| [ introduction ] |
Tenitra Michelle Williams (born
July 23,
1980 in
Rockford,
Illinois) is one-third of the
R&B music supergroup
Destiny's Child. She is also a
Gospel music
singer and
Broadway
actress.
Raised in a
Christian-based family, Williams learned to sing
in her church's
choir. She later sang in a musical
quartet called United Harmony with sister
Cameron. After attending
Auburn High School, she pursued a degree in
criminal justice at
Illinois State University while singing back-up
for
R&B star
Monica. It was then that she gained the
opportunity in becoming part of the what was soon to
be global phenomenon of Destiny's Child. |
| [ destiny's child (2000 - 2005) ] |
After much-publicized turmoil Williams officially
joined the group in
February
2000 replacing
LeToya Luckett and
LaTavia Roberson. The first video she appeared
in alongside co-founding members
Beyoncé Knowles and
Kelly Rowland and new 4th member Farrah Franklin
was Say My Name, shot just a few days after
she joined the group. Subsequent events saw the new
quartet reduced to a trio when Farrah left the group.
As a trio, Michelle and Destiny's Child continued
their (what may have been surprising to some people,
after a line of member changes and media-developed
group conflict) rise to global superstardom with the
11-week
Billboard #1 hit, Independent Women Part 1,
featured on Destiny's Child's third studio album,
Survivor, as well as the
Charlie's Angels soundtrack. After three
other Top 10 Billboard Hot100 hits - the title-track Survivor, Bootylicious and Emotion
- and a massive tour, the group separated
temporarily to pursue various solo endeavors.
After the three year hiatus that involved
concentration on individual solo projects,
Michelle rejoined
Beyoncé Knowles and
Kelly Rowland for Destiny's Child's
fourth (and final) studio album,
Destiny Fulfilled, released
November
2004. The album hit #2 on the
Billboard 200 and spawned the hits
Lose My Breath, Soldier, Girl
and Cater 2 U. Destiny Fulfilled
is without doubt the album which displays
Williams unique, beautiful and soulful
vocals best and shows her development as an
artist and potential to be even bigger as a
future solo vocalist. The album title itself
was a hint that Destiny Fulfilled may
in fact be the last Destiny's Child album
and indeed that was to be the case.
Williams and the other two-thirds of
Destiny's Child embarked on a
World Tour sponsored by
McDonald's titled, Destiny Fulfilled
and Lovin' It, in
2005, visiting over 70 cities throughout
Australia,
Asia,
Europe and
North America from April to September.
Shortly before the end of the European leg
of the tour, at a concert in
Barcelona,
Spain, Kelly announced that the group
was to go their separate ways the following
September.
In October 2005 the group
released their final album, entitled
#1's, including all of Destiny's
Child's #1 hits and most well-known songs,
which went straight to the top of the
Billboard Album Chart at #1. The Greatest
Hits collection also included 3 new tracks,
one of which was the final single from
Destiny's Child, Stand Up For Love. |
| [ solo projects (2000 - present) ] |
After the release and promotion of Survivor,
Williams became the first member to release a solo
studio album. Her
Gospel album,
Heart To Yours, shot up to #1 on the
Billboard Gospel Chart and became the
biggest-selling Gospel album of
2002; she then broke into acting with her
starring role in the
Broadway hit,
Aida, replacing
R&B singer
Toni Braxton.
Following the success of her debut, Michelle
released her sophomore album, entitled
Do You Know, in 2004, featuring the
single of the same name and a Destiny's
Child Gospel track I Know. The album
did not perform as well as her debut but did
reach #2 on the Hot Christian Contemporary
Album Chart and #3 on the Billboard Gospel
Chart.
The lesser performance of Do You
Know may have been due to the increasing
criticism of Williams, by some devout
Christian groups, who were against the fact
that she was both a solo artist partaking in
Gospel music and an R&B artist as part of
the globally successful secular group
Destiny's Child. Williams' second album also
produced a different sound from the debut,
with more R&B tinged beats and stronger
vocals from Michelle. |
| [ behind the music ] |
In the Autumn of 2005, Williams signed a deal to endorse and appear in commercials for The Gap, where she appeared alongside other musical stars including Joss Stone, John Legend and Alanis Morrissette among others.
Michelle also made her on-screen debut in February 2006 on the popular UPN comedy Half&Half, where she played the role of a record company executive called Naomi, who is HIV positive. She appeared in 3 recurring episodes, giving Williams the acting bug - much like her fellow DC members - after having such a great experience on set.
On February 20, 2006, the Chicago Sky, a team in the Women's National Basketball Association, announced that Michelle is part of a group of minority shareholder owners in the team. In addition, her manager, Mathew Knowles, is also a part-owner of the Sky.
On March 22, 2006, it was announced on WWE.com that Michelle will sing America the Beautiful at Wrestlemania 22 the flagship PPV of the WWE. |
| [ the future ] |
Michelle's manager, Mathew Knowles, confirmed that she is due to start working on her third studio album sometime in 2006 which will see her venture away from her previous Gospel material and head along a more commercial Soul/R&B route, a direction which she has experienced successfully throughout her time as a member of Destiny's Child. In a recent interview she said, "This album will still have an inspirational twist, but it will be R&B." The album is expected to be released between late 2006 and early 2007. Michelle has also expressed interest in returning to Broadway and furthering her on-screen career as an actress.
A national tour of The Color Purple will begin April 17, 2007, after an extended run at the Cadillac Palace Theatre in Chicago, Illinois. The company includes LaToya London as Nettie, Michelle Williams as Shug Avery, Felicia P. Fields as Sofia, and Jeannette Bayardelle as Celie. Bayardelle and Fields both are reprising their roles from Broadway. Incidentally, Williams, Bayardelle, and Fields are all Chicago natives.
The touring cast also includes Rufus Bonds, Jr. as Mister; Stu James as Harpo; Stephanie St. James as Squeak; Lynette Dupree, Kimberly Ann Harris and Virginia Ann Woodruff as the Church Ladies; Bridgette Bentley as the Church Soloist; and Adam Wade as Ol’ Mister. |
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