In her twenty-year career, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter has become one of the most successful female musicians in the world. The 24-time Grammy Award-winning singer, who seldom makes public appearances, said in a commencement address for the class of 2020 that the secret to her success was simply putting in the work.
Queen Bey, as her fans call her, earned her $500 million net worth through music, fashion, film, and endorsements, according to Celebrity Net Worth.
Her music career started before she was even 10-years-old. She became the lead singer of a girl group called “Girls Tyme” which was later renamed Destiny’s Child after signing to Columbia Records in 1997. The award-winning group released four successful studio albums before pursuing solo careers.
As a solo artist, Beyoncé has sold $13 million worth of albums and made $26 million in digital sales, according to Evening Standard. In addition to that, her musical discography is decorated with accolades and accomplishments. Earlier this year, Forbes reported that she had surpassed Lady Gaga’s record of most No. 1 Billboard Digital Song sales with nine credits on the chart including her latest single, “Black Parade.”
Over the years, Beyoncé has become known for producing phenomenal visuals for her live performances and video productions. In 2018, when she became the first Black woman to headline Coachella, it’s rumored that she made anywhere between $8 million and $12 million for her nostalgic ode to HBCU culture, according to Billboard.
The R&B/pop singer has released six solo albums in addition to joint projects and tours with her husband Jay-Z. Her sold-out worldwide stadium tours average millions of dollars per concert.
Beyoncé has delivered documentaries to accompany the release of her last few albums — “Lemonade,” “Homecoming,” and “Black Is King”— she is no stranger to the film industry.
At the beginning of her solo career, the multi-faceted creative acted in several Hollywood films like “Austin Powers,” “The Fighting Temptations,” “Dream Girls,” and as of late, “Lion King.” In 2013, she also produced an autobiographical film called “Life is But a Dream” and gave the world a glimpse into her personal life as a working wife and mother.
In the past two years, she released back-to-back documentaries as a part of a $60 million three-project deal, according to Variety.
Although the pandemic forced everyone to slow down, Beyoncé — being the powerhouse and strategic businesswoman that she is — leaned into her fashion endeavors. She released her athleisure line, Ivy Park, in 2016 and partnered with adidas last year. This fall, she released her second line with the sportswear brand called “Ivy Park x Drip 2” and it sold out almost immediately.
While this is far from the last word that we will hear from Beyoncé, in an interview with British Vogue, the singer, wife, businesswoman, and mother of three announced that she’ll be slowing down.
