Destiny's Child 'Fulfilled'
After three years apart, achieving individual success in movies, on Broadway and with solo albums, the three women of Destiny's Child have reunited with a brand new album, and an upcoming world tour.
The Grammy-winning trio has sold more than 40 million records worldwide, making them the world's best-selling female pop vocal group of all time. And solo recordings by Beyoncé Knowles, Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams now bring that total to over 50 million.
Their latest CD, "Destiny Fulfilled" was executive produced and co-written by all three.
On Wednesday's The Early Show, they sang one of the hot new singles off their new CD called, "Soldier" and invited co-anchor Rene Syler to join them in the fun by teaching her a few moves.
"It is wonderful to be back together from the studio process to the promotional process," Rowland says, adding "even though it's crazy."
They are going on on tour next year in the spring, starting in Europe reaching the U.S. in July through September, she explains. "We're excited to be back together."
The rumor was that they were going their separate ways and never record again. Not so.
"That was never in the plans," Williams says. "The plan was three years ago that we would come back somewhere in 2004. I believe we said the fall and I think we're on time. So we're just happy, to have completed the project. We have a lot of fun doing the project. We did it in three weeks."
Knowles acted as key producer on each of the album's tracks. She was responsible for the overall sound of the album.
Laughing, Williams points out, "The first three days, we were just yepping and yepping away. But that's how we came up with the concepts of the songs was through our discussion."
Some of the hottest producers in the business offered musical support, among them: Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins, Rich Harrison, Andre Harris & Vidal Davis, 9th Wonder, Bryan Michael Cox, Kendrick Dean, Rockwilder, Mario Winans, and Erron Williams.
The songs on "Destiny Fulfilled" are: "Lose My Breath," "Soldier" (featuring T.I. and Lil Wayne), "Cater 2 U," "T-Shirt," "Is She The Reason," "Girl," "Bad Habit," "If," "Free," "Through With Love," and "Love."
The last time Knowles, Rowland and Williams were together, they were teenagers. Now they are young women who share their life experiences and emotional development in the story line of "Destiny Fulfilled."
The album tells the story of a young woman falling in love and the ups and downs of love.
Knowles explains, "It's so wonderful because it's written like a musical and each song goes right into the next. It starts off with 'Lose My Breath.' The guy can't keep up, so we tell him we need a soldier, which is the second song on the album; and then, the story continues; and in the end you have to find love within yourself and God blesses you with the true love that you need."
Love is something that Rowland has found. She is engaged to be married to Dallas Cowboys' Roy Williams in March of 2005. "He is a phenomenal man," she says and at Syler's request shows off her engagement ring.
In October 2002, Rowland's solo debut, "Simply Deep" featured the No.1 Billboard Hot 100 smash hit, "Dilemma," a Grammy-winning (Best Rap/Sung Collaboration) duet with hip-hop superstar Nelly. The album became an international smash, hitting the No.1 slot on the U.K. and several other countries' album charts while peaking in the U.S. at No.3 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Album chart.
Williams' gospel album, "Do You Know," will be re-released in December of this year.
Williams became the first member of Destiny's Child to have a solo project released. "Heart To Yours," a contemporary gospel collection that reached No.1 on the Top Gospel Albums chart. Her second gospel album, "Do You Know" reached the No. 2 slot on the Top Christian Album chart and No. 3 on the Top Gospel Albums chart shortly after its release in January 2004.
Williams also earned rave reviews after replacing Toni Braxton in the lead role of "Aida" on Broadway in November 2003. "That was a blessing," Williams says.
And Knowles, who won five Grammies, will be seen next spring in a prequel to "The Pink Panther," starring Steve Martin as Inspector Clouseau and Knowles as Xania.
"I had a great time," Knowles says of the movie. "I shot it in Paris and saw him in New York and it's my third film. I'm excited about it. I think we all wanted to do more acting."
Knowles career as an actress began in 2001 with the lead role in the MTV film "Carmen: A Hip Hopera." She then displayed her comedic prowess as "Foxxy Cleopatra" in 2002's "Austin Powers In Goldmember," starring Mike Myers. And she starred opposite Cuba Gooding, Jr., in 2003's "The Fighting Temptations."
The three are ambassadors for World Children's Day for McDonalds, benefitting Ronald McDonald Houses.