Beyonce's B'Day (2006)

Beyonce in B'Day is Inspired by Knowles' role in Dreamgirls, She worked on her second album without any specific plan, telling MTV News, "[When filming ended] I had so many things bottled up, so many emotions, so many ideas". Beyonce worked with previous musical collaborators, including Rich Harrison, Rodney Jerkins and Sean Garrett, at the Sony Music Studios in New York City. Completed in three weeks, she co-wrote and co-produced nearly all songs included in the album.

B'Day debut was released worldwide on September 4, 2006 and on September 5, 2006 in the USA to coincide w/ the celebration of her 25th birthday. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, selling more than 541,000 copies in the first week, her highest first-week sales mark as a solo artist. B'Day album also had the third-highest debut-sales total of 2006 and has been certified three-times platinum in the United States by the Recording Industry Association of America. Although it was a commercial success, the relatively short time for production of the album was the subject of critical scrutiny. The Rolling Stone magazine's Brian Hiatt said that "while the mostly up-tempo disc never lacks for energy, some of the more beat-driven tracks feel harmonically and melodically undercooked, with hooks that don't live up to 'Crazy in Love' or the best Destiny's Child hits." Despite such criticisms, the album was complimented by others, with Gail Mitchell of Billboard magazine writing, "... throughout [the album], she romps with creative abandon, thankfully unafraid of stretching the boundaries lyrically and musically."

B'Day album spawned the United Kingdom number-one single "Déjà Vu", the album's lead single, featuring Jay-Z. "Ring the Alarm", the second single, became Beyonce's highest-charting single debut, opening at number twelve on the Billboard Hot 100. Outside North America, "Irreplaceable" was released in October 2006 as the album's second single. Like "Baby Boy", the single received massive airplay, which helped propel it at number one. "Irreplaceable" topped the Billboard Hot 100 for ten consecutive weeks, giving Beyonce her 4th number-one single. It broke the record "Baby Boy" previously held (nine consecutive weeks), but it failed to match Destiny's Child's "Independent Women Part I".

Beyonce Knowles re-released B'Day on April 3, 2007 as a deluxe edition, 7 months after the release of the original version. The re-release version features new tracks, including "Beautiful Liar", a duet w/ Latin superstar Shakira. The track made Billboard history when it jumped from number ninety-four to number three on the Hot 100 on April 2007; and "Amor Gitano", a duet with Mexican singer Alejandro Fernández, used as the theme song for the Colombian telenovela, Zorro: La Espada y la Rosa. Also included in the re-release of B'Day are Spanish-language versions of "Beautiful Liar", "Irreplaceable", and "Listen". Simultaneously, the B'Day Anthology Video Album was released featuring ten videos, including the director's cut of "Listen" and the extended remix of "Get Me Bodied". During the week of April 22, the deluxe edition of B'Day and the B'Day Anthology Video Album that includes the song "Still in Love (Kissing You)" were pulled from distribution due to a lawsuit filed by English singer Des'ree. The lawsuit is over Knowles' cover of Des'ree's 1998 record, "I'm Kissing You". After the infringement issue, the present version of the re-issue does not include the track.

Then, at the 2007 Grammy Awards, Beyonce won in one of the 5 categories in which Knowles was nominated, that being Best Contemporary R&B Album. The following year, Knowles earned 3 nominations: Record of the Year for "Irreplaceable", Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals for "Beautiful Liar" with Shakira, as well as Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for the Dreamgirls soundtrack. Beyonce made history at the thirty fifth Annual American Music Awards for being the first woman to win an International Artist Award.

In support of B'Day album, Beyonce Knowles embarked on Knowles' lengthy The Beyoncé Experience concert tour, visiting over 90 venues worldwide. Knowles started the tour in Japan on April 10, 2007 and concluded it on December 30, 2007 in Las Vegas. The documented footage on September 2, 2007 at LA' Staples Center was released on November 20, 2007 as The Beyoncé Experience Live! DVD.

WOW...

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