Soul Survivors: The Official Autobiography of Destiny's Child (Hardcover)

~ Beyoncé Knowles (Author), Kelly Rowland (Author), Michelle Williams (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

It must be a part of human nature to love drama. We never would have sold as many records -- and we never would have been this popular -- if our member changes did not happen. Up until that point, we were squeaky-clean nice girls who couldn't get on the cover of any magazines. --Beyoncé Knowles

They're beautiful, they're talented, they're bootylicious . . .

From first kisses and broken hearts to pillow fights and legal battles to losing friends and finding strength in God, Beyoncé Knowles, Kelly Rowland, and Michelle Williams share it all. Their example of survival has made Destiny's Child one of the most beloved, bestselling female groups ever.

Here for the first time, the three share the struggles that have made them stronger, from Beyoncé's battles with weight loss and shyness, Kelly's coming to terms with growing up without a dad, and Michelle's triumph over grade-school bullies. They've grown up under the media microscope, and have had to deal with lineup changes and media rumors. Now they set the record straight.

The demands and drama, the schedules and scrutiny -- from the tour bus to the dressing rooms to backstage at awards shows, Beyoncé, Kelly, and Michelle talk about what it takes to be successful. Whether it's changing outfits in the rain, changing their hair color, or changing a name, they've done it.

Don't be mistaken, they're not a prefab group of young girls -- they're smart, independent women with a lot of soul. When these ladies had only minutes of studio time to work with Wyclef Jean to remix one of their songs, they didn't stress, they just started singing faster -- and the result was a unique sound that put them on the map. Everyone has caught on to the Destiny's Child groove -- Whitney Houston, Bono, and Michael Jackson have all given them props, and the King of Pop himself serenaded them with a rendition of “Bootylicious.”

Beyoncé, Kelly, and Michelle take you behind the scenes of a video rehearsal at which Aaliyah rewound their practice music, to the set of Austin Powers 3, where a starstruck Beyoncé felt anything but foxy before auditioning for the part of Foxxy Cleopatra, and backstage at the Grammys, where a last-minute costume change fiasco nearly kept Michelle from going onstage.

With total honesty, these soul survivors not only dish the details of their past, but share their hopes, plans, and dreams for the future.

About the Author

Beyoncé Knowles and Kelly Rowland grew up singing together in Houston, Texas. With the help of Mathew Knowles, Beyoncé's father and the group's manager, they went on to form Destiny's Child. A few years and three group members later, Michelle Williams joined them, and since then the three have been more successful than ever. Kelly and Beyoncé live together in Houston, and Michelle lives outside of Chicago.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: HarperEntertainment; 1st edition (April 16, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060094176
• ISBN-13: 978-0060094171
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #686,578 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What rolemodels, April 28, 2002

By	Lyndi (Indianapolis, IN United States) - See all my reviews

I loved the last album and was using the song "Survivor" as an inspiration every morning while overcoming a personal tragedy. I really wanted to know more about these young women. I am a bit older than the average fan but believe wisdom comes at any age and these girls are overflowing with it.

I loved the personal stories as well as the inspirational advice each one gave.

Bionce I just love. The girl has it down. She is confident and knows the importance of self-love and respect as well as compassion and credit to those who helped her. Her songs have helped me so much. As a true songwriter she knows the importance of taking what you have learned and the feelings you feel and putting that into music. What she didn't realize is how much it would help the rest of us.

Kelly is adorable. SHe is so thankful and charming and you can tell her heart is in the right place. She is special and the Knowles family could see it. Her story is an amazing one.

Michelle is such a lady. Buy her new CD it is wonderful. SHe has me hooked on reading the Bible which is something I never thought I would do. This group is complete with her.

The Knowles family are not another Hollywood family. They watch over their girls, taught them well and it shows.

I hope this book inspires others like it inspired me.

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Juvenile drama &hypocrisy., May 30, 2002

By	k love (Detroit) - See all my reviews

I used to be a fan of Destiny's Child. I have all of their CDs, but these girls have some issues. I attempted to read the book with an open mind, but my current opinion of them resurfaced. I think these girls are truly talented, but do make them the best girls group since The Supremes (I think that goes to TLC). This book did nothing for me, but it did confirm that Beyonce is stuck on herself and determined to be center of attention. Kelly and Michelle say they are so grateful for Beyonce. Kelly seems to praise her like she was God. I understand these girls love one another like sisters, but Beyonce did not show the same appreciation for them. She considers Michelle to be angel brought to the group & Kelly like a sister. In the dedications, Kelly mentioned only Matthew & Tina Knowles, not her own mother and brother. The book didn't tell much people didn't already know. How many times can they tell their story (Intimate of the Lifetime Network, Revealed on E!, Oprah, BET, MTV)?

I will agree with Beyonce talking about how society loves drama. I'm glad she acknowledged that the "drama" they went through put them on the popular charts. It seems to me that they are very loving people providing you follow their lead. The minute someone steps off their game plan, they are booted. I know she been credited for writing most of the songs on the "Survivor" CD, but I'm not so sure if she deserves that much credit. I recently read a magazine where an artist said he wrote a song for DC3, but it was shelved. Allegedly, Matthew wanted Rodney Jerkins to give credit to Beyonce for writing it.

The song "Survivor" itself is hypocritical. They say they are not going to talk about the former members in the song. The only inspirational part of the song is the chorus, but back to the book. This book was put together like it was written for 12 year olds. The only positive thing I can say is that it is good to see 3 young black women achieving their dreams, but did it really take severing a 10 friendship to do it? If you are a huge fan of DC3, you will enjoy it. If you look to this biography to change your doubts about them, do not buy. I cannot wait for LaToya & LaTavia's new group, Anjgel, to come out.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars It is a very good book, just not enough dirty secrets., August 12, 2002

By	"playamike" (Nashville, TN USA) - See all my reviews

I felt they touched on some things but didn't go deep enough. I wanted to read about their personal ... lives; the things that we REALLY wanted to know about. What about all these guys Beyonce have been romantically linked to such as Kobe Bryant, Jay-Z, Eminem, Mos Def, just to name a few. And what about that rumor about Beyonce being pregnant and having an abortion last year and who got her pregnant? What about ex-member Farrah Franklin saying in a magazine that Michelle is really miserable and unhappy being in that group but tolerates it for the fame and fortune and because she wont like herself if she is not in Destiny's Child. She also said the only reason Kelly gets treated half way decent is because she is a realtive. Also, when disucssing the drama with ex-members Toya and Tavia they never made themselves look like the bad guys in any situation. Beyonce mentions her parents brief separation but didn't really go into detail about what led to it. They call themselves survivors but that is a strong word to use to describe these young, rich and famous glamour girls that have survived nothing worse than than acne, weight gain(Beyonce), bullies (Michelle), losing friends (group members), dead beat dad (Kelly), criticism, and jealousy; it hardly qualifies you as a SURVIVOR. No one in the group has suffered any kind of real abuse, life threatening illneses, immediate family deaths, being homeless or hungry, trying to make a comeback after a failed career. Those are things TRUE suvivors go through. Don't be fooled, these girls didn't have it too badly. Beyonce grew up in a two parent home with a dad that adores her, a mother who loves her and aint never had to go without anything even before the fame. Her parents dropped their lives to help her pursue her dreams which paid off for all of them. Either the title of the book is too heavy or maybe they held back on the real pain and heartache they have survived, who knows. My review was a little harsh but I really love these girls and wish them all the success in the world. I think Beyonce is has a lot of soul within herself and in her voice that has been hidden to gain pop appeal. I think she should sing more songs that have that deep soul feeling, more like Aretha or Patti. she has a beautiful soulful voice and can really sing. Kelly seems free sprited and care free, sort of like a wild but fun girl. Michelle seems like the sweet one who will go witht he flow to avoid drama. Yeah, these ladies make me proud.