Beyoncé Giselle Knowles (born September 4, 1981 in Houston, Texas) is an American R&B and pop singer, actress, and chief songwriter, and producer in the group Destiny's Child.

Knowles is usually referred to by her first name only, Beyoncé, which is now her stage name, but has come to be called Beyoncé Knowles by many in the media. Her debut solo album, 2003's Dangerously in Love, topped both the R&B and pop charts in America, as well as the main album charts in Canada and the UK. The album spawned four top-five singles on the Billboard Hot 100, including the multi-week number ones "Crazy in Love" featuring boyfriend Jay-Z and "Baby Boy" featuring Sean Paul, as well as "Me, Myself & I", and "Naughty Girl". Beyoncé has won five Grammy Awards for her solo work and three as a member of Destiny's Child. As a teen, she attended the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in Houston, where she honed her musical talents. She later went to Alief Elsik High School, also in Houston. She graduated from Elsik in 2000.