Beyoncé Giselle Knowles best known mononymously as Beyoncé (pronounced /biːˈɑːnseɪ/), is an American R&B singer-songwriter, record producer and actress. born September 4, 1981 and raised in Houston, Texas, she enrolled in various performing arts schools, and was first exposed to singing and dancing competitions as a child
Knowles released her third studio album, I Am… Sasha Fierce, on November 18, 2008. Knowles says that the name Sasha Fierce is the name of the persona she adopts when she performs onstage. "I have someone else that takes over when it's time for me to work and when I'm on stage, this alter ego that I've created that kind of protects me and who I really am." In an interview with producer Rodney Jerkins, he said that the style of the album kept switching and was inspired by the musical biopic film, Cadillac Records, in which Knowles had been cast to play famed blues singer Etta James. Knowles will also star opposite Ali Larter and Idris Elba in a thriller film called Obsessed, which has been in production since May 2008. This film is due in the United States in April 2009, with an international release slated in March 2009.
Knowles recorded a cover of Billy Joel's "Honesty" which was included on a Matthew Knowles/Music World CD released only in Japan towards the end of June 2008 to celebrate the tenth-year anniversary of Destiny's Child.
"If I Were a Boy" and "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)", the first and second singles off I Am… Sasha Fierce, were released to radio on October 14, 2008, preceding the album's release on November 18, 2008. While the single "If I Were a Boy" became Knowles' fourth UK number-one single, "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" went on to top the Hot 100 chart, for four non-consecutive weeks, giving Knowles her fifth number one single in the U.S. Knowles will tour around the world for most of 2009 starting in the Spring, visiting venues all over the world from the America's, Europe, Asia, Africa and Oceania. Knowles will also include a week long stint of shows in Las Vegas. The tour will be named Beyoncé's I Am... Tour.
On January 7, 2009, it was announced that she was nominated six times for five NAACP Image Awards: Outstanding Female Artist, Outstanding Music Video ("If I Were A Boy"), Outstanding Music Video ("Single Ladies"), Outstanding Song ("Single Ladies"), Outstanding Album ("I Am…Sasha Fierce") and Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture ("Cadillac Records"). Knowles performed on January 18, 2009 at the Lincoln Memorial festivities in honor of the inauguration of Barack Obama, the 44th President of the United States. Knowles also sang her cover of the R&B classic most famously sang by Etta James, "At Last", as President Obama and his wife Michelle had their first dance as President and First lady of America, on January 20, 2009 at the Neighborhood Inaugural Bal
