Beyonce Knowles - An American Entertainer
Beyoncé Knowles is one of the really multitalented entertainment stars of the present. She is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, actress, dancer and fashion designer. Knowles became famous as the lead singer of the Rhythm and Blues group Destiny’s Child, probably the most successful female groups of all times.
At the age of 7 she attended dance school and later on became a solo singer in her church’s choir. Together with a few of her friends she started a quartet and at first performed in their back yards. In 1996 the group signed up with Columbia records and became very successful in the early 2000s.
After successful CDs with Destiny’s Child Beyoncé released her first solo Album Dangerously in Love in 2003. With its singles Crazy in Love and Baby Boy it rose to the top of the charts in the UK and America. In 2004 Knowles earned five Grammy Awards .
In 2001 Knowles turned to acting. Her most famous role came in 2006 in an adaptation of a Broadway musical. Dreamgirls is based on the success of the Supremes, a black female group of the 1970s. Knowles was nominated for two Golden Globes including Best Actress.
Beyoncé Knowles also has worked a lot for the poor and hungry people in our world. She helped form Survivor Foundation, an organization that provides housing for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. She also went to Ethiopia and promised to help poor people there. On the other hand, animal rights organizations have criticized her for wearing fur .
Words
- actress = a woman who acts on stage or in a film
- adaptation = new and changed version
- animal rights organization = organization that tries to help animals survive in our world
- attend = go to
- based =to be the origin of
- chart = the most successful songs in a country
- choir =a group of people who sing together
- earn = here: get
- entertainment =things such as music, TV, radio, shows and other performances that people watch
- fashion designer = person who designs modern clothes
- female =relating to a woman
- fur = the hairy skin of animals
- Golden Globe = awards like the Oscars
- Grammy Award = prizes that are given to singers and groups by the American music industry
- housing = places to live
- lead singer = most important singer in a group
- nominate = to suggest someone for a prize or award
- perform = act
- present = today
- promise = to say that you will do something in the future
- provide = give
- release = to bring out
- sign up =to put your name on a document because you want to take part in something
- success =when you become famous or you have done what you wanted to
- successful = to be very famous and earn much money
- survivor = a person who has escaped death and can live on
- victim = someone who suffers because something bad has happened to them