Beyoncé’s level of fame is hard to fathom and has made her a global superstar, but why exactly is she famous?
Beyoncé’s journey to fame began as a founding member of the girl group ‘Destiny’s Child’ and she performed with the band for five years before pursuing a solo career. Her solo success is unrivaled and she’s released six studio albums. In addition to achieving immense fame in her own right, she’s married to rapper Jay-Z.
Read on to learn more about why Beyoncé is so famous and the career milestones that have brought her to where she is today.
Destiny’s Child
Beyoncé’s first taste of success came when she was still a child when she was placed in a girl group called ‘Girl’s Tyme’ with Kelly Rowland and LaTavia Roberson. The group would morph into Destiny’s Child in 1996 when they received a record deal.
Described as a “hyper stylized mix of old-school girl group and newfangled fem-pop”, Destiny’s Child was incredibly successful.
Beyoncé was just 15 when their first single was released and the band’s primary goal at that time was to sell records. It wasn’t long before they were selling millions, and their second album ‘The Writing’s on the Wall’ went multi-platinum and earned them Grammy Awards.
The group was together from 1997 until 2002, although during this time some of the members left and were replaced. The band eventually decided to take a break to pursue solo careers.
Solo Career
Beyoncé’s solo career started with a bang, helped by the fame she had already received from Destiny’s Child.
Her first solo debut album ‘Dangerously in Love’ sold 317,000 copies in its first week and its single ‘Crazy in Love’ was her first number one solo single in the US, setting a precedent for things to come.
As a solo artist, Beyoncé has released 6 studio albums, all of which have been certified Platinum by the RIAA.
Speaking of how her approach to music has changed since achieving her first taste of success with Destiny’s Child, the singer said “now I want to create something that I’ll be proud of 20, 30, 40 years from now – something that will last beyond me”.
Though she’s known primarily for her musical career, Beyoncé has also appeared in multiple movies, only adding to her broad popularity and appeal.
She played the voice of Nala in the Disney remake of ‘The Lion King’ and played the role of Deena Jones in the 2006 film ‘Dreamgirls’.
She’s also directed ‘Black is King’ for Disney+ as well as her concert film ‘Homecoming’, about her performance at Coachella in 2018.
Listen to Beyoncé’s single ‘Crazy in Love’ from her debut album in the YouTube video below.
Famous Family
Though Beyoncé was a star long before she started her relationship with rapper Jay-Z, it’s undeniable that together they are one of the world’s hottest power couples. As Baz Luhrmann said, “she and Jay Z are the royal couple of culture, and she is the queen bee”.
Their individual successes have meant that their relationship has remained firmly in the spotlight, although they try to manage the media and give details about their private lives on their own terms.
Beyoncé and Jay-Z married in 2008 and have three children together but Jay-Z confirmed that he had cheated on Beyoncé after rumors began to circulate. The couple worked on their marriage and appear to be stronger than ever.
As a musical duo, they have released numerous songs together and dueted on Jay-Z’s track ‘03 Bonnie and Clyde’ in 2002. More recently, they released their collaborative album ‘Everything is Love’, which saw the couple film the lead single ‘Apeshit’ at the Louvre in Paris.