Beyonc Giselle Knowles-Carter ( bee-YON-say; ne Knowles; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, actress and record producer. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, Beyonc performed in various singing and dancing competitions as a child. She rose to fame in the late 1990s as the lead singer of Destiny's Child, one of the best-selling girl groups of all time. Beyonc is often cited as an influenc...