Beyonce Turns 42: Photos Of The Singer Through The Years

By:

Elissa Anderson

August 31, 2023 12:01PM EDT

As Beyonce celebrates her 41st birthday on Sept. 4, look back at her transformation from young singer to worldwide superstar.

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Beyonce: Then & Now

Beyonce: Then & Now — Beyonce Knowles has gone through such a transformation since she first broke onto the scene with Destiny’s Child members Kelly Rowland, Michelle Williams, and Letoya Latavia. In the early 2000s, the girl group was taking the world by storm with their music on female resilience and power. After Letoya’s exit from the group, Destiny’s child went on to win two Grammy Awards for their hits “Survivor” and “Say My Name.” Once the group disbanded in 2006, Beyonce went on to pursue her own solo work.

The singer did have a stint in acting for a few years, appearing in films like ‘Dreamgirls,’ ‘Cadillac Records,’ and ‘Austin Powers in Goldmember.’ But by the late 2000s, Beyonce’s focus was on her music with albums like ‘B’Day,’ ‘I Am…Sasha Fierce,’ and ‘4’ claiming top spots on the Billboard 100 and earning the singer critical acclaim and more Grammy Awards.

But in the early 2010s, Beyonce’s political side came out with her self-titled visual album. ‘Beyonce’ was an earnestly feminist work that was lauded by critics. Her follow-up, ‘Lemonade,’ earned even greater acclaim and saw Beyonce wholly embrace her platform to combat and commentate on social issues. Now, Beyonce is practically untouchable as an artist and icon. See her transformation over the years in this gallery!

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Beyonce with Destiny’s Child 1998

Beyonce with Destiny’s Child 1998 — Letoya Latavia, Kelly Rowland, and Beyonce Knowles of Destiny’s Child at the 4th Annual Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards in LA, 1998. The group wore coordinated outfits.

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Beyonce at the 1999 Kmel 106 All Star Summer Jam

Beyonce at the 1999 Kmel 106 All Star Summer Jam — Beyonce at the 1999 Kmel 106 All Star Summer Jam. She performed with Destiny’s Child and slayed, as always.

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Beyonce, Kelly Rowland, and Michelle Williams at the Nicole Miller fashion show

Beyonce, Kelly Rowland, and Michelle Williams at the Nicole Miller fashion show — Members of the R&B group Destiny’s Child, from left, Kelly Rowland, Beyonce Knowles, and Michelle Williams pose together after they attended the Nicole Miller fashion show in New York. The trio coordinated their looks for the event.

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Beyonce at the 2001 Golden Globe Awards

Beyonce at the 2001 Golden Globe Awards — Beyonce Knowles attends the 58th Annual Golden Globe Awards ceremony at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles. She wore a red gown with floral detailing and a dramatic slit up her thigh.

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Beyonce at the 54th Annual Directors Guild of America Awards

Beyonce at the 54th Annual Directors Guild of America Awards — Beyonce Knowles arriving to the after-party for a special screening of New Line Cinema’s “Austin Powers in Goldmember” at Barney’s New York in New York City on July 24, 2002. She wore a gorgeous gown with plunging back!

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Beyonce at Nelson Mandela’s 46664 Concert

Beyonce at Nelson Mandela’s 46664 Concert — Beyonce attends Nelson Mandela’s 46664 concert in Sout Africa on Nov. 27, 2003. She wore this timeless metallic gown.

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Beyonce at the 46TH Grammy Awards

Beyonce at the 46TH Grammy Awards — Beyonce Knowles attends the 46th Grammy Awards in Los Angeles on Feb. 8, 2004. She wore this beautiful gold gown with a dazzling statement necklace.

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Beyonce at the World Music Awards

Beyonce at the World Music Awards — Beyonce at the World Music Awards on August 31, 2005. She performed with Destiny’s Child.

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Beyonce in ‘Dreamgirls’

Beyonce in ‘Dreamgirls’ — Beyonce in the 2006 film ‘Dreamgirls.’ She starred alongside Oscar-winner Jennifer Hudson, Jamie Foxx, and Eddie Murphy.

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Beyonce at the ‘Movies Rock: A celebration of music in film’

Beyonce at the ‘Movies Rock: A celebration of music in film’ — Beyonce Knowles attends the ‘Movies Rock: A celebration of music in film’ at the Kodak Theatre on Dec. 2, 2007. She wore a gorgeous emerland green gown.

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Beyonce at the 2008 American Music Awards Show

Beyonce at the 2008 American Music Awards Show — Beyonce performs at the American Music Awards in Los Angeles in 2008. She wore this black and white bodysuit and got the crowd on their feet!

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Beyonce at the 2009 Academy Awards

Beyonce at the 2009 Academy Awards — Beyonce Knowles attends the 81st annual Academy Awards at the Kodak Theatre in 2009. She walked the red carpet in this gorgeous gown.

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Beyonce poses for ‘Put It In a Love Song’ Music Video Shoot

Beyonce poses for ‘Put It In a Love Song’ Music Video Shoot — Beyonce Knowles poses for the ‘Put It In a Love Song’ Music Video Shoot in Rio de Janeiro on Feb. 10, 2020. She filmed the video with Alicia Keys.

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Beyonce at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards

Beyonce at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards — Beyonce Knowles attends the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards on Aug. 28, 2011. She was pregnant with her first child, daughter Blue Ivy.

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Beyonce performs at the Super Bowl

Beyonce performs at the Super Bowl — Beyonce performs during the halftime show of the NFL Super Bowl XLVII football game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Baltimore Ravens in New Orleans. She was joined by Bruno Mars and Coldplay.

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Beyonce and Jay-Z at the 2014 Met Gala

Beyonce and Jay-Z at the 2014 Met Gala — Jay-Z and Beyonce attend The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating “Charles James: Beyond Fashion” in New York on May 5, 2014. Beyonce wore a stunning black gown with sheer detailing and a plunging neckline.

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Beyonce at the 2015 Met Gala

Beyonce at the 2015 Met Gala — Beyonce Knowles at the Costume Institute Gala Benefit celebrating China: Through the Looking Glass at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015. She looked absolutely picturesque in her detailed dress.

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Beyonce and Blue Ivy at the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards

Beyonce and Blue Ivy at the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards — Beyonce, right, and Blue Ivy arrive at the MTV Video Music Awards at Madison Square Garden in New York. The pair matched their gorgeous outfits together!

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Beyonce performs at the 59th Grammy Awards

Beyonce performs at the 59th Grammy Awards — Beyonce performs at the 59th annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles on Feb. 12, 2017. She performed while pregnant with her twins, Sir and Rumi.

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Beyonce at the City of Hope Gala

Beyonce at the City of Hope Gala — Beyonce Knowles performs at the City of Hope Gala on Oct. 11, 2018. She wore this Ralph & Russo ensemble and stunned the audience with her vocals.

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Beyonce at ‘The Lion King’ Premiere in London

Beyonce at ‘The Lion King’ Premiere in London — Beyonce poses for photographers upon her arrival at ‘The Lion King’ European premiere in central London on July 14, 2019. She met Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan Markle at the event.

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Beyonce at Super Bowl LIV

Beyonce at Super Bowl LIV — Beyonce Knowles watches on as the Kansas City Chiefs take on the San Francisco 49ers during Super Bowl LIV at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami on Feb. 2, 2020. Beyonce wore a pair of sungalsses and a green jacket during the game.

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Beyonce Modeling Her Ivy Park x Adidas Collection in 2020

Beyonce Modeling Her Ivy Park x Adidas Collection in 2020 — Beyonce gave fans a sneak peek at her new Ivy Park x Adidas collection on January 15, 2020. The singer teamed up with the sports giant on the unisex collaboration, which features gender-neutral footwear and apparel.

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Beyonce Rocks a Black & Yellow Adidas Jumpsuit in New York City

Beyonce Rocks a Black & Yellow Adidas Jumpsuit in New York City — Beyonce was spotted out in NYC on August 23 2020. She was on the east coast for an Adidas Photoshoot for her Ivy Park collection with the brand. The singer was inside a Manhattan studio for eight hours, before she emerged in a black and gold Tracksuit. She showed off her amazing curves while wearing a protective mask amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Beyonce in ‘Black Is King’

Beyonce in ‘Black Is King’ — Beyonce appears in her 2020 visual film Black is King. The movie was a visual companion to her album for the 2019 film ‘The Lion King.’

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Beyonce On the Beach

Beyonce On the Beach — Beyonce hits the beach in a scene for her ‘Black is King’ film. She looked stunning in a plunging, flowing gown.

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Beyonce at the 2021 Grammys

Beyonce at the 2021 Grammys — Beyonce acceps an award while wearing a black leather mini dress at the 2021 Grammys. She became the singer with the most Grammys of all time during the event.

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Beyonce at the 2022 Oscars

Beyonce at the 2022 Oscars — Beyonce poses in a gorgeous yellow dress at the 2022 Oscars. She opened the show with a performance of her song from ‘King Richard’ at the event

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Beyonce & Jay-Z in Paris

Beyonce & Jay-Z in Paris — Jay-Z and Beyonce attended the Louis Vuitton Spring/Summer 2024 fashion show during Paris Fashion Week on June 20, 2023 in Paris, France.

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