1) Beyoncé was born and raised in Houston, Texas. Her father was a medical equipment salesperson, and her mother, Tina Knowles was a costume designer and hair stylist. Good vocal cords run in the family, as Beyoncé’s younger sister, Solange Knowles, is also a singer and songwriter.
2) Her parents worked very hard to support Beyoncé’s singing career. Her father quit his job as a salesman and began to manage the all-girls group Beyoncé was now part of. Her mother, Tina, designed all of their costumes. Beyoncé’s parents invested much of their time and money into these efforts, which in turn put a lot of strain on their own family life.
3) In 1993, the group was known as Destiny’s Child. In 1997, the girls recorded a song for the hit movie, Men in Black. This gave them the initial publicity they needed, and the next year, they released their first album, which contained their first major hit, “No, No, No”.
4) After their success, two of the members of the group spoke out against Beyoncé’s father’s management techniques. They decided to leave the group, and the media blamed Beyoncé for the breakup. This caused Beyoncé to suffer bouts of depression for a few years, and only her mother Tina was able to help her push through it.
5) On April 4th, 2008, Beyoncé Knowles married boyfriend Jay-Z in a lavish wedding in New York City. When asked about her marriage, Beyoncé is truthful. She says that their marriage is like anyone else’s; they have their share of fights like any other regular couple. She says that things are not always perfect, but they find ways to manage and compromise with one another.
6) After suffering from a miscarriage, Beyoncé and husband Jay Z were blessed with a baby girl in 2012. Beyoncé named her first baby, Blue Ivy. When Beyoncé first announced she was pregnant, her announcement was tweeted at a rate of 8,868 tweets per second, breaking a Twitter record. They couple plans on having more children.
7) Two days after his daughter was born, Jay-Z released a song dedicated to his baby girl. It was a powerful song that portrayed the struggles and joys of becoming a parent. At the end of the song, Blue Ivy’s cries can be heard, officially making her a part of the song. When the song appeared on a Billboard chart, Blue Ivy became the youngest person to be on the list.
8) Her amazing body and her curves have earned her a word in the Oxford English Dictionary. The media dubbed her “Bootylicious”, which became such a popular term used to describe Knowles that it was added to the oft-used dictionary.
9) Just in case we somehow forget what Beyoncé Knowles once looked like, she has many wax figures standing all over the world in various locations of the famous Madame Tussauds Wax Museums to remind us. Some of these locations include New York, Bangkok, Hollywood and Amsterdam.
10) Beyoncé has made her name in the music industry. She has sold over 13 million albums in the US and more than 75 million albums worldwide. This places her as one of the best-selling music artists of all time. She has also been the proud recipient of 17 Grammy Awards, placing her at number 3 in the most honored by Grammys female artist list.
11) Tina’s mother continues to work with Knowles and supports her in everything she does. The mother-daughter duo has launched their own fashion line. The line has been tactfully named House of Deréon, after Beyoncé’s grandmother, Agnèz Deréon, a seamstress. The clothing line echoes Beyoncé’s impeccable taste in fashion.
12) Beyoncé has quite the infatuation with the number 4, but that can hardly be her fault. Her mother, a strong advocate of hers, was born on January 4th. She herself was born on September 4th, and her husband, the love of her life, was born on December 4th. The two lovebirds married on April 4th. It would have seemed like more than a coincidence if their daughter, Blue Ivy, were also born on the 4th day.
13) As all famous celebrities must go through, Beyoncé went through a tirade of rumors regarding her pregnancy. From fake pregnancy rumors to pregnancy craving rumors, Beyoncé had it all. When she was on a flight, the airhostess brought her a plate of hot sauce and pickles and bananas. When Beyoncé questioned him regarding the odd ensemble, he replied that he had read on the internet that she had been craving such foods.
14) Knowles musical inspirations are many, but her major influence was the famous late Michael Jackson. She also was a big fan of Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey. Her non-musical inspirations are Michelle Obama, wife of US President Barack Obama, and the fabulous Oprah Winfrey, whom Beyoncé describes as “strong women”.
15) Beyoncé loves her fans and the people who work around her. In 2007, two of her loyal fans were injured at a concert. Beyoncé was concerned about their health, and visited them in the hospital as soon as she could. She is very comfortable with crewmembers, and while travelling, loves playing Connect 4 with them.
16) Beyoncé Knowles was already gorgeous with her envious body, but she still wanted to lose another 6 kg before she starred in the movie, Dreamgirls. She managed this feat in a matter of ten days, with an odd diet of consuming a drink made from maple syrup, lemon juice and water.
17) During most of her performances, Beyoncé has captured her audience not just with her voice, but also with her moves. All the while wearing heels – how does she do it? The secret is her favorite shoe designer, Stuart Weitzman, whose shoes Beyoncé swears by.
18) Both husband and wife are proud supporters of US President, Barack Obama. In 2008, when Obama first ran for president, Jay-Z became an active member of his presidential campaign. Beyoncé Knowles is also a fan of US First Lady, Michelle Obama. She was also proud to perform the American national anthem at Obama’s second inauguration.
19) In January 2013, proud parents of Blue Ivy celebrated her first birthday. Beyoncé and husband Jay-Z took two weeks to plan a princess birthday party for their baby girl in New York City. With a custom-made cake and treats for the guests, the party cost the couple around US$ 200, 000.
20) In 2010, the mother-daughter duo went on another venture. They opened the Beyoncé Cosmetology Centre at the Phoenix House in New York. The Phoenix House is a detoxification center for people who are suffering from drug abuse. The Beyoncé Cosmetology Centre offers a 7-month cosmetology course for those who wish to pursue a career in beauty and esthetic care.