Tuesday, June 14, 2005

Destiny's Farewell ...

DESTINY'S CHILD BID SURPRISE FAREWELL TO FANS AT BARCELONA CONCERT "Destiny Fulfilled…And Lovin' It" Tour To Mark Final Live Performances By Best-selling Female Pop Vocal Group Kelly, Beyoncé, & Michelle Thank Fans For Years Of Love & Support (dateline - New York - June 12, 2005; source: Sony Urban/Columbia Records) Destiny's Child, one of the top-selling female pop vocal groups of all time, made a surprise announcement , before a crowd of 16,000 fans, on-stage at the Palau St. Jordi in Barcelona, Spain on Saturday, June 11. Group member Kelly Rowland said that the group's current "Destiny Fulfilled…And Lovin' It" tour, presented by McDonalds, would be the last time they would perform together as Destiny's Child in Europe. Thanking their fans for years of love and support, Beyoncé Knowles, Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams announced that they would be retiring as Destiny's Child and moving forward to pursue personal goals and individual careers in music, theater, television and film. Statement from Destiny's Child: "As a group, we've been blessed with success and the greatest fans in the world. We have been working together as Destiny's Child since we were nine , and touring together since we were fourteen. After a lot of discussion and some deep soul searching, we realized that our current tour has given us the opportunity to leave Destiny's Child on a high note, united in our friendship and filled with an overwhelming gratitude for our music, our fans, and each other. After all these wonderful years working together, we realized that now is the time to pursue our personal goals and solo efforts in earnest. This is a time of natural growth for all of us. No matter what happens, we will always love each other as friends and sisters and will always support each other as artists. We want to thank all of our fans for their incredible love and support and hope to see you all again as we continue fulfilling our destinies." Destiny's Child will return to the States to begin the American leg of the group's tour on July 9. The final Destiny's Child concert is currently slated to take place in Vancouver on September 10. The upcoming stateside "Destiny Fulfilled…And Lovin' It" concerts mark Destiny Child's first full-length tour of North America in four years. Support acts on the "Destiny Fulfilled…And Lovin' It" tour will include Destiny's Child's Sony Urban/Columbia Records labelmate Amerie, the platinum recording artist Mario, and emerging urban artist Tyra. "Destiny's Fulfilled…And Lovin' It" is a state-of-the-art modern concert experience featuring spectacular sets, exquisite lighting, pristine sound, and dramatic new staging. With costumes designed by Tina Knowles for House of Dereon, the women in Destiny's Child have never looked…or sounded…better. One of the world's top-selling musical acts of the late 90s and early 00s, Destiny's Child has sold more than 40 million records worldwide, with solo recordings by Beyoncé, Kelly, and Michelle bringing the total up to an astounding 50 million. The members of Destiny's Child, individually and collectively, have earned a phenomenal 38 gold, platinum, and multi-platinum RIAA certifications since the group's recorded debut in November 1997.

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