Beyoncé Giselle Knowles ( born September 4, 1981), often known simply as Beyoncé, is an American R&Brecording artist, actress and fashion designer. Born 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 rose to fame in the late 1990s as the lead singer of the R&B girl groupDestiny's Child, one of the world's best-selling girl groups of all time.