Child enjoyed great success and released a number of songs that featured in well-known, successful movies including ‘Killing Time’ from ‘Men in Black’ in 1997 and ‘Independent Women Part I’ from ‘Charlie’s Angels’ in 2000. ‘Independent Woman Pat I’ became their best charting single spending eleven consecutive weeks at the number one spot on the US Billboard 100 chart. A further two albums we released by ‘Destiny’s Child’ in 2001 before the group decided to go their separate ways and pursue solo careers.
Beyoncé shot to fame as a solo artist instantly, starring in the movie ‘Austin Powers in Goldmember’ and singing the hit song from the movie ‘Work it Out’ in July of 2002. Her first solo recording came in October 2002 when she collaborated with Jay-Z on ’03 Bonnie & Clyde’. It is rumored that Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s relationship began when they first came together to work on that collaboration.
Beyoncé’s debut solo album ‘Dangerously in Love’ was released in June 2003. The album has sold over 11 million copies worldwide. Jay-Z also featured on the lead single from that debut album, ‘Crazy in Love’ and that became Beyoncé’s first solo number one. The album featured another number one song ‘Baby Boy’ while other singles released off the album featured in the top five in the US charts.
After the release of her first solo album, Destiny’s Child reunited to make their last studio album ‘Destiny Fulfilled’ before going on a farewell tour in 2005.
Beyoncé released the album ‘B’Day’ in September 2006 to coincide with her 25th birthday. The album’s lead single ‘Déjà Vu’ featuring Jay-Z reached the top five in the US billboard hot 100 chart.
In 2007, Beyoncé went on her very first worldwide tour entitled ‘The Beyoncé Experience’ visiting 97 venues in total.
In 2008, Beyoncé released her third studio album which formally introduced her alter-ego ‘I Am… Sasha Fierce’. At a listening party for this album, Beyoncé used a video montage to announce that herself and Jay-Z had married earlier that year. ‘Single Ladies (Put a Ring on it)’ from this album shot to the number one spot in the US charts while other releases from the album reached the top five.
In 2011, just two days after Beyoncé became the first female solo artist to headline the main stage at Glastonbury she released her fourth studio album entitled ‘4’. The album became Beyoncé’s fourth consecutive number one album in the US. Hits from that album include ‘Run The World (Girls)’ portraying Beyoncé’s self-professed feminist nature.
While touring internationally on ‘The Mrs Carter World Tour Show’, Beyoncé released her fifth, self-titled album on iTunes without any prior advertisement or promotion. Nevertheless, this became the pop superstar’s fifth consecutive number one album in the Unites States.
In April 2014, Beyoncé and husband Jay-Z embarked on a tour together entitles the ‘On the Run’ tour.
Beyoncé has released the first single, ‘Formation’, from her sixth studio album which is due to be released sometime this month to coincide with the beginning of her world tour – ‘The Formation World Tour’.
Music Awards
Being one of the best-selling female artists of all time, Beyoncé has picked up her fair share of awards and accolades along the way. She has won 20 Grammy Awards and is the most nominated woman in Grammy Award history.
She was the first female to the International Artist Award at the American Music Awards and she has received the Legend Award and the Billboard Millennium Award at the American Music Awards and the Billboard Music Awards respectively.
Personal Life
Beyoncé married long-term partner Jay-Z in 2008. Beyoncé became pregnant with their first child in Paris in April 2011 when herself and Jay-Z were there shooting the album cover for her fourth studio album ‘4’. Beyoncé publicly announced her pregnancy at the MTV Video Music Awards in August 2011. At the end of her performance of hit single ‘Love on Top’ she dropped her microphone, opened her blazer and rubbed her stomach confirming she was pregnant. The awards ceremony became the most watched in MTV history conveying just how loved and influential the pop superstar is. On January 7th 2012, she gave birth to daughter Blue-Ivy Carter.
Beyoncé and Jay-Z are said to be friends of US President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama. Beyoncé has performed at the president’s inauguration and at the Neighborhood Ball. Both herself and Jay-Z have publicly shown their support to President Obama and held a fundraiser for Obama’s 2012 presidential campaign.
Beyoncé has openly spoken about various battles in her life – depression, having a miscarriage before Blue Ivy was conceived and her insecurities surrounding being a wife and a mother. She has also proclaimed herself as a modern day feminist and has proven herself as a true role model for young girls around the world.
Beyoncé’s other interests and ventures
Beyoncé released her first fragrance ‘Heat’ in 2010. Since then, there have been five more editions to the fragrance range. They have been hailed as the world’s best-selling celebrity fragrance line with over $400 million worth of sales.
Beyoncé has worked with many brands over the years including soft drink giant Pepsi since the year 2002. In 2012, she signed a $50 million deal to endorse the brand. She has worked for fashion brand Tommy Hilfiger in an advertisement campaign as well as promoting the fragrance Diamonds by Emporio Armani in 2007.
In 2005, Beyoncé and her mother, Tina Knowles, launched fashion brand ‘House of Deréon’. Beyoncé teamed up a show company ‘House of Brands’ that same year to produce a range of footwear for the ‘House of Deréon’ brand. Since then the pop sensation and her mother have expanded the range adding sportswear, handbags, lingerie and jewelry to the fashion line. ‘House of Deréon’ is available to buy in department stores such as Macy’s.
In 2014, Beyoncé signed a deal with British high-street store Topshop to launch a sportswear line of clothing. This line of clothing is expected to launch later this month.
Beyoncé has turned her hand to acting as well as singing and starred in a number of hit movies including ‘Austin Powers in Goldmember’, ‘The Pink Panther’ and ‘Dreamgirls’ to name but a few.
Beyoncé’s Charity & Philanthropic Work
In 2005 after Hurricane Katrina, Beyoncé set up the Survivor Foundation alongside Destiny’s Child band-mate Kelly Rowland. The foundation initially provided housing for the Houston area but expanded to other areas and provided support and funds when Hurricane Ike hit only a few short years later. Beyoncé contributed an initial $250,000 to get the foundation started.
Further to that she has released some charity singles over the years including a cover of ‘God Bless the USA’ which helped raised funds for the New York Police and Fire Widows’ and Children’s Benefit Fund.
In 2011, the pop sensation joined forces with good friend Michelle Obama to give the first lady some support on her campaign to combat childhood obesity, something both women feel quite passionate about. Beyoncé even reworked her single ‘Get Me Bodied’ for the campaign.
With such an impressive resumé and her continuing success, it looks like Beyoncé’s net worth will only continue to grow.
She has a company called Beygood, which helps to assist women and children with food, clothes, education, medical assistance, etc. She also donate to find the cure for HIV/Aids, Cancer. She donate money to a company to help with build incubator for babies who are born premature, or sick. The list can go on if I had all day.