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 Ask
Beyonce what she wants people to hear when they listen to Dangerously In
Love, her debut solo album, and the multi-platinum-selling pop/urban
recording artist answers, "My range. I want them to hear all of the
musical influences from hip-hop to rock to jazz, there's even a Shuggie
Otis sample. I want them to really hearthe talent. I know that folks
love me as a pop star. Now I want them to understand me as an artist."
That they will. Musically challenging and lyrically honest, Dangerously
In Love is more than just a solo CD from a superstar. It is everything
you'd expect from Beyonce and more than you could have hoped for.
Another side of someone we've loved for years, Dangerously In Love is
equally divided between seductive mid-tempos, lush ballads and fiery
club bangers, providing a sharp focus on who Beyonce is right now: as a
performer, as a woman, and as a creative force to be reckoned with. The
vibe is more mature, more playful, more deeply passionate and sexually
aggressive. Dangerously In Love is the sound of a grown woman clearly
staking her claim in the world and, in the process, redefining
expectations of who she is.
Beyonce Links
A 21-year-old Houston
native, Beyonce Knowles is a founding member and chief songwriter of
Destiny's Child, one of the biggest selling female acts of all time.
With many of the group's hit songs co-written and co-produced by Beyonce,
Destiny's Child has sold more than 33 million records worldwide. When
Beyonce won the 2001 ASCAP Pop Songwriter Of The Year Award, she became
the first African-American woman -- and the second woman ever -- to
receive that honor.
Led by founding members Beyonce Knowles and Kelly Rowland, Destiny's
Child burst on the scene in 1997 with their multi-platinum single, "No,
No, No," from their self-titled album. That success was dwarfed when
Destiny's Child's The Writing's On The Wall was released in 1999. The
album would go on to sell more than 10 million copies worldwide, driven
in part by three Top 10 hits: "Jumpin, Jumpin," "Say My Name" and
"Bills, Bills, Bills," which spent 9 weeks at #1 on the Billboard RandB
singles chart.
A year after Michelle Williams joined Destiny's Child in 2000, the group
recorded Survivor, which debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 album chart.
Survivor was certified double platinum four weeks after its release and
has gone on to sell more than nine million copies worldwide. In 2001
Destiny's Child took home two Grammy awards: Best RandB song ("Say My
Name") and Best RandB performance by a Duo or Group ("Say My Name").
Destiny's Child has won numerous other awards, among them Billboard
Artist of the year, NAACP Image Awards, American Music Awards,
Nickelodeon Kid's Choice and The Sammy Davis Jr. Award for Entertainer
of the Year at the Soul Train Awards. The group has toured worldwide and
performed at many high profile events including The Michael Jackson 30th
Anniversary Concert Special and the Concert For New York City.
Given the fact that
the general public is so familiar with chart-topping songs such as "Say
My Name," "Independent Woman, Part I" and "Survivor," it's fair to
enquire how Dangerously In Love differs from a Destiny's Child project.
"Naturally the songs on my album are going to share some similarities,"
Beyonce admits. "But this time because I only had to write for myself,
my songs are much more personal. I also wanted beats that were harder
and to be able to collaborate with other people. Basically this record
was a chance for me to grow as a writer and a singer. There are more
ballads. The vocals aren't as precisely produced and because it's just
me, there aren't as many harmonies. The experience was very liberating
and therapeutic. I felt free, because I could go into the studio and
talk about whatever I wanted, but in many ways it was actually harder to
be on my own creatively. I depend so much on Destiny's Child (Kelly
Rowland and Michelle Williams) to tell me if they like something or not.
I'm so critical of myself that it's scary to have to depend on your own
instincts."
Helping Beyonce trust those instincts are an impressive array of musical
collaborators, among them Missy Elliot, Jay-Z, Sean Paul, Mark Batson,
Mario Winans, D-Roy and Mr. B, OutKast's Big Boi, Rich Harrison,
Fanatic, Scott Storch, and the legendary Luther Vandross on "The Closer
I Get To You." Beyonce shares co-executive producer credits on
Dangerously In Love with her father and manager Mathew Knowles. She took
an active role in all aspects of the album: from writing and choosing
material to producing, mastering and mixing the tracks. Beyonce pays
tribute to her father on the hidden bonus track, "Daddy," which was
produced by Beyonce and Mark Batson.
The sexy first single, "Crazy In Love," featuring Jay-Z, was co-produced
by Beyonce and Rich Harrison. Jay-Z returns the favor for Beyonce's part
on his hit "Bonnie and Clyde 03." With a beat that Beyonce says is "so
hard it makes your heart hurt!," "Crazy In Love" is about that moment
when you realize you're falling into love and looking crazy but you
simply don't care. The abandon continues on "Speechless," produced by
Fanatic. "As soon as I heard the track it inspired me," she admits.
"It's very sexy, very sensual. The sort of ballad that I've never done
before. This song is definitely a population increaser!"
Laced with an Arabic
ambience, fused with a ghetto-fied edge and encompassing a sample from
Donna Summer's "Love to Love You Baby," "Naughty Girl" is uptempo and
party perfect: a sexy fantasy about having that one night where you lose
all your inhibitions, head to theclub and work it like a naughty girl.
"Many of the songs on the album examine aspects of relationships, and
this is one element."
Also sexy is the dancehall-Arabic flavored "Baby Boy," featuring the red
hot Sean Paul. "I knew Sean had to be on my album because I love his
approach," she says. "'Baby Boy' is another song about a fantasy and
it's one of my favorites."
Such unabashed and upfront emotions might come as a surprise to long
time fans but make no mistake, Dangerously In Love isn't a rejection of
DC's sound. "I love Destiny's Child and I am a member of the group, "she
asserts. "We haven't broken up. We're going to continue to tour and
record and be a group. We've recorded a song, 'I Know,' for "The
Fighting Temptations" soundtrack. We all decided a long time back to
explore solo projects and I'm the third member of the group to release
my own record. Things like working apart keep the fire going and keep
the fans eager for you. I'm not trying to get away from DC or the legacy
we have. I just wanted to show a different approach and the growth I've
experienced. "
That growth is
evident in Beyonce's burgeoning acting career. In 2001 she starred in
MTV's "Carmen." In 2002 she appeared as Foxy Cleopatra in "Austin Powers
in Goldmember." This year she will co-star with Cuba Gooding Jr. in "The
Fighting Temptations." She has two more features currently in production
and can also be seen on the small screen in a series of Spike
Lee-directed commercials for Pepsi-Cola. She is also the spokesperson
for L'Oreal.
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