#Tenitra Michelle Williams

[callmebrycelee]

HAPPY 44TH BIRTHDAY, MICHELLE WILLIAMS!!!

[lboogie1906]

Tenitra Michelle Williams (July 23, 1979) is a singer, songwriter, and actress. She rose to fame in the 2000s as a member of the R&B girl group Destiny’s Child, one of the best-selling female groups of all time. She earned several accolades including a Grammy Award and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

She released her debut solo album Heart to Yours which topped the US gospel album chart and became the best-selling gospel release of the year. Billboard named her the fifth best-charting gospel artist of the year and she received a MOBO Award for “Best Gospel Act”. She released her second solo album Do You Know. After Destiny’s Child’s disbandment, she released her first pop album, Unexpected, which spawned the singles “We Break the Dawn” and the US Dance #1 “The Greatest”. Her fourth studio album, Journey to Freedom received positive reviews and became her highest-charting album in the US; it includes the singles “If We Had Your Eyes”, and “Say Yes” which topped the US Hot Gospel Songs chart for seven weeks and won the Stellar Award for Music Video of the Year.

She has found success as a television, Broadway, and West End theatre actress, gaining a nomination for “Best Lead Female – Equity” at the 18th Annual NAACP Theatre Awards. Making her acting debut on Broadway in Aida, she has since starred in the sitcom series Half & Half and the musical productions The Color Purple, Chicago, What My Husband Doesn’t Know, and Fela! She was a featured judge on Top Pop Group, a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing in the United Kingdom, and starred in Fix My Choir. She has appeared in both the American and British versions of The Masked Singer. She appeared on Never Mind the Buzzcocks. She began a 28-city tour starring in What My Husband Doesn’t Know.

She graduated from Rockford Auburn High School. She pursued a degree in criminal justice at Illinois State University. She left to pursue a music career, as a backing vocalist for other artists such as Monica. She met Destiny’s Child band members, Beyoncé Knowles and Kelly Rowland. A choreographer acquaintance of her who knew the group connected her. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence

[boricuacherry-blog]

Fun fact: Michelle Williams went by her middle name in Destiny's Child because she was told her first name, Tenitra, was too ethnic. Kelly Rowland also changed her name from Kelendria to Kelly. Beyoncé was allowed to keep her name in the group. Farrah's real name was Destiny.

[symphoniclove]

[andyouwilldeal]

Destiny’s Child x Michael Jackson 30th Anniversary (2001)

[montyburns56]

Michelle Williams

[xandernotharris]

Michelle Williams - Lucky Girl

Probably one the best cuts off of this incredibly underrated R&B album! Michelle needs more recognition!

[blvenight]

Michelle Williams

[montyburns56]

Tenitra Michelle Williams wearing leather opera gloves