Spanning the soulful gap between R&B's historic past, prolific present and platinum future, is DESTINY'S CHILD, the self-titled debut CD from Columbia Records phenomenal new female vocal quartet. A remarkable achievement by the talented Houston, Texas-based foursome -- Beyonce, Kelly, LaTavia, and LeToya -- the album reflects a melodic mosaic of youthful exuberance and mature romantic awakenings.
Case in point: the downright delicious lead single "No No No," which elicits a resounding YES! for its scintillating lyrics, potent harmony and luscious leads courtesy of Beyonce. Produced by Vincent Herbert and Rob Fusari (3 Boyz From Newark Entertainment), "No No No" is guaranteed to get your best satin & soul groove moving. As an added bonus, DESTINYS CHILD features another version of "No No No" produced by the Fugees' Wyclef jean, who also appears on the track.
The four voices of Destiny's Child cohesively embrace the senses, often touching the very heart of timeless soul. In addition to "No No No," other outstanding future hits include: "Illusion" -- a dazzling interpretation of the Imaginations' classic "Just An Illusion" -- produced by Wyclef Jean and featuring Wyclef and Pras; "With Me, Part l," produced by and featuring So So Def hit-machine Jermaine Dupri and "With Me, Part 2," produced by and featuring Master P.; "My Time Has Come," a spiritually uplifting anthem produced by Sylvia
Bennett Smith and sung with tour-de-force D.C. conviction; "Tell Me," a Tim & Bob (Boyz 11 Men) -produced gem; and "Second Nature," second to none in its pulsating, daringly delivered presentation as produced by Tony Toni Tone's Dwayne Wiggins, who also contributed the pop/R&B classic in the making "Bridges," " Killing Time" (also featured on Men In Black: The Album) and "Birthday," a sizzling sequel -- co-written by LaTavia, Kelly, and Beyonci -- to the Tony Times Three's classic R&B ballad 'Anniversary.' The album also includes "Sail On," a remake of the Commodores' classic produced by Corey Rooney.
An uplifting labor of love, cleclication and hard work, the group's debut album has been the shared dream of Destiny's Child for roughly eight years. We're young but we're surely not new to the game," says Beyonce (rhymes with fiance) -- a stunning, honey-complexioned beauty with a big powerful lead voice. "Yes," adds pretty Kelly, also an outstanding lead singer, "we've been singing together for so long and know each other's voices so well, we just naturally bring out the best in each other when we're in the studio or on stage. Personally, we're closer than most real sisters."
Managed by Music World Management's Mathew Knowles, who's predominately responsible for putting them on the fast track to stardom, the down-to-earth members of Destiny's Child have come a long way since forming the group in their pre-teens. "Our music has changed since the early days, when I was the group's rapper," reports the sassy LaTavia. She and Beyonci have been with the group since its 1990 inception. Kelly joined the group in 1992 and LeToya completed the line-up in 1993.
Although they were merely nine and ten years-old at the time, amazing things began happening for Destiny's Child once the line-up was in-place. Among them was the fledging foursome's 1992 appearance on "Star Search.' "We were kind of nervous about it," LaTavia remembers. "They made us to do a rap song, although we wanted to sing. They even made a new hip-hop category for us. Looking back on it now though, it was a learning experience we'll never forget."
As the group progressed, voices were honed and stage presence and style were developed, leading up to the consummate, very feminine, tastefully sensual image they project today. Back then, as they do now, Destiny's Child displayed amazing talent that was advanced far beyond their still tender years. They often performed for young as well as older audiences in and around Houston, amassing a large, cross-generation fan base in the process. However, things didn't always run smooth. Indeed, working their way to the top has had its set-backs. "We had some major disappointments,' Kelly admits, "but they only made us stronger and more determined than ever to make it. Plus we all believe in God, and know that He's always been on our side."
One of Houston's hottest home town attractions, Destiny's Child eventually found themselves sharing stages with some of the biggest acts in the business. Kelly confirms: "When they came to Houston to perform, we opened for people like Immature, Dru Hill, Das EFX, and SWV, who gave us nothing but love, hope and encouragement.'
It was just about a year ago that Destiny's Child signed with Columbia Records. 'That was our turning point and we all knew it," Beyonce says. "So when it was time to make our album, we never looked back. We were so glad to finally have the opportunity that all of the problems of the past seemed to disappear."
Destiny's Child encompasses four distinct voices seamlessly blending to make the whole seem greater than its extremely gifted individual parts. Kelly's vocal diversity and broad range serves best on the up-tempo front, although she can throw down with the best of them on ballads. LaTavia holds down the bottom, with her rich, deep sassy tones. LeToya's crystal shattering soprano is awesome and soars over several tracks. And Beyonce, who sings most of the leads, owns one of her gencration's strongest, most distinctively memorable voices, which by all accounts is saturated in silk, satin and serious soul.
It's obvious that DESTINYS CHILD is a well-crafted collaborative effort, with an inspired, totally committed group at its passionate center. Already being compared to classic groups like the Supremes and the Emotions, from this point on, beginning with the chart ascension of "No No No," the success forecast for Destiny's Child is undeniably "Yes, Yes, YES!
Everything grows bigger and better in Texas, so they say, and if Destiny's Child is anything to go by, the saying rings true. Rarely have beauty, brains and talent been served up in such generous helpings as with the Houston-based foursome. It's all on display on their stunning new sophomore album The Writing's On The Wall, which in addition to their own writing and production input, features contributions from some of the music industry's most-noted movers and shakers.
"We're not Boyz II Men, but this represents us progressing from girls to young women," says the striking caramel-complexioned Beyoncé, who along with her fellow group members -- Kelly, LaTavia and LeToya -- share an average age of 18. "Although we're still young," she adds, "we've seen quite a lot in the last year or so. We've traveled and matured personally so we wanted to reflect that in our music.
"We wanted the whole album to be a concept and into that concept we wanted to work in great songs with a new sound," says the statuesque Kelly.
The concept - that of relationships - takes on a different slant lyrically to many other albums that attempt to traverse the same terrain, veering away from just romance (although there is plenty of that) but also discussing the full gamut of personal relationships. "It's about the realness of life, the gray areas," emphasizes sassy LaTavia. "It's a story that takes you on a journey."
"We called the album The Writing's On The Wall because this album really spells out what will happen in a relationship if people treat each other a certain way," explains Beyoncé. "It really shows what's really going on."
Indeed, the album's first single, "Bills, Bills, Bills," is a riotously funky, tongue-in-cheek, poke-in-the ribs at boyfriends who start off as a knights-in-shining armor only to let the act drop exposing them for the scrubs they are. Destiny's Child is aware that the song's mature subject matter could well result in raised eyebrows considering their tender years.
"People might say, 'y'all are all gold-diggers' when they hear 'Bills, Bills, Bills,'" says the baby-faced LeToya in her honey-thick southern tones, "but it's totally different. This song is about a relationship where the guy starts out really nice, caring and considerate but three or four months down the line he starts slacking, borrowing your car and when he gives it back to you, the tank is on empty. He'll use your cell-phone and run it up, he'll buy you gifts with your own money."
"But we want to make one thing clear" interjects LaTavia. "It's not a man-hating song. In fact, we know probably more women do it than men. We wrote about it because I myself have been through something similar and I have a lot of older friends who are going through the exact same thing."
The single, along with other killer uptempo joints such as "So Good" and "Bug A Boo," was co-written and produced by hot newcomer Kevin "She'kspere" Briggs, best-known so far for masterminding TLC's "No Scrubs." He was the first name called to the table and musically and thematically set the wheels in motion for The Writing's On The Wall.
"Before we went in the studio we told the record company that we wanted to have a new producer with a brand new sound," explains Kelly, who shares lead vocal chores with Beyoncé. "That was a blessing because it really sets us apart from everyone else."
Working closely with She'kspere in their native Houston allowed the album to develop its often playful, informal feel. It was a foundation that other high flying producers -- such as Rodney Jerkins (the innovative "Say My Name"), Missy (the cheeky, "Confessing"), Daryl Simmons (lush, melancholy "Stay"), Chad Elliot (the smooth "If You Leave Her, featuring the hot male R&B trio Next), and Tony Toni Toné's Dwayne Wiggins (sultry "Temptation") -- were able to build upon admirably, helping craft together a collection of songs overflowing with both upbeat, youthful exuberance and endearing feminine sensitivity and vulnerability.
Destiny's Child's incredibly tight vocal blend, which belies their young age, begins to make sense when you discover that the four best friends have been together as a group for more than half their lives. Under the guidance of Music World Management's Mathew Knowles, also the album's executive producer, they began to attract a loyal local following performing throughout the Houston area to audiences spanning the generation gap, opening for a who's who of R&B and hip-hop acts such as Immature, Dru Hill, Das EFX and SWV prior to landing their own deal with Columbia Records.
The phenomenal success of their debut single, the irrepressible "No, No, No" (remixed by Wyclef Jean), kick-started a storybook, whirlwind year of international travel, plush hotels and sold-out concerts. That's not to say it all was glamour and glitz, however. In the U.S., the four teens toured extensively as the opening act for Boyz II Men. In Europe, they are considered superstars of the highest order thanks to the Timbaland-produced hit "Get On The Bus" from the "Why Do Fools Fall In Love?" soundtrack. They also headlined to sold-out arenas, managing to cram in an amazing 18 shows in 17 grueling days on their last European visit.
In addition to recording their new album, the group also recently worked with superstar R. Kelly on the song "Stimulate Me" from the "Life" soundtrack and made their acting debut on Warner Bros.' "Smart Guy" TV show. The episode featuring the group garnered one of the sitcom's highest ratings. Although close friend Wyclef Jean didn't contribute musically to The Writing's On The Wall, he did play an integral part in the album's concept.
"When we told Wyclef the album title he mentioned the Bible when the Ten Commandments were written on a wall for Moses. He suggested we try to tie that idea in with the album so that's how we came up with Destiny's Child's commandments of relationships which precede each song."
It's commonplace to compare young female R&B groups to past superstars like The Supremes, The Emotions and even En Vogue. However, as bona fide mega stardom awaits them, Destiny's Child, with their cutting edge fusion of hip-hop, soul, sass and sweetness, look to blaze a trail all of their own to the top. As Beyoncé says, "Most people don't realize that we really have dedicated our lives to this. Some people in Houston used to say we were crazy trying to get a record deal because no one's ever really done it from there before. But we are proof that whatever you put your mind to you can achieve. This is just the start for us, believe me." We do. We do.
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