Style & Image: Songwriting and Producing

Since Destiny’s Child, Knowles claims to be artistically involved in her career. She received co-writing credits most of the songs recorded by the group, as well as her solo efforts. Known for writing personally driven and female-empowerment themed compositions, she has stated that having Jay-Z in her life has changed a few of her thoughts about how men and women relate to one another. Some of her songs are autobiographical, which she has admitted are taken from personal experiences, as well as her friends’.

Knowles has also received co-producing credits for most of the records in which she has been involved, especially during her solo efforts. However, she does not formulate beats herself, but typically comes up with melodies and ideas during production, sharing them with producers. Knowles was recognized as a songwriter during the run of Destiny’s Child in the 1990s and early to mid-2000s. She won the Songwriter of the Year award at the 2001 American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers Pop Music Awards, becoming the first African-American female and second female songwriter of all time to accomplish the feat. Knowles received three songwriting credits in a single year for co-writing “Irreplaceable”, “Grillz” (”Soldier” was sampled on the song) and “Check on It”, the only woman to achieve since Carole King in 1971 and Mariah Carey in 1991. In terms of credits, she is tied with Diane Warren at third with nine number-one singles.

[Text from Wikipedia]