Destiny Fulfilled is the fourth and final studio album by American R&B trio Destiny's Child, released by Columbia Records on November 16, 2004 in North America.

The album's production began after each member completed solo album releases. The record saw each member active in songwriting and producing. The underlying theme of love, which the group referred to as friendship they found in themselves, reveals their individual experiences.

Destiny Fulfilled was released to generally mixed reviews among critics. The album has reached number two on the US Billboard 200, and has since been certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America selling 3,587,000 copies.

Background

The album came in three years since the release of Destiny's Child's third studio album, Survivor. The group went on to a temporary hiatus; each member has released a studio album, except group member Michelle Williams with two, each of them experienced domestic success. However, group member Beyoncé Knowles had been regarded as the most-successful with the release of 2003's Dangerously In Love, leading to international success and acclaim. This, along with ongoing projects, led to speculation over the final disbandment of Destiny's Child. Despite the speculation, group member Kelly Rowland announced in 2004 their return into the studio to record what would be their final album. The group claimed that the reunion was destined to happen, and that their affinity to each other kept them cohesive.

Right in the making of the album, they planned to part ways after their fourteen-year career to facilitate their continued pursuit in individual aspirations. Knowles has noted that their destinies were already fulfilled; however, Destiny's Child claimed that naming the album Destiny Fulfilled was not a coincidence of sort. Knowles has said that "the group felt it still had something to offer musically with" the album. Rowland commented: "We were like, 'You know what, we're getting older and we want to end on a high note.' We want to give our fans a great final record ..." Knowles, however, has commented regarding the finality of their career: "Who knows what will happen in three, five or 10 years? The main thing is that we maintain our friendship and that we do it because we want to -- not because it's a good business move."

Production

Production of the album begun in the summer of 2004. Destiny's Child worked with some American producers including Rockwilder, Swizz Beatz and Rodney Jerkins. Jerkins, who had worked with Knowles' solo album, concerned how he would manage the production, saying, "How is this going to work?' Cause Beyoncé, she blew up solo, so how's it going to work in a group together?" Once inside the studio, however, his skepticism vanished as he saw the group's "excitement", calling the process "natural".

Differing from Survivor in that previously Knowles had taken an active role in writing and producing, Destiny Fulfilled saw each member contributing inputs culled from experiences. The ideas that constitute the album were said to have largely came from the group. In most cases, producers of the album would send them a CD containing a track that would be the group's basis in the songwriting process. Without the producer's supervision of which part to sing, that formed a new direction of their style different from the group's previous records. Traditionally, each member sings one verse and chimes in the chorus; in some songs in Destiny Fulfilled, their vocals are alternated in every line of the lyrics. Destiny's Child took the role of executive producing alongside their manager, Mathew Knowles. Beyoncé Knowles, who vocal produce the songs, commented that it was important for her to make sure their voices are audible and identifiable. Taking it as one of her goal, the group decided to focus on mid-tempo songs and few on dance and ballads—which they considered people cannot sing with. The group worked on the album within three weeks.

Theme

Ever since, every Destiny's Child album has to be personal in content according to Rowland, which she considered their main ingredient in every of their songs. Rowland was recently engaged in the time that influenced her songwriting. Rowland cited also that being apart from the group had an impact on the album: "All of us have been in three different places ... so there's a lot to talk about, a lot that's gone on, personally. I think it's important to talk about that on this new record, to put what we've been going through separately into the new record."

Apart from each other, Destiny's Child members exhausted their first week in the studio chatting what has gone while apart from each other. Subsequently, they decided to record their conversations that led to the theme of the album. Knowles commented that the process turned the songs somewhat telling a story and is continued on the subsequent songs. The album opens with "Lose My Breath", a song detailing a man full of promises to a woman. Knowles says, "He's not fulfilling you like he says, so you tell him, 'I need a soldier.'" The need continues to "Soldier", the following track. After finding the soldier, the third song, "Cater 2 U", is about serving this man they considered as such. According to the members, the songs are story of a group of women trying to find love; they, however, referred to this love as sisterhood. The album cover was inspired by the album cover for the last Supremes album entitled Mary, Scherrie & Susaye.

Release and promotion

Destiny Fulfilled was released on November 16, 2004 via Columbia Records. The earlier original release was canceled as the group's label was concerned to "potential for Internet leaks and 'burned' CD counterfeits" that could "lead consumers to experience inferior and incomplete versions of the album". The album's lead single, "Lose My Breath", premiered at AOL Music and its high-mark debut on the Billboard Hot 100 has given the album an early boost.

Destiny's Child tied up with McDonald's, who would sponsor their tour promoting the album. Just as the advanced release date of the album was announced, the group confirmed the initial dates of the tour. The group performed on ABC's National Football League "Opening Kickoff" special to break their yearlong hiatus.

Reception

The album received generally positive reviews among critics. Of the reviewers, some have commented on the uptempo and ballads featured in the album. Sullivan has said that the album's "huge landmass of ballads ... brings out the girliness in the trio, musically and lyrically". Eliscu also noted that after a couple of upbeat songs, "... the album slumps into an endless string of overwrought R&B ballads where the only saving grace is ... these ladies can harmonize like nobody's business." Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic has also the same thoughts, writing that after "an invigorating opening salvo of two hard-driving dance cuts ... the album slides into a series of nine slow-grooving tracks that eventually all blend together". He complimented that the harmonies "sound good", "cooing their leads nicely and providing warm harmonies on the choruses". He added that a few cuts stand out". Eric Henderson of Slant Magazine has commented that the ballads of the album build into "the same sort of standoffish sexual supply-and-demand bartering that has marred their worst tracks". Sinclair has similar criticisms, writing that the album is "weighted down with a preponderance of exquisitely executed but ultimately dull ballads". Filmore Mescalito Holmes of Tiny Mix Tapes doubted Beyoncé's lyrical sincerity, saying, "the success of this album depends once again on the complete suspension of die-hard fans' disbelief that Beyoncé "Your Ad Here" Knowles could ever actually truly love another human being as much as she loves herself and her possessions."

Some critics paid attention to what they believe was equality in the album. Caroline Sullivan of The Guardian has commented that the lead vocals of every song are likely to be sung by each member, noting that it made Destiny Fulfilled a "democratic album"; Tom Sinclair of Entertainment Weekly has also noticed its "overall air of democracy at work". Jenny Eliscu of Rolling Stone magazine echoes the above comments, saying, "In all but a couple of songs, the verses are divided into three sections, with Beyonce leading things off, followed by Rowland, then Williams ..." Dimitri Ehrlich of Vibe magazine complimented the production of the album, saying that it "showcases advanced production values" with "impressive" songwriting and vocal abilities. Ehrlich, finishing his reviews, noted that the album "offers divine satisfaction", referring the group as if they are singing to God.

Most of the critics were questioning why Knowles had to return to Destiny's Child after achieving the most among the members of the group. Eliscu held that despite the presence of some strong songs in the album, "Destiny Fulfilled sounds like the kind of album you make when you're saving your best material for your next solo album. Which, in Beyonce's case, better come soon." Henderson, however, lambasted Knowles to performing again with the group with the "full intention" of taking advantage to bolster her "divette" status to superstardom. Erlewine stated that the album is a "retreat to Destiny's Child's comfortable status quo, where Kelly and Michelle take a backseat, both intentionally and not, to the undeniable star that is Beyoncé", adding that the latter steals every song. Erlewine, however, summarizes his review with: "as a whole, the album winds up sounding too reserved and heavy-handed, which makes it a disappointment not only compared to what the group has done before, but also to what the girls have achieved outside the group". Sinclair has said that "Destiny Fulfilled comes off like a misguided attempt to emphasize that Destiny's Child are more than just The Beyoncé Show". Kelefa Sanneh of The New York Times commented that it is "a surprisingly perfunctory disc that never quite justifies its existence". He added that it is not "fierce" enough to be "a triumphant return and not giddy enough to be a just-for-fun lark". The album earned Destiny's Child the Favorite Soul/R&B Band award and Favorite Soul/R&B Album at the 2005 American Music Awards.

Chart performances

The album debuted at number fifty on the Billboard 200 for amassing sales of 61,000 copies. In its first official week of sales, the album sold over 497,000 copies, with an increase of 713% compared to its early sales; the album's chart position rocketed to number two on the Billboard 200. In the same week, it peaked at number one on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart for two weeks. Destiny Fulfilled has sold over three million copies in the US, and has been certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America on January 14, 2005. The album has sold over 8.5 million copies worldwide.

Destiny Fulfilled was named the seventh best-selling album of the year worldwide by the IFPI. It charted in many countries including the United Kingdom at #5 and was certified platinum there, Germany, Ireland, and Canada. In Japan, it debuted at number four due to the huge success of "Lose My Breath" which reached number one on the singles chart there. The album has sold over 625,000 copies there and was certified double platinum by Oricon making it Destiny's Child's biggest success there to date.

Achievements

* World Music Awards

** World's Best-Selling Pop Group

** World's Best-Selling R&B Group

** World's Best-Selling Female Group of All Time

* Billboard Music Awards

** Top R&B/Hip-Hop Artist of the Year

** Top R&B/Hip-Hop Group of the Year

** Dance Club-Play Artist of the Year

* BET Awards

** Best Group

* Soul Train Music Awards

** Best R&B/Soul Album (Destiny Fulfilled)

* Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards

** Best R&B/Soul Single, Group, Band or Duo ("Soldier")

** Best R&B/Soul Album of the Year: (Destiny Fulfilled)

* NAACP Image Awards

** Outstanding Duo or Group

* T4 Awards

** Best Song of the Year ("Lose My Breath")

* MTV TRL Awards

** Walk This Way Award (Best Entrance)

* TMF Awards (Holland)

** Best Pop Group International

* American Music Awards

** Favorite Soul/R&B Band/Duo/Group

** Favorite Soul/R&B Album (Destiny Fulfilled)

* Groovevolt Awards

** Best Song, Band, Duo, or Group: "Cater 2 U"

** Best Deep Cut: "Through With Love"

* NAACP Image Awards

** Outstanding Duo or Group

* ASCAP Pop Music Awards

** Most Performed Songs ("Lose My Breath")

** Most Performed Songs ("Soldier")

* Soul Train Music Awards

** Quincy Jones Award for Outstanding Career Achievements

** Best Group Single: "Cater 2 U"

* Hollywood Walk of Fame

** Hollywood Star

* MTV Asia Awards

** Special Achievement In Popular Music

* MTV Video Music Awards Japan

** Inspiration Award

Tour and disbandment

In connection with the album's promotion, Destiny's Child embarked on a worldwide live concert tour dubbed the Destiny Fulfilled ... And Lovin' It. Promotions of the tour were aired over the radio and television across the United States. The tour's set list included songs from Destiny Fulfilled and previous albums. Each member had their individual performances of songs culled from their solo album. The concert was graced with colorful couture costumes. It was considered a fashion show because of numerous costume changes; the concert exhibited Knowles' products of her clothing line, the House of Deréon, a company she co-founded with her mother Tina Knowles.

Say My Name Live.jpgthumbDestiny's Child performing their 2000 hit "Say My Name", during their farewell concert tour, Destiny Fulfilled ... And Lovin' It

In a visit at the Palau Sant Jordi in Barcelona, Spain, Rowland announced before 16,000 spectators that it would be their last European tour, revealing their formal disbandment. After their final North American leg, the group would finally part ways. In a statement released to MTV, it reads that the tour had provided them the opportunity to depart from Destiny's Child on a "high note". Also written recalls the moment when the group started their musical endeavor and, after working together for years, how they realized the need of pursuing individual careers. At the end of the note, they thank fans for their support while not closing the chance of seeing them continuing each member's goals in music, film, and television.

Despite their disbandment, Destiny's Child claimed the split was somehow planned when making the album with Knowles admitting that it was not coincidence it was named Destiny Fulfilled. While in the studio, they discussed individual aspirations and realized that remaining as Destiny's Child will prevent them to pursue those interests and continuing as a group as well. Rowland revealed that if they were to break up, they should do it while on top and while they "were still friends". Knowles, however, emphasized that Destiny Fulfilled would not be their last album and disclosed the idea of reunion.

After over 10 years of professional existence, Destiny's Child retired under the name. The group released four studio albums that spawned a record of number-one singles; they sold 100 million records across the world—etching the recognition as The top-selling female vocal group of all time.

Credits and personnel

* Noemi Bonazzi - prop stylist

* Jim Caruana - engineer

* Candice Childress - production coordination

* Bryan Michael Cox - keyboards, programming

* Tom Coyne - mastering

* Kendrick Dean - keyboards

* Vincent Dilorenzo - engineer

* Andre Harris - mixing

* Eric Hunter - engineer

* Ty Hunter - stylist

* Rodney Jerkins - musician

* Kimberly Kimble - hair stylist

* Mally Roncal - make-up

* Ric Rude - musician

* Tom Tapley - vocal engineer

* Sam Thomas - Digital editing, editing

* Jeff Villanueva - engineer

* Rommel Nino Villanueva - digital Editing, editing

Production

* Vocal producers: Sean Garrett, Solange Knowles, B. Knowles, K. Rowland, M. Williams

* Vocal editing: Sam Thomas, Rommel Nino Villanueva

* Mixing: Andrew Dawson, Vincent Dilorenzo, Tony Maserati, Dave Pensado, Dexter Simmons, Phil Tan

* A&R: Theresa LaBarbera Whites, Huy Nguyen

* Production Coordination: Candice Childress

* Design: Alice Butts, Ian Cuttler

* Art Direction: Alice Butts, Ian Cuttler

* Photography: Fabrizio Ferri

Charts

References

Artist/Band Information

Destiny's Child (also known as DC or DC3) was an American R&B girl group whose final, and perhaps most-recognized, line-up comprised lead singer Beyoncé Knowles alongside Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams. Formed in 1997 in Houston, Texas, Destiny's Child members began their musical endeavors in their pre-teens under the name Girls' Tyme, comprising Knowles, Rowland, LaTavia Roberson and LeToya Luckett. After years of performing underground, they signed to Columbia Records and changed to their current name. Destiny's Child was launched into mainstream recognition following the release of their best-selling second album, The Writing's on the Wall, which contained the number-one singles "Bills, Bills, Bills" and "Say My Name".

Despite critical and commercial success, the group was plagued by internal conflict and legal turmoil, as Roberson and Luckett attempted to split off the group's manager Mathew Knowles. They were soon replaced with Williams and Farrah Franklin; however, in 2000, Franklin also parted with the group, leaving them as a trio. Their third album, Survivor, which contains themes the public interpreted as a channel to the group's experience, contains the worldwide hits "Independent Women", "Survivor" and "Bootylicious". In 2002, Destiny's Child announced a hiatus, allowing its members to attain individual success. They re-united with 2004's Destiny Fulfilled, and a year later during their world tour, announced that the group would disband and its members would pursue solo careers.

Throughout their career, the group released four studio albums and achieved four US number-one singles. They had sold over 40 million records worldwide as a group, 50 million including their solo album sales before their disbandment,http becoming one of the best-selling recording artists in the U.S. Billboard magazine ranks the group as one of the greatest musical trios of all time, and inducted the group in 2008 into the All time Hot 100 Artist at 68th place. In 2005, the World Music Awards recognized them as the World's Best-selling female group of all time. They were ranked the 9th Artist of the 2000–10 decade by Billboard.*

Recording history

1990–1997: Early beginnings and Girl's Tyme

In 1990, Beyoncé Knowles met rapper LaTavia Roberson while in an audition for a girl group. Based in Houston, Texas, they were joined to a group that performed rapping and dancing. Kelly Rowland, who relocated to Knowles' house because of family issues, joined them in 1991. Originally named Girl's Tyme, they were eventually cut down to six members including Támar Davis and sisters Nikki and Nina Taylor. With Knowles and Rowland, Girl's Tyme attracted nationwide attention: west-coast R&B producer Arne Frager flew to Houston to see them. He brought them to his studio, The Plant Recording Studios, in Northern California, with focus on Knowles' vocals because Frager thought she had personality and the ability to sing. With efforts to sign Girl's Tyme to a major record deal, Frager's strategy was to debut the group in Star Search, the biggest talent show on national TV at the time. However, they lost the competition because, according to Knowles, their choice of song was wrong; they were actually rapping instead of singing.

Because of the group's defeat, Knowles' father, Mathew, voluntarily dedicated his time to manage them. Mathew Knowles cut down the original lineup to four, with the removed of Davis and the Taylor sisters and the inclusion of LeToya Luckett in 1993. Aside from spending time at their church in Houston, Girl's Tyme practiced at their backyards and Headliners Salon, owned by Knowles' mother, Tina. The group would test routines in the salon, when it was on Montrose Boulevard in Houston, and sometimes would collect tips from the customers. Their try out would be critiqued by the people inside. During their school days, Girl's Tyme performed at local gigs. When summer came, Mathew Knowles established a "boot camp" to train them in dance and vocal lessons. After rigorous trainings, they began performing as openings for established R&B groups of the time such as SWV, Dru Hill and Immature. Tina Knowles designed the group's attires for their performances. When she was on the road with Girl's Tyme most of the time, she left her managerial function in the salon to her best friend, Vernell Jackson.

Over the course of the early years in their career, Girl's Tyme changed their name to Something Fresh, Cliché, the Dolls, and to Destiny. The group signed with Elektra Records with the name Destiny, but it was dropped several months later before it could release an album. The pursuit of a record deal affected the Knowles family: in 1995, Mathew Knowles resigned from his job as a medical-equipment salesman, a move that reduced Knowles' family's income by half, and her parents briefly separated due to the pressure. They finally changed their name to Destiny's Child in 1996, which was taken from a passage in the Book of Isaiah.

Matthew Knowles helped in negotiating a record deal with Columbia Records which signed the group in 1997. Prior to signing with Columbia, the group had recorded several tracks in Oakland, California produced by Dwayne Wiggins of Tony! Toni! Toné!, including "Killing Time", which upon the label's recognition that Destiny's Child had a "unique quality", was included in the soundtrack to the 1997 film Men in Black. The group released its debut single, "No, No, No", on November 11, 1997, in the United States.

1998–2000: Career breakthrough and lineup changes

Say My Name Live.jpgthumbleftDestiny's Child performing their 2000 hit "Say My Name" during the farewell concert tour, Destiny Fulfilled ... And Lovin' It

Destiny's Child released their self-titled debut album in the United States on February 17, 1998, featuring productions by Rob Fusari, Jermaine Dupri, Wyclef Jean, Dwayne Wiggins and Corey Rooney. Destiny's Child peaked at number sixty-seven on the Billboard 200 and number fourteen on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. It managed to sell over 500,000 copies in the United States, earning a gold certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The remix version to the album's lead single, "No, No, No", reached number one on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks and number three on the Billboard Hot 100. Domestically, the single sold over one million copies and certified platinum by the RIAA. Its follow-up singles, "With Me Part 1" and "Get on the Bus" failed to reproduce the success of "No, No, No". In 1998, Destiny's Child garnered three Soul Train Lady of Soul awards Best New Artist for "No, No, No". Knowles considered their debut successful but not as huge because she claimed it a neo soul record and was way too mature for them.

After the success of their debut album, Destiny's Child re-entered the studio quickly, bringing in a new lineup of producers, including Kevin "She'kspere" Briggs and Rodney Jerkins. Coming up with The Writing's on the Wall, they released it on July 27, 1999 and eventually became their breakthrough album. The Writing's on the Wall peaked at number five on the Billboard 200 and number two on R&B chart in early 2000. "Bills, Bills, Bills" was released in 1999 as the album's lead single and reached the top spot of the Billboard Hot 100, becoming their first US number-one single. The Writings on the Wall has been credited to as Destiny's Child's breakthrough album, spurring their career and introducing them to wider audience. The said key to the breakthrough is the album's third single, "Say My Name", which topped the Billboard Hot 100 for three consecutive weeks. The successful release of the singles bolstered the album's sales, eventually selling over eight million copies in the United States, gaining eight-time platinum certification by the RIAA. The Writings on the Wall was one of the top selling albums of 2000.

Michelle Williams on stage at J&R's Musicfest.jpgthumbupright220pxMichelle Williams joined the group as a replacement for Luckett and Roberson.

In December 1999, Luckett and Roberson attempted to split with their manager, claiming that he kept a disproportionate share of the group's profits and unfairly favored Knowles and Rowland. While they never intended to leave the group, when the video for "Say My Name" surfaced in February 2000, Roberson and Luckett found out that two new members were joining Knowles and Rowland. Prior to the video premiere, Knowles announced on TRL that original members Luckett and Roberson had left the group. The group had included Michelle Williams, a former backup singer to Monica, and Farrah Franklin, an aspiring singer-actress. Shortly after her stint with Monica, Williams was introduced to Destiny's Child by a choreographer friend, and was flown to Houston where she stayed with the Knowles family.

In March 2000, Roberson and Luckett took legal action suing both Mathew Knowles and their band mates for breach of partnership and fiduciary duties. Following the suit, both sides were disparaging each other in the media. Five months performing with Destiny's Child, Franklin left the group after, according to the group, being asked to leave due to missed promotional appearances and concerts. According to Williams, Franklin could not handle stress. Franklin, however, disclosed that she left because of the negativity surrounding the strife and her inability to assert any control in the decision making. Her departure was seen as less controversial. Williams, on the other hand, shared that her inclusion into the group resulted to "battling insecurity": "I was comparing myself to the other members, and the pressure was on me."

Towards the end of 2000, Roberson and Luckett dropped the portion of their lawsuit aimed at Rowland and Knowles in exchange for a settlement, though they retained one against their manager. As part of the agreement, both sides were prohibited from attacking each other publicly. Roberson and Luckett formed another girl group Anjel but were unsuccessful in record sales and publicity. Although affected by the turmoil, Destiny's Child's success continued. The following years of their career were seen as the group's most successful stretch, becoming a pop-cultural phenomenon. "Say My Name" became their second number-one and biggest single to date. The fourth single off The Writing's on the Wall, "Jumpin' Jumpin'", also became a top-ten hit. During this time, Destiny's Child began performing as an opening act at the concerts of pop singers Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera.

With Williams in the new lineup, Destiny's Child recorded a theme song for the soundtrack to the film version of Charlie's Angels. Released as a single in October 2000, "Independent Women Part 1" spent eleven consecutive weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 from November 2000 to January 2001, the longest-running number-one single of Destiny's Child's career and of that year in the United States. The successful release of the single boosted the sales of the soundtrack album to Charlie's Angels to 1.5 million by 2001. In 2000, Destiny's Child won Soul Train's Sammy Davis Jr. Entertainer of the Year award.

2001–2003: Survivor, subsequent releases and hiatus

At the 2001 Billboard Music Awards, Destiny's Child won several accolades, including Artist of the Year and Duo/Group of the Year, and again won Artist of the Year among five awards they snagged in 2001. In September 2000, the group took home two at the sixth annual Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards, including R&B/Soul Album of the Year, Group for The Writing's on the Wall. Destiny's Child recorded their third album, Survivor, in late 2000 until early 2001. In the production process, Knowles assumed more control in co-producing and co-writing almost the entire album. Survivor hit record stores in the spring of 2001 and entered the Billboard 200 at number one, selling over 663,000 copies in its first week sales. The first three singles, "Independent Women Part I", "Survivor" and "Bootylicious" reached the top three in the United States and were also successful in other countries; the first two were consecutive number-one singles in the United Kingdom. The album was certified four-time platinum in the United States and double platinum in Australia.

Beyonce Independent.jpgthumbleftBeyoncé performing Destiny's Child's hit "Independent Women Part I", the longest-charting single of the group

In October 2001, Destiny's Child released a holiday album, 8 Days of Christmas, which contained updated versions of several Christmas songs. The album managed to reach number thirty-four on the Billboard 200. In February 2001, Destiny's Child won two Grammy awards for "Say My Name": Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group and Best R&B Song. They also earned an American Music Award for Favorite Soul/R&B Band/Duo. Also in 2001, Destiny's Child sang backup vocals for Solange Knowles,who was the lead, on the theme song to the animated Disney Channel series The Proud Family. In March 2002, a remix compilation titled This Is the Remix was released to win fans over before a new studio album would be released. The remix album reached number 29 in the United States. The lead single and Grammy-winning song "Survivor" was by some interpreted as a response to the strife between the band members, although Knowles claimed it was not directed at anybody. Seeing it as a breach of the agreement that barred each party from public disparagement, Roberson and Luckett once again filed a lawsuit against Destiny's Child and Sony Music, shortly following the release of This Is the Remix. In June 2002, remaining cases were settled in court.

In late 2000, Destiny's Child announced to embark on individual side projects, including releases of solo albums, an idea by their manager. In 2002, Williams released her solo album, Heart to Yours, a contemporary gospel collection. The album reached number one on the Billboard Top Gospel Albums chart. In the same date Heart to Yours hit stores, Destiny's Child released their official autobiography, Soul Survivors. Rowland collaborated with hip hop artist Nelly on "Dilemma", which became a worldwide hit and earned Rowland a Grammy; she became the first member of Destiny's Child to have achieved a US number-one single. In the same year, Knowles co-starred with Mike Myers in the box-office hit Austin Powers in Goldmember. She recorded her first solo single, "Work It Out", for the film's soundtrack.

Solange Knowles at the Ruby Lounge.jpgthumbuprightKnowles' sister, Solange, who had recorded songs and performed with Destiny's Child, was reported to join the group when they reunite, but this was later confirmed as only a test of the public's reaction.

To capitalize on the success of "Dilemma", Rowland's solo debut album Simply Deep was brought forward from its early 2003 release to September 2002. Rowland's career took off internationally when Simply Deep hit number one on the UK Albums Chart. In the same year, she made her feature film debut in the horror film Freddy vs. Jason. Meanwhile Knowles made her second film, "The Fighting Temptations", and appeared as featured vocalist on her then-boyfriend Jay-Z's single "'03 Bonnie and Clyde", which paved the way for the release of her debut solo album.

As an upshot from the success of "Dilemma", Knowles' debut album, Dangerously in Love, was postponed many times until June 2003. Knowles was considered the most successful among the three solo releases. Dangerously in Love debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, selling 317,000 copies. It yielded the number-one hits "Crazy in Love", and "Baby Boy"; and the top-five singles "Me, Myself and I" and "Naughty Girl". Knowles solo debut was well-received by critics, earning five Grammy awards in one night for Dangerously in Love, tying the likes of Norah Jones, Lauryn Hill, and Alicia Keys for most Grammys received in one night by a female artist. In November 2003, Williams appeared as Aida on Broadway. In January 2004, she released her second gospel album, Do You Know.

Dwayne Wiggins, who had produced their first recordings as Destiny's Child, filed suit in 2002 against his former counsel (Bloom, Hergott, Diemer & Cook LLP) seeking $15 million in damages for lessening his contractual agreement with the group without his consent, effectively nullifying his original contract that offered Sony Music/Columbia Destiny's Child's exclusive recording services for an initial seven years, in exchange for "certain royalties", instead of royalties only from the first three albums. The case was settled for an undisclosed amount., Yahoo Music News. Retrieved 2009-12-26

In June 2003, Mathew Knowles announced that Destiny's Child would expand back to a quartet, revealing Knowles' younger sister, Solange, as the latest addition to the group. Destiny's Child had previously recorded songs with Solange and shared the stage when she temporarily replaced Rowland after she broke her toes while performing. Their manager, however, said the idea was used to test reactions from the public. In August 2003, Knowles herself confirmed that her sister would not be joining in the group, and instead promoted Solange's debut album, Solo Star, released in January 2003.

2004–2005: Destiny Fulfilled and final releases

Three years after the hiatus, members of Destiny's Child reunited to record their fourth and final studio album, Destiny Fulfilled. The album introduces the trio to a harder, "urban" sound, and songs featured are conceptually interrelated. Destiny Fulfilled saw equality in the trio: each member contributed to writing on the majority songs, as well as becoming executive producers aside from their manager.

Destiny's Child Tour.jpgthumbleftDestiny's Child performing "Say My Name" during their farewell concert tour, Destiny Fulfilled ... And Lovin' It

Released on November 15, 2004, Destiny Fulfilled failed to top Survivor; the album reached number two the following week, selling 497,000 copies in its first week, compared to 663,000 for the previous album. Certified three-time platinum in the United States, it was still one of the best selling albums of 2005, selling over nine million copies worldwide; it pushed the group back into the position of the best-selling female group and American group of the year. Four singles were released from the album: the lead "Lose My Breath", "Soldier", "Cater 2 U" and "Girl"; the first two reached number three in the United States. "Soldier" "Cater 2 U" were certified platinum by the RIAA in 2006.

To promote the album, Destiny's Child embarked on their worldwide concert tour, Destiny Fulfilled... and Lovin' It Tour. On June 11, 2005, while at the Palau Sant Jordi in Barcelona, Spain, the group announced before 16,000 people their official breakup. Destiny's Child claimed, however, that naming it Destiny Fulfilled was not a coincidence of sort. Right in the making of the album, they planned to part ways after their fourteen-year career as a group to facilitate their continued pursuit in individual aspirations. Knowles stated that their destinies were already fulfilled. The group exclusively sent a letter to MTV about the decision:

We have been working together as Destiny's Child since we were 9, and touring together since we were 14. After a lot of discussion and some deep soul searching, we realized that our current tour has given us the opportunity to leave Destiny's Child on a high note, united in our friendship and filled with an overwhelming gratitude for our music, our fans, and each other. After all these wonderful years working together, we realized that now is the time to pursue our personal goals and solo efforts in earnest...No matter what happens, we will always love each other as friends and sisters and will always support each other as artists. We want to thank all of our fans for their incredible love and support and hope to see you all again as we continue fulfilling our destinies. —Destiny's Child, MTV

Destiny's Child released their greatest hits album, #1's, on October 25, 2005. The compilation includes their number-one hits including "Independent Woman Part 1", "Say My Name" and "Bootylicious". Three new tracks were recorded for the compilation including "Stand Up For Love", which was recorded for the theme song to the World Children's Day, and "Check on It", a song Knowles recorded for The Pink Panthers soundtrack. #1's was also released as a DualDisc, featuring the same track listing, seven videos of selected songs and a trailer of the concert DVD Destiny's Child: Live in Atlanta. The DVD was filmed during the Atlanta visit of the Destiny Fulfilled ... And Lovin' It tour, and was released on March 28, 2006. It has been certified platinum by the RIAA, denoting shipments of over one million units.

The title of the compilation fueled a ripple as it contained number-one singles, although not exclusively. While the liner notes of the compilation does not present any information regarding commercial performances of the songs featured, writer Keith Caulfield of Billboard magazine suggested that the name could only be "a marketing angle". Despite this, journalist Chris Harris of MTV said that it "lives up to its name"; #1's debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 with sales of 113,000 in the first week. "Stand Up For Love" was released as Destiny's Child's last single.

Disbandment and recent projects

Star of Destiny's Child.jpg200pxthumbDestiny's Child star on Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Destiny's Child reunited for a farewell performance at the 2006 NBA All-Star Game on February 19 in Houston, Texas; however, Knowles commented, "It's the last album, but it's not the last show." Their final televised performance was at the Fashion Rocks benefit concert in New York at the same month. On March 28, 2006, Destiny's Child was inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the 2,035th recipient of the coveted recognition. At the 2006 BET Awards, Destiny's Child won Best Group, a category they also earned in 2005 and 2001.

After their formal disbandment, all members continued their solo projects including LeToya Luckett, who released her debut solo album, LeToya, in July 2006, peaking at number-one on the Billboard 200. Knowles co-starred in the 2006 comedy film The Pink Panther, for which she recorded the number-one single "Check on It". She landed a role in Dreamgirls, the film adaptation of the 1981 hit Broadway musical about a 1960s singing group loosely based on Motown all-female group The Supremes. In the film, she portrays the Diana Ross-based character Deena Jones. Inspired by her role in the film, she went to crafting her second solo album, aptly titled B'Day, released on September 4, 2006 in the United States to coincide her birthday. Knowles' music video to her single "Get Me Bodied" features Rowland, Williams, and Knowles' sister Solange. The video was released on the B'Day Anthology video album in April 2007. Knowles said: "It really sets the tone of the video, because you feel like you're there for part of the experience."

In 2007, Rowland released her second solo album, Ms. Kelly. On June 26, 2007, the group made a mini-reunion at the 2007 BET Awards. Knowles performed "Get Me Bodied" with special guests Williams, Solange Knowles, and Mo'Nique. After her performance, Knowles introduced Rowland who performed her single "Like This" with Eve. On the September 2, 2007 Los Angeles stop of The Beyoncé Experience tour, Knowles sang a snippet of "Survivor" with Rowland and Williams. The latter two rendered a "Happy Birthday" song to Knowles. The performance was featured in Knowles' tour DVD, The Beyoncé Experience Live!, released on November 20, 2007. In spring 2008 Rowland released a repackaged, reworked version of her 2007 album under the title Ms. Kelly Deluxe. This in turn spawned a UK Top 20 single with her newly-recorded cover of the Seventies Bobby Womack track Daylight, which featured Gym Class Heroes rapper Travis McCoy. Knowles recorded a cover of Billy Joel's "Honesty" which was included on a Mathew Knowles/Music World CD released only in Japan towards the end of June 2008 to celebrate the tenth-year anniversary of Destiny's Child. Williams released her first non-Gospel third solo album, Unexpected, in October 2008, with several of the tracks boasting an uptempo Euro-dance flavour. The following month, Knowles released her third studio solo album, I Am… Sasha Fierce. In the summer of 2009 Williams made history by prestigiously becoming the first African-American actress to play murderous chorus-girl Roxie Hart in the London West End run of the stage musical Chicago. In June 2010, Rowland released "Commander", the first single from her forthcoming untitled third solo album Beyonce and Michelle are also both expecting to be releasing their fourth solo studio albums sometime in 2011.

Philanthropy

In 2005, record producer David Foster, his daughter Amy Foster-Gillies and Knowles wrote "Stand Up For Love" as the anthem to the World Children's Day, an annual worldwide event to raise awareness and funds for children causes. Over the past three years, more than $50 million have been raised to benefit Ronald McDonald House Charities and other children's organizations. Destiny's Child lent their voices and support as global ambassadors for the 2005 program.

Rowland and Knowles, along with the latter's family, founded the Survivor Foundation, a charitable entity set up for the purpose of providing transitional housing for the Hurricane Katrina victims and storm evacuees in the Houston, Texas area. The Survivor Foundation extended the mission of the Knowles-Rowland Center For Youth, a multi-purpose community outreach facility in downtown Houston. In the wake of the September 11 attacks, Destiny's Child canceled a European tour and performed in a concert benefit for the survivors.

Style and themes

Nobel Peace Prize Concert 2008 Diana Ross1.jpgthumbR&B singer Diana Ross, the front woman of The Supremes, to whom Beyoncé Knowles was equated. (Photo: Harry Wad)

Destiny's Child recorded R&B songs with styles that encompasses urban, contemporary, and dance-pop. Destiny's Child revealed that R&B singer Janet Jackson is one of their influences. Ann Powers of The New York Times described Destiny's Child music as "fresh and emotional ... these ladies have the best mixes, the savviest samples and especially the most happening beats." In the same publication, Jon Pareles noted that the sound that defines Destiny's Child, aside from Knowles' voice, "is the way its melodies jump in and out of double-time. Above brittle, syncopated rhythm tracks, quickly articulated verses alternate with smoother choruses." The group usually harmonize their vocals in their songs, especially on the ballads. In most instances of their songs, each member sings one verse and chimes in at the chorus. In Survivor, each members sings lead in the majority of the album: "... everybody is a part of the music ... Everybody is singing lead on every song, and it's so great — because now Destiny's Child is at the point vocally and mentally that it should be at." Knowles, however, completely lead songs like "Brown Eyes" and "Dangerously in Love". The group explored their lyrics to man-to-woman relationship, and sisterhood and female empowerment anthems.

Survivor contains themes interpreted by the public as a reference to the group's internal conflict. The title track, "Survivor", which set the theme used throughout the album, features the lyrics "I'm not gonna blast you on the radio ... I'm not gonna lie on you or your family ... I'm not gonna hate you in the magazine" caused LaTavia and LeToya Luckett to file a lawsuit against the group; the lyrics were perceived to be a violation over their agreement following a settlement in court. In an interview, Knowles commented: "The lyrics to the single 'Survivor' are Destiny's Child's story, because we've been through a lot, ... We went through our drama with the members ... Any complications we've had in our 10-year period of time have made us closer and tighter and better." In another song called "Fancy", which contains the lyrics "You always tried to compete with me, girl ... find your own identity", was interpreted by critic David Browne, in his review of the album for Entertainment Weekly magazine, as a response to the lawsuit. Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic summarized Survivor as "a determined, bullheaded record, intent on proving Destiny's Child has artistic merit largely because the group survived internal strife. ... It's a record that tries to be a bold statement of purpose, but winds up feeling forced and artificial." Albeit critical praise to Destiny's Child's records, Knowles' close involvement in their projects have generated criticisms. Knowles wrote and co-produced the bulk of Survivor. Browne suggested that her help made Survivor a "premature, but inevitable, growing pains album".

Public image

Destiny's Child was compared to The Supremes, a 1960s American female singing group, with which Knowles had been equated to as the Diana Ross, the frontwoman of The Supremes; Knowles, however, dismissed the notion. Ironically, she starred in the film adaptation of the 1981 Broadway musical Dreamgirls as Deena Jones, the front woman of the Dreams, a female singing group based on the Supremes. With Knowles' wide role assumed in the production of Survivor, Gil Kaufman of MTV noted that "it became clear that Beyoncé was emerging as DC's unequivocal musical leader and public face". Her dominance to the creative input in the album made the album "very much her work". For Lola Ogunnaike of The New York Times, "It's been a long-held belief in the music industry that Destiny's Child was little more than a launching pad for Beyoncé Knowles's inevitable solo career."

In the wake of Knowles' Dangerously in Love, rumors spread about possible split of Destiny's Child after each member had experienced success and had ongoing projects. Comparisons were drawn to Justin Timberlake, who did not return to band 'N Sync after his breakthrough debut solo album, Justified. Rowland responded to such rumors, announcing they were back in the studio together. The group claimed that the reunion was destined to happen and that their affinity to each other kept them cohesive. Margeaux Watson, arts editor at Suede magazine, suggests that "the star does not want to appear disloyal to her former partners," and called Beyoncé's decision to return to the group "a charitable one". Knowles' mother, Tina, wrote a 2002-published book, titled Destiny's Style: Bootylicious Fashion, Beauty and Lifestyle Secrets From Destiny's Child, an account of how fashion had an impact on Destiny's Child's success.

Discography

;Studio albums

*1998: Destiny's Child

*1999: The Writing's on the Wall

*2001: Survivor

*2001: 8 Days of Christmas

*2004: Destiny Fulfilled

;Other albums

*2002: This Is the Remix

*2005: #1's

See also

* Girl group

* List of best-selling girl groups

* List of best-selling music artists

References