Beyoncé Giselle Knowles (born September 4, 1981), often referred to mononymously as Beyoncé (pronounced /biˈjɒn.seɪ/), is an American R&B singer, songwriter, record producer, actress and model. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, she enrolled in various performing arts schools and was first exposed to singing and dancing competitions as a child. Knowles rose to fame in the late 1990s as the lead singer of the R&B girl group Destiny's Child. According to Sony, Knowles record sales, when combined with the group, have surpassed 100 million.
