Biography

Like an elite athlete, an artist is hard wired to reach a goal and then, having achieved it, to

raise the bar even higher, always pushing to perform at top capacity, afting a personal best.

Beyoncé knows this. She's blessed with a relentless spirit that fuels her. "Everything that I do

eatively has to make me work harder and hopefully steer me in a direction I've never been

before, " she explains." If it's easy, then the excitement is gone because I don't like to be

bored and comfortable when it comes to my music. I like to challenge myse and all those

around me to get the very best eatively. "

That eativity took center stage on Beyoncé's 2003 solo debut, Dangerously In Love, which

won an astounding five Grammy Awards, confirming her status as one of pop/R&B's premier

songwriters, producers and singers. With hits like "Crazy In Love " and "Baby Boy,"

Beyoncé shattered sales records, headlined sold-out tours worldwide , and presented the full

range of her artistic vision, redefining herse in the process. So, how do you top a personal

best?

Beyoncé's answer is B'Day, executive produced by Beyoncé Knowles and Mathew Knowles

for Music World Productions Inc. Dropping worldwide on her 25th birthday, B'Day is a

celebration and a mile stone. Souully deep, emotionally expansive, musically far reaching

and filled with banging beats, muscular rhythms and lyrics that are grown, smart and just flat

out sexy, B'Day is the sound of an artist raising the bar.

B'Day was brought to fruition by Beyoncé, who co-wrote and co-produced the album's 11

songs , with the help of an all-star team which includes Swizz Beatz, Rich Harrison, The

Neptunes, Sean Garrett, Star Gate, Jay- Z, Solange Knowles, Angela Beyince, Makeeba and

Rodney Jerkins.

Jerkins, whose past work includes Destiny's Child's "Lose My Breath" (2005), kicks things

off with the horn-drenched, celebratory first single "Deja Vu." Featuring Jay-Z and bolstered

by a sultry video -- lensed by Sophie Muller (Sade, Gwen Stefani) -- "Deja Vu's" pulsating

groves have made it a bona fide summer jam.

Warming up the bench is the equally smoldering "Ring The Alarm," produced by Swizz

Beatz. Accented by an attention grabbing siren, "Ring The Alarm" hits hard as Beyoncé

sings," I can't let you go. This is taking a toll." But if the mama-don't-take-no-mess attitude

reads angry, think again. "I didn't want to write some 'angry' song. Swizz's track had that

tough vibe, like the guy had cheated, and I wanted to write something honest. If you're in a

relationship, even if the man's cheating and you end up not wanting him, the thought of

another woman benefiting from the lessons you taught him," Beyoncé laughs. "That's gonna

kill you! When people hear 'Ring The Alarm,' they tell me how real it is. That's exactly what

I was going for."

Another song that lays it bare is "Sugar Mama," produced by Rich Harrison, the auteur

behind "Crazy In Love." Funky and feverish, "Sugar Mama " steams up the room with lyrics

like "Come sit on my lap. I'll do anything to keep you home." That same sexual energy

motivates "Green Light," produced by The Neptunes and bristling with a southern fried, nasty

girl heat. Keeping the passion on a low simmer is "Upgrade ," produced by new jack Cameron

Wallace of Music World Productions and featuring Jay-Z. With a sample of Betty Wright's

"Girls Cant Do What The Guys Do," "Upgrade " leans back with an old soul, deeply musical

vibe.

That musicality present throughout B'Day is just one of the motivations behind Beyoncé's

frankly cool decision to form a 10 piece all female band for her forthcoming tour.

Since wrapping up her first solo tour in 2004, Beyoncé has kept up a whirlwind pace. In

2005, Destiny's Child said good-bye with Destiny Fuilled, a farewell tour and the greatest

hits collection #1's. That same year Beyoncé and her mother, Destiny Child's stylist Tina

Knowles, launched a fashion line, House of Deréon, named for Beyoncé's maternal

grandmother. House of Deréon will launch its junior line, Deréon, later this year.

The eative multi-tasking didn't stop. The following year Beyoncé began filming what she

desibed as the role of a lifetime: "Deena Jones" in the long awaited cinematic version of the

Broadway classic Dream Girls. The film's grueling 4-month shoot wrapped in April 2006

and Beyoncé, who hadn't slowed down since Dangerously In Love, was more than ready to

chill. Yet after spending hours coming up with concepts and lyrics, Beyoncé discovered that

rather than being drained she was invigorated and ins pired by possibility. And so, two days

into her vacation, Beyoncé left the chaise lounge by the pool for the darkness of a studio. Not

only was the move unexpected it was on the DL."I told (my A&R guy) ," she remembers.

"'This is a seet. Don't tell my daddy, or my mommy or anybody; even the label.'"

Working quickly Beyoncé assembled her dream team -- Swizz, Jerkins, Harrison, Sean

Garrett -- brought them all to the same New York City studio and put them in different

rooms. Then the games began as Beyoncé (who was in a separate room with co-writers

Angela Beyince, Makeeba and younger sister Solange Knowles) would run from studio to

studio. In a musical version of the dozens , she'd drop good natured subtle jabs like "Oh,

Rodney, he's got some heat up there," then head over to Harrison's session exclaiming, "Hey,

Swizz is really bringing fire, you gotta come with it! " Beyoncé laughs, "There was no

negative competition. Everything just happened so quickly, so I didn't have to arrange

expensive flights and deal with drama and schedules. The process was magical, everyone was

truly excited to be in the studio, just getting to be eative."

Working at breakneck speed, the sessions took less than 3 weeks and yielded 25 songs, which

were whittled down to B'Day 's11, and mastered in early July. "It's the best thing I've ever

done," she says matter-of-factly.

Beyoncé knows a little something about achieving the best, having constantly raised the bar

over the course of her career.

With the release of B'Day, Beyoncé invites her fans around the world to celebrate their best

years yet.

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Beyoncé Solo Discography