|
Ask Beyoncé what she
wants people to hear when they listen to Dangerously
In Love, her debut solo album, and she answers,
"My range. I want them to hear all of the
musical influences, from hip-hop to rock to jazz.
There's even a Shuggie Otis sample. I want them
to really hear the talent. I know that folks love
me as a pop star. Now I want them to understand
me as an artist." A Houston native, Beyoncé
is a founding member of Destiny's Child, one of
the biggest-selling female acts of all time. With
many of their hit songs co-written and co-produced
by Beyoncé, the group has sold more than
33 million records worldwide. When she won the
2001 ASCAP Pop Songwriter of the Year Award, Beyoncé
became the first African-American woman-and the
second woman ever-to receive the honor. Led by
Beyoncé and co-founder Kelly Rowland, Destiny's
Child burst onto the scene in 1997 with their
multi-platinum single "No, No, No,"
from their self-titled debut. That success was
dwarfed when their follow-up LP, The Writing's
On The Wall, was released in 1999 and went on
to sell more than 10 million copies. A year after
Michelle Williams joined the group in 2000, Destiny's
Child released Survivor, which debuted at #1 on
the Billboard 200 album chart and went on to sell
more than nine million copies.
In
2001, the group took home two Grammys: Best R&B
song and Best R&B performance by a Duo or
Group-both for "Say My Name." Over the
years, they've won numerous other honors, including
American Music Awards and Soul Train Awards. The
girls have also toured worldwide and performed
at events ranging from the Michael Jackson 30th
Anniversary Concert Special to the Concert For
New York City. Given the fact that the general
public is so familiar with Beyoncé as part
of the group, it's fair to wonder how Dangerously
In Love differs from a Destiny's Child project.
"Naturally, the songs on my album are going
to share some similarities," she admits.
"But this time, because I only had to write
for myself, my songs are much more personal. I
also wanted beats that were harder and to be able
to collaborate with other people. Basically, this
record was a chance for me to grow as a writer
and a singer. There are more ballads.
|
