Beyonce Knowles

Birth name Beyoncé Giselle Knowles

Birthday 4 September 1981

Star sign Virgo

Birthplace Houston, Texas

Marriages Jay-Z, April 2008 – present

Born to hairdresser Tina and sales manager Mathew, Beyoncé Knowles was raised in Houston, Texas.

She has a younger named sister Solange who is also a singer.

Beyoncé attended St Mary’s Elementary School in Fredericksburg, Texas, before enrolling in Parker Elementary School in the autumn of 1990.

She also attended the High School For The Performing And Visual Arts and later Alief Elsik High School.

As the lead vocalist of the R&B group Destiny’s Child, Beyoncé captured the public’s eye from the age of 16.

After signing to Columbia in 1997 and releasing four studio albums, Destiny’s Child became the best-selling female group of all time.

In 2001, the band allowed themselves a break to pursue individual solo careers.

Beyoncé Knowles had already landed an acting role in MTV drama Carmen: A Hip Hopera, but it was her part in 2002’s Austin Powers In Goldmember that made her a Hollywood star.

Her first solo album Dangerously In Love was released in 2003.

It became a huge success, selling millions of copies and winning five Grammy Awards.

Following the disbandment of Destiny’s Child the previous year, in 2006 Beyoncé released second album B’Day and earned a Golden Globe nomination for her performance in Dreamgirls.

In 2008, she married rapper and music mogul Jay-Z in a small private ceremony in New York City.

She has since released three more chart-topping albums and earned a total of 17 Grammy Awards.

Beyoncé decided to drop her father as her manager in March 2011 following news of his 18-month affair.

At the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards, Beyoncé Knowles announced that she and Jay-Z were expecting their first child. On 7 January 2012 she gave birth to daughter Blue Ivy.

Her feature-length documentary film Life Is But a Dream aired on HBO on 16 February 2013.

In April 2014, Beyoncé and Jay-Z announced their joint On The Run Tour.

Her family made news the following month, when surveillance footage appeared to show her sister Solange attacking Jay-Z in an elevator at the Met Gala.

Generous Beyonce is offering to pay four women’s university fees

Beyonce just never stops giving, does she? And now, she’s proved that she’s one of the best, most socially responsible artists around. And an absolute queen. To mark the first anniversary of her groundbreaking album Lemonade, she’s announced that she’s going to fund four women’s college studies. Beyonce’s Formation programme…