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Destiny's Child

 

Biography by Steve Huey

 

Destiny's Child rose to become one of the most popular female R&B groups of the late '90s, eventually rivaling even TLC in terms of blockbuster commercial success. Their accomplishments came in spite of several abrupt personnel changes, which were accompanied by heated, well-publicized feuds in the media and the courts. In fact, for a time, Destiny's Child were known for that drama just as much as their music. Once the group stabilized again, though, they emerged with even more hitmaking power than ever before.

 

Destiny's Child were formed in Houston, TX, in 1990, when original members Beyoncé Knowles and LaTavia Roberson were just nine years old; the two met at an audition and became friends, and Knowles' father Mathew set about developing an act based on their singing and rapping, taking their name from a passage in the Book of Isaiah. Beyoncé's cousin Kelendria "Kelly" Rowland joined the group in 1992, and shortly thereafter they landed an appearance on Star Search, where they performed a rap song. The quartet's lineup was finalized (for the time being) when LeToya Luckett joined in 1993, and they spent the next few years working their way up from the Houston club scene, eventually opening for artists like SWV, Dru Hill, and Immature. Finally, in 1997, Destiny's Child was offered a recording contract by Columbia.

 

The group made its recorded debut on 1997's "Killing Time," a song included on the soundtrack of the blockbuster Men in Black. Their self-titled debut album was released in early 1998, featuring production by Wyclef Jean and Jermaine Dupri, among others. Its lead single, the Jean-produced "No No No," was a smash hit, selling over a million copies and topping the R&B charts. The follow-up singles — "With Me" and "Get on the Bus," the latter of which was taken from the soundtrack of Why Do Fools Fall in Love? — didn't quite duplicate the success of "No No No," although Destiny's Child would eventually go platinum (after the group's later success). Destiny's Child re-entered the studio quickly, bringing in producer Kevin "She'kspere" Briggs to handle the majority of their next record. Lead single "Bills, Bills, Bills" became the group's first number one pop hit (and second R&B number one) in the summer of 1999, and paced by its success, the accompanying album, The Writing's on the Wall, entered the charts at number six upon its release.

 

That was just the beginning of the group's breakout success. The second single, "Bug a Boo," didn't perform as well, but the third single, "Say My Name," was another massive hit, their biggest so far; it hit number one on both the pop and R&B charts for three weeks apiece in early 2000, and made Destiny's Child a pop-cultural phenomenon. However, at the peak of "Say My Name"'s popularity, the group splintered. In December 1999, Roberson and Luckett attempted to split with manager Mathew Knowles, charging that he kept a disproportionate share of the band's profits, attempted to exert too much control, and unfairly favored his daughter and niece. While they never intended to leave the group, relations naturally grew strained, and when the video for "Say My Name" premiered in February 2000, many fans (not to mention Roberson and Luckett) were surprised to find two new members — Michelle Williams and Farrah Franklin — joining Knowles and Rowland. Infuriated, Roberson and Luckett took legal action in March, suing both Knowles and their former bandmates for breach of partnership and fiduciary duties. A war of words followed in the press; meanwhile, the next Destiny's Child single, "Jumpin' Jumpin'," hit the Top Ten, and The Writing's on the Wall went on to sell a whopping eight million copies.

 

The personnel-turnover drama still wasn't over; in July 2000, just five months after joining, Farrah Franklin split with the group. The official reason was that Franklin missed several promotional appearances and concert gigs, although in later interviews she spoke of too much negativity and too little control in the group environment. Now reduced to a trio, Destiny's Child was tapped to record the theme song for the film version of Charlie's Angels; released as a single in October, "Independent Women, Pt. 1" raced up the charts and spent an astounding 11 weeks at number one. Destiny's Child were now indisputable superstars, the biggest female R&B group on the scene, and they quickly began work on a new album to capitalize. In the meantime, toward the end of 2000, Roberson and Luckett dropped the portion of their lawsuit aimed at Rowland and Knowles in exchange for a settlement, though they continued to pursue action against Knowles' father; as part of the agreement, both sides were prohibited from ripping each other publicly.

 

Beyoncé had long since emerged as the group's focal point, and on the third Destiny's Child album, she assumed more control than ever before, taking a greater hand in writing the material and even producing some of the record herself. While recording sessions were going on, Rowland released the first Destiny's Child solo track; "Angel" appeared on the soundtrack of Chris Rock's Down to Earth. Former members Roberson and Luckett also announced the formation of a trio called, coincidentally, Angel, and Farrah Franklin set about starting a solo career.

 

Survivor — whose title was reportedly inspired by a DJ's crack about Destiny's Child members voting one another off the island, much like the popular CBS reality series — hit stores in the spring of 2001, and entered the charts at number one. The first two singles, "Survivor" and "Bootylicious," were predictably huge hits, with the latter becoming the group's fourth number one pop single. A cover of Andy Gibb's "Emotion" was also successful, albeit less so, and Survivor sold well — over four million copies — but not as well as its predecessor. Toward the end of the year, the group released a holiday album, 8 Days of Christmas, and announced plans for a series of side projects, including solo albums from all three members (to be staggered over the next year and a half, so as to avoid competition). In early 2002, shortly after This Is the Remix was released to tide fans over, Roberson and Luckett sued the group again, claiming that some of the lyrics in "Survivor" made reference to them (in violation of the earlier lawsuit settlement). Meanwhile, the first Destiny's Child solo album was released in April; Michelle Williams' all-gospel project Heart to Yours, which featured a duet with gospel legend Shirley Caesar. Meanwhile, Beyoncé won a leading role opposite Mike Myers in the third Austin Powers film, Goldmember, playing blaxploitation-style heroine Foxy Cleopatra; her first solo single, the Neptunes-produced "Work It Out," appeared on the soundtrack, and her full solo album, Dangerously in Love, became a huge hit upon release in mid-2003. Despite much critical speculation, the trio reunited the following year and released Destiny Fulfilled in November 2004. In October 2005, the #1's compilation was issued, followed by the Live in Atlanta DVD and CD sets in 2006 and 2007.

 

 

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Destiny's Child (Feb 17, 1998)

4 Stars

 

Review by John Bush

 

Destiny's Child isn't quite just another debut album from an R&B girl group. The quartet worked with Wyclef Jean and Jermaine Dupri among others, and their voices sound beautiful together. Still, much of the album sounds indistinguishable from all the other female groups out there. When Destiny's Child does sound different, as on the single "No, No, No, Pt. 2," they're more than competent.

 

 

 

 

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The Writing's on the Wall (Jul 27, 1999)

4 Stars

 

Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine

 

With their second album, Writing's on the Wall, Destiny's Child still suffers from slightly uneven songwriting, but it's nevertheless an assured step forward for the girl group. Not only are they maturing as vocalists, they are fortunate to work with such skilled, talented producers as Kevin "Shekspere" Biggs, Rodney Jerkins, Dwayne Wiggins, Chad Elliot, Daryl Simmons, and Missy Elliott, who all give the quartet rich, varied music upon which to work their charm. So, even when the album fails to deliver memorable songs, it always sounds alluring, thanks to the perfect combination of vocalists and producers.

 

 

 

 

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Survivor (May 1, 2001)

3 Stars

 

Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine

 

Nobody would have predicted that Destiny's Child would rule over the contemporary R&B scene in the beginning of the new millennium — not after "Bills, Bills, Bills" hit the top of the charts, not even after "Say My Name" became an anthem in 2000. But nobody challenged their position, so they reigned supreme in the early 2000s, eventually inheriting the title of the great girl group of their era. Since they had a couple of pretty good singles, namely the aforementioned pair, most conceded them that position, particularly since they seemed more talented than their peers, but Survivor, their first album as full-fledged superstars — also their first album since most of the group disappeared due to managerial conflicts — is as contrived and calculated as a Mariah Carey record, only without the joy. This is a determined, bullheaded record, intent on proving Destiny's Child has artistic merit largely because the group survived internal strife. So, whatever pop kitsch references the title may have — and it's hard not to see it as an attempt to tap into the American public's insatiable love for CBS' brilliant reality TV show of the same name — the title is certainly heartfelt, as the members of Destiny's Child want to illustrate that they are indeed survivors. This doggedness may fit on occasion, as on "Independent Women, Pt. 1," the theme to Charlie's Angels, but it usually takes precedence over the music — such as on the title track, a flat-out terrible song and the worst the group has ever recorded. "Survivor" is painfully labored, stuttering over a halting melody that Beyoncé Knowles breathlessly pushes to absolutely nowhere, working it so hard that it's difficult to listen. Unfortunately, that pattern repeats itself way too often on Survivor, as the group undercuts its seductive mainstream R&B with repellent pandering and naked ambition. This isn't even the case where you can rely on the label and its cohorts to find the best tunes for the radio, since the moments where Destiny's Child sound the best are when the group is not vying for airplay. When the group swings for the bleachers, Beyoncé oversells the song, rivaling Christina Aguilera in the diva sweepstakes. There are moments where the group makes it work, but this is a truly uneven record, bouncing between appealing mid-tempo soul numbers and hard-sell feminist anthems, where the ambition of Beyoncé and her cohorts is too naked. You can hear them work on "Nasty Girl," as they appropriate the theme from Salt-N-Pepa's "Push It," then inexplicably borrowing "Tarzan Boy" for the chorus. You can hear them trying to take Andy Gibb's "Emotion" slow, attempting to give it emotional resonance, yet such heartfelt overtures are toppled by the arrogant "Gospel Medley," where their secular pyrotechnics sound mannered, not inspired. Each of these are intended to give Destiny's Child a different level of depth — a pan-cultural, knowing appropriation of pop's past, balanced by a chart-savvy cover of a pop classic, plus a showy display of prowess. Each of these steps are calculated, as is the album itself. It's a record that tries to be a bold statement of purpose, but winds up feeling forced and artificial.

 

 

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8 Days of Christmas (Oct 23, 2001)

2.5 Stars

 

Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine

 

Destiny's Child's holiday album, 8 Days of Christmas, is pretty much what you'd expect — divided equally between strained hip-hop-soul and smooth adult contemporary pop directly targeted at a crossover paradise. Since holiday albums have to have a hook, or at least one novelty to draw in an audience, there's the title track that recasts "12 Days of Christmas" as a modern, commercialistic, sub-hip-hop rant. Things get better than that, as the tailor-made "Winter Paradise" works much better, as does "A 'DC' Christmas Medley," which may be a little formulaic, but appealing. Then, there's a huge stretch that features the individual members of Destiny's Child singing a carol apiece (plus "Little Drummer Boy," which features Solange, who isn't in the group) — good way of prepping for the inevitable solo careers, I suppose. Then, the album pretty much runs out with ballads and songs that emphasize some of the more irritating aspects of Destiny's Child (the skittering verses of "Spread a Little Love on Christmas Day," for instance, complete with its chorus of "I got your back on Christmas Day"), as well as their crossover attempts, including a version of "Opera of the Bells." So, yes, this is uneven, as much as any holiday album is uneven, and even if it lacks anything distinctive, it's still Destiny enough to please many hardcore fans. Ultimately, it doesn't really feel all that distinctive one way or another, which may be worse than being really bad or really great.

 

 

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Destiny Fulfilled (Nov 15, 2004)

2.5 Stars

 

Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine

 

Destiny's Child have never quite seemed like a true group, possibly because Beyoncé Knowles always took the spotlight in the group's hits and videos. When the group went their separate ways in the wake of the blockbuster success of 2001's Survivor, it was easy to assume that the split was permanent, a suspicion that only grew when Beyoncé became a superstar with her 2003 solo debut, Dangerously in Love. As it turns out, she was reluctant to leave the group behind — an attachment that might have been telegraphed by the fact that her solo album shared a title with a song from Survivor — because she reunited with Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams for 2004's Destiny Fulfilled. To put it mildly, this is not quite like Diana Ross returning to the Supremes, nor is it like a New Edition reunion; it is not the reunion of a supergroup, nor is it a case of the sum being greater than the parts. This is a retreat to Destiny's Child's comfortable status quo, where Kelly and Michelle take a backseat, both intentionally and not, to the undeniable star that is Beyoncé. She can seduce and shout, she can sound strong and sexy, and she steals every song on Destiny Fulfilled. Not that Kelly and Michelle are bad singers. They are sweet, classy vocalists, cooing their leads nicely and providing warm harmonies on the choruses, but they're overpowered by the powerhouse of Beyoncé, who sounds larger than life even when she's quiet. In other words, she still sounds poised to break out of the confines of the trio, and throughout the album it's hard not to wish that it were hers alone, because she would have delivered this fairly generic material with more personality. And the songs are what really keeps Destiny Fulfilled in second gear. After an invigorating opening salvo of two hard-driving dance cuts, "Lose My Breath" and "Soldier," the album slides into a series of nine slow-grooving tracks that eventually all blend together. Throughout it all, the harmonies sound good, and a few cuts stand out — "Is She the Reason" glides by on a sexy Melba Moore sample, the nimble "Free" wins points for being livelier than the rest — but as a whole, the album winds up sounding too reserved and heavy-handed, which makes it a disappointment not only compared to what the group has done before, but also to what the girls have achieved outside the group.

 

 

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This Is the Remix (Mar 12, 2002)

4 Stars

 

Review by William Ruhlmann

 

Striking while the iron is hot, Destiny's Child presents its third full-length release in less than a year, following Survivor (May 2001) and 8 Days of Christmas (October 2001). An album of remixes is a profit-taking exercise by definition, but one needs only to gaze back a few weeks from this disc's release to Jennifer Lopez's J to the L-O! The Remixes, which went straight in at number one, to see that the profits can be considerable. And in this case, they deserve to be. Destiny's Child ascended to superstar status in 1999-2000 behind a series of well-produced number one hits that gave them the opportunity to trumpet female self-assertion in a material world. In contrast to TLC, the more street-savvy girl group whose niche they usurped, they were a triumph of packaging over musical substance, an appropriate focus at a time when teen pop was ascendant. At first glance, This Is the Remix does not retreat from that stance; the singers appear on the cover applying makeup. And certainly the album is all about packaging — actually, repackaging. Typically, the word "remix" is far too modest to describe what such knob twiddlers as the Neptunes, Rockwilder, and Timbaland have undertaken. Retaining only the barest bones of the original recordings, if that, they have built wholly new musical tracks and brought in a bevy of guests, including Wyclef Jean, Da Brat, Jermaine Dupri, and Lil Bow Wow, and for the most part the results are all to the good. Fans may buy this album thinking of it as a de facto greatest-hits set, but if so they will be surprised to find that, for example, Rockwilder's take on "Bootylicious" sounds almost nothing like the version they heard on the radio. And these versions aren't only different; usually, they're better than the originals.

 

 

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#1's (Oct 25, 2005)

4.5 Stars

 

Review by Andy Kellman

 

An honest title for this disc would be Several #1's, a Bunch of Top Tens, and a Couple New Songs, but #1's obviously has a greater — if false — ring to it. #1's isn't formatted any differently than scores of other anthologies packaged in time for the holiday shopping season, but it's also timely in that it comes after four Destiny's Child albums, all of which produced a handful of hits and roughly twice as much filler. Few problems could be had with the track selection. Containing each of Destiny's Child's charting singles, with the exception of "Brown Eyes" and the inconsequential "8 Days of Christmas," the disc reaffirms that Destiny's Child released some of the biggest R&B singles of the late '90s and early 2000s. For instance, you didn't have to be a fan of R&B, or even music, to cross paths with the likes of "Survivor" — an overblown song with a form of success that had more to do with its mega-anthem quality and opportunistic title (the show of the same title was extremely popular at the time). As strategic as Destiny's Child were, they still have enough substance in their discography to place them as one of the best R&B groups of the '90s and early 2000s. Though they didn't follow the previous top female R&B group, TLC, with nearly as much brilliance or finesse, they've left behind several singles that will be remembered for something other than their mainstream success.

 

 

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Beyonce

 

Biography by MacKenzie Wilson

 

Born in Houston in the fall of 1981, Beyoncé Giselle Knowles started performing at age seven. From dance classes to singing in the church choir, Beyoncé was a natural. She and cousin Kelly Rowland met Latavia Roberson during this time, and the trio formed a group with Letoya Luckett. Mathew Knowles, Beyoncé's father and Rowland's legal guardian, signed on to be the girls' manager. This situation would ultimately lead to the formation of one of the most popular female R&B groups of all time — Destiny's Child.

 

Destiny's Child made its debut 1990 and within ten years, the vocal act had experienced personal and political highs and lows that fueled the group's desire to make it big. Destiny's Child sold 33 million albums worldwide by 2002 and earned a slew of Grammys and additional music awards. "Jumpin' Jumpin'," "Bills, Bills, Bills," "Say My Name," and "Survivor" were smash hits, and the group appeared unstoppable.

 

In 2001, Beyoncé, Rowland, and Michelle Williams allowed themselves a break from the singing group and tried their hands at individual solo careers. Before landing several movie roles, Beyoncé became the first African-American female artist and second woman ever to win the annual ASCAP Pop Songwriter of the Year Award. An appearance in the MTV drama Carmen: A Hip Hopera quickly followed, but it was her role as Foxxy Cleopatra in Austin Powers in Goldmember in 2002 that eventually moved Beyoncé from the stage to the screen.

 

Her first single, "Work It Out," coincided with the release of the Mike Myers comedy and cemented her celebrity status. A guest spot on Jay-Z's "'03 Bonnie & Clyde" was equally popular when it appeared in October. In 2003, she rejoined Jay-Z for her proper debut single, the funkadelic "Crazy in Love," as the press and fans christened her a bona fide star. Beyoncé's debut album, Dangerously in Love, which appeared in June 2003, featured collaborations with Sean Paul, Missy Elliott, and OutKast's Big Boi. The multi-platinum album spawned a total of four Top Ten singles. Nearly two years after another Destiny's Child album (Destiny Fulfilled), Beyoncé released her second album, B'day.

 

 

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Dangerously in Love (Jun 24, 2003)

4 Stars

 

Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine

 

Beyoncé Knowles was always presented as the star of Destiny's Child — which probably shouldn't be a big surprise since her father managed the group. So it was a natural step for her to step into the diva spotlight with a solo album in 2003, particularly since it followed on the heels of her co-starring role in Mike Myers' 2002 comedy hit, Austin Powers in Goldmember. Still, a singer takes a risk when going solo, as there's no guarantee that her/his star will still shine as bright when there's nobody to reflect upon. Plus, Survivor often sounded labored, as Knowles struggled to sound real. The Knowles clan — Beyoncé and her father Mathew, that is (regrettably, Harry Knowles of Ain't It Cool is no relation) — were apparently aware of these two pitfalls since they pull off a nifty trick of making her debut album, Dangerously in Love, appeal to a broad audience while making it sound relatively easy. Sometimes that ease can translate into carelessness (at least with regard to the final stretch of the album), with a prolonged sequence of ballads that get stuck in their own treacle, capped off by the unbearably mawkish closer, "Gift from Virgo," where she wishes her unborn child and her husband to be like her daddy. (Mind you, she's not pregnant or married, she's just planning ahead, although she gets tripped up in her wishes since there's "no one else like my daddy.") Although these are a little formless — and perhaps would have been more digestible if spread throughout the record — they are impeccably produced and showcase Knowles' new relaxed and smooth delivery, which is a most welcome development after the overworked Survivor. Knowles doesn't save this voice just for the ballads — she sounds assured and sexy on the dance numbers, particularly when she has a male counterpart, as on the deliriously catchy "Crazy in Love" with her man Jay-Z or on "Baby Boy" with 2003's dancehall superstar, Sean Paul. These are the moments when Dangerously in Love not only works, but sounds like Knowles has fulfilled her potential and risen to the top of the pack of contemporary R&B divas. It's just too bad that momentum is not sustained throughout the rest of the record. About halfway through, around the astrological ode "Signs" with Missy Elliott, it starts crawling through its ballads and, while listenable, it's not as exciting as the first part of the record. Still, the first half is good enough to make Dangerously in Love one of the best mainstream urban R&B records released in 2003, and makes a strong case that Knowles might be better off fulfilling this destiny instead of reuniting with Destiny.

 

 

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B'day (Sep 5, 2006)

4 Stars

 

Review by Andy Kellman

 

At least one tactic or event preceding the release of Beyoncé's second solo album inspired a bemused three-syllable exclamation from anyone who was paying attention. The lead single, the late-'70s-funk-inspired "Deja Vu," had the audacity to not be as monstrous as "Crazy in Love" — its stay at the top of the charts was relatively brief, so clearly there was evidence of some drop-off there. This was quickly followed by "Ring the Alarm," an angered, atonal, and out-of-character song with an accompanying video that invited all kinds of perplexed analysis, along with debate on whether Beyoncé was being autobiographical or, as the singer claimed, channeling her Dreamgirls character. All of this gave the haters plenty of ammo when anything less than 100% polite, ladylike, and expected was bound to do the trick. Add to this an album title that can be pronounced just like "bidet," along with the advertisement that the album's ten songs were whipped up in two weeks, and you have yourself a career-killing train wreck. B'day isn't even close to that. While Beyoncé does sound like she's in a bit of a hurry throughout the album, and there are no songs with the smooth elegance of "Me, Myself and I" or "Be with You," it is lean in a beneficial way, propelled by just as many highlights as the overlong Dangerously in Love. Two collaborations with Rich Harrison swagger and preen: "Been locked up in the house way too long/It's time to get it, 'cause once again he's out doing wrong" (the blaring/marching "Freakum Dress"); "Don't give me no lip, let mama do it all" (the spectacularly layered "Suga Mama"). The Neptunes assist on "Green Light," an ambitious, fleet-footed number that continually switches tempos and sounds, as well as "Kitty Kat," a deceptively sweet, rainbow-colored track — where what sounds like purrs are more like claws-out dismissals — that could've been pulled from one of the first three Kelis albums. And even with an entirely bonkers line like "I can do for you what Marvin did for the people," "Upgrade U" is the most potent track on the album, a low-slung Cameron Wallace production where Beyoncé wears and buys the pants while making her proposition sound more like empowerment than emasculation. If the circus surrounding this whole thing — which could take up to ten pages to document — was an elaborate ploy to transform Beyoncé into an underdog, there really is some kind of genius at play, but it's extremely unlikely that anyone in her camp could've predicted that the expectations and reactions would be less rational than any of Beyoncé's decisions and actions. There is nothing desperate or weak about this album.

 

 

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Kelly Rowlands

 

Biography by MacKenzie Wilson

 

Kelly Rowland rose to fame with the success of Destiny's Child during the late '90s. During that time, Destiny's Child catapulted into the new millennium as one of the best-selling female musical groups in history. Rowland, who was barely in her twenties, had been imagining such stardom for a long time. Born and raised in Atlanta, GA, Rowland began singing as soon as she heard the vocal beauty of Whitney Houston. She was only four at the time, but Houston's 1985 self-titled debut was enough to motivate the little girl. Performances with the church choir followed, but Rowland's developing interest in music blossomed when she and her family moved to Houston, TX. She befriended another inspiring singer, Beyoncé Knowles, and the two became fast friends. In the mid-'90s, the two girls formed Destiny's Child. Destiny's Child made an impressive debut in 1997 with first single "No No No"; their self-titled full-length followed the next winter and went platinum before the year's end. Two more albums followed — The Writing's on the Wall (1999) and Survivor (2001) — earning Destiny's Child countless fans across the globe as well as millions of records sold. Upon the success of Survivor, Rowland followed her bandmates in taking some time off. During that time, Rowland began writing material for her first solo album. In 2002, Rowland's stylish R&B solo debut, Simply Deep, was released on Columbia. "Dilemma," the album's first single, featured a duet with Southern rapper Nelly. It had a two-month stay at number one during fall 2002.

 

 

 

 

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Simply Deep (Oct 22, 2002)

3 Stars

 

No Review :(

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Michelle Williams

 

Biography by William Ruhlmann

Michelle Williams began singing in her church choir, performing her first solo on "Blessed Assurance" at the age of seven at the St. Paul Church of God in Christ in her hometown of Rockford, IL. As she grew up, she sang with the gospel groups United Harmony and Chosen Expression, but doubted she would be able to make a career as a singer and attended two years of college. In May 1999, however, she passed an audition to become a backup singer for Monica and toured with her through October. Then in January 2000, she was invited to join Destiny's Child. Becoming a member of the rapidly emerging superstar group, she was first heard on their number one single "Independent Women Part I" and went on to participate in their massively successful 2001 album Survivor, the holiday release 8 Days of Christmas, and the remix album This Is the Remix. In April 2002, she became the first member of Destiny's Child to issue a solo album, the gospel collection Heart to Yours.

 

 

 

 

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Heart to Yours (Apr 16, 2002)

4 Stars

 

Review by William Ruhlmann

 

Since Destiny's Child's commercial breakthrough, there has been heavy speculation about solo careers emerging from the group, most of it focusing on lead singer Beyoncé Knowles. It turns out, however, that the first solo album comes from the newest member, Michelle Williams. The caveat is that Heart to Yours is a gospel record, not a straight pop release that might compete with the group. For at least part of the time, however, the casual listener can be forgiven for not realizing that. Early on, Williams soft-pedals the religious message in lyrics that can be seen to be directed toward God when you read them on the page, but that come across less clearly when you listen to the songs. This album is not a hastily prepared side project by any means; there are different producers on nearly every track, and the arrangements for the most part are state-of-the-art urban contemporary efforts. On her own, Williams proves to have a warm, kittenish voice. All of this changes as the album goes on. You have to get about eight cuts in, but by the time Williams is trading lines with Isaac Carree and Lowell Pye of Men of Standard on "HR" Crump's "You Care for Me," the style has become much more traditional gospel; the lyrics leave no doubt that the entity addressed is "Wonderful counselor/Mighty God," and Williams has transformed herself from kitten to tiger, belting out the words with absolute conviction. It serves as a good run-up to the album's high point, "Steal Away to Jesus," a duet with Shirley Caesar in which Williams is swamped, perhaps inevitably, despite her best efforts. Still, she has proved that she has potential as a gospel singer, even if it takes a while to find out.

 

 

 

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Do You Know (Jan 27, 2004)

3 Stars

 

No Review :(