Beyonce broke onto the scene as one-third of the girl group Destiny's Child.
But although there was never any inkling of bad blood with Kelly Rowland and Michelle
Williams, something drove Beyonce to strike out on her own.
Here's the real reason she left Destiny's Child.
One-woman show
The members of Destiny's Child were together so long that it started to seem like, well,
destiny.
"I know Beyonce and I have been making music since we were 8, 9, 10 years old."
But MTV News said it best when they reported on Destiny's Child's split, writing:
"Beyoncé had long since become the breakout star of the group."
And when the members of group took a break to each release solo albums, the numbers said
it all.
According to Billboard, Michelle Williams' gospel release, Heart to Yours, "sold 17,000
copies in its top week," Kelly Rowland's alterna-pop project, Simply Deep, sold "77,000 units in
its strongest week," and Beyoncé's Dangerously In Love "sold 317,000 copies" in its first
week.
Destiny's Child's album Survivor sold an impressive "663,000 units in its first week," according
to Billboard, but as far as their solo projects were concerned, Beyoncé was just beginning
to find her voice.
A united front
After releasing solo albums, Williams, Rowland, and Beyoncé reconvened to release Destiny
Fulfilled in 2004.
"It's great when you can have that individual success but still be woman enough and love
each other enough to come back and do projects together."
But while performing in Barcelona in 2005, Rowland reportedly announced to the crowd
that Destiny's Child was over.
The ladies later released a statement, saying:
"After a lot of discussion and some deep soul searching, we realized that our current tour
has given us the opportunity to leave Destiny's Child on a high note."
Vox then laid it out a little more plainly, reporting,
"In reality, with [Beyoncé's] Dangerously in Love, a superstar solo performer was born."
Marketing powerhouse
It wasn't just the music industry that was perking up to Beyoncé's presence.
While still a member of Destiny's Child, Beyoncé signed on to replace Britney Spears as PepsiCo's
celebrity endorser, according to The New York Times.
Pepsi even offered to sponsor a solo concert — basically begging Beyoncé to leave Destiny's
Child behind.
L'Oréal and McDonald's also wanted to team up with B, according to Vanity Fair.
Marketers apparently weren't looking for Destiny's Child or even Miss Knowles anymore.
They were looking for Beyoncé.
Blame it on Sasha Fierce
The "Irreplaceable" singer told Rolling Stone she had always been a shy and "terrified"
young girl who was afraid to perform in front of a crowd.
And that didn't change as Beyoncé ascended to superstardom.
She even admitted that she was nervous about a solo performance and interview with David
Letterman, telling The Telegraph in 2002,
"It's just gonna be so scary on the couch on my own."
How did she overcome her fear of the spotlight?
With her alter ego: Sasha Fierce.
She told Rolling Stone,
"If you see me on TV, I'm not a humble, shy person, but it's a transformation into that.
It's a job.
In real life I'm not like that."
In 2008, Beyoncé told People that Ms. Fierce is…
"[…] the fun, more sensual, more aggressive, more outspoken side and more glamorous side
that comes out when I'm working and when I'm on the stage."
"I said I want something big.
I want something that says I'm here.
Beyonce."
Looking out for #1
Even back when Destiny's Child was called Girls Tyme, they were managed by Beyoncé's
dad, Mathew Knowles.
He famously quit his corporate job at Xerox and went all-in to help launch the group's
career, telling NPR in 2006,
"My responsibility was first, initially, as a father to take [Beyonce] to rehearsals and
to surround her with all the tools that could help her be successful."
But was he just looking out for his daughter?
In an explosive twist, Knowles was ousted as manager in 2011.
According to Billboard, Beyonce's legal team…
"[…] conducted an audit that concluded Mathew Knowles had stolen money [from her tour]."
He denied the accusations, but Beyoncé's solo career was already well-established by
that point — and the singer wasn't looking back.
"We both knew it was time, maybe, you know, a few years before, but, it's…I love my
father."
Holding back
Beyoncé had been a part of a group since the '90s, and she admitted that she grew a
bit complacent, telling Vanity Fair in 2005,
"I always held back in Destiny's Child, because I was comfortable in a group and felt that
I didn't have to do anything 100 percent, because there were other people onstage with
me."
It wasn't until she released her first solo album that Beyoncé claims she went "all the
way" with her music career, admitting to the mag,
"For the first time, I wasn't afraid, I didn't feel limited.
[…] I let go."
A mogul in the making
Not only was Queen B snagging endorsement deals and making appearances without the rest
of Destiny's Child, she was also launching an acting career.
She starred in 2001's Carmen: A Hip Hopera, followed by a role as Foxxy Cleopatra in 2002's
Austin Powers in Goldmember.
By the time the group split in 2005, Beyoncé already had more projects in the pipeline,
including Dreamgirls and The Pink Panther.
"Well, the future better get ready for me, cuz I'm Foxxy Cleopatra and I'm a whole lotta
woman."
Beyoncé told Vanity Fair in 2005 that she was looking forward to taking some time off,
but judging by the success that followed, we'd argue that her planned hiatus never really
happened.
Beyoncé is now a wife and mother of three.
She keeps the press guessing, has launched multiple business ventures, and clocks in
as one of the richest entertainers on the planet.
Oh yeah — and she still cranks out the hits.
Can you really blame her for leaving Destiny's Child in the dust?
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