Beyonce Knowles Wants Girl Band For Tour

Beyonce Knowles, the one time Destiny's Child singer, needs a new girl band for her upcoming tour. The only problem is that the tour is slated to start June 20th.

Beyonce is heading out on tour in support of what will be her second studio album, entitled B'Day, according to her record label, Columbia Records. B'Day is expected to be released internationally on September 4th, Beyonce's 25th birthday, and is expected in the US the following day. The first single, "Déjà vu", features Jay-Z as a guest artist.

CNN reports that, in an effort to find the back-up band, "Auditions will be held Monday in Atlanta, Georgia, Chicago, Illinois, Houston, Texas, Burbank, California, and Weehawken, New Jersey." CNN also reports Beyonce Knowles has a lot of holes to fill. "The band will include drummers, keyboard players, bassists, guitarists, horn players and percussionists."

After the initial round of auditions, applicants will face another challenge. As MSNBC reports, "Finalists from local auditions must be available to travel to New York to audition for Knowles later in the week and to begin working on the road by June 20, the record label said." The only requirements to be eligible for the auditions are that applicants are at least 18 years of age, and that they can perform the Beyonce Knowles song, "Work It Out" as heard on the Beyonce: Live at Wembley DVD.

Destiny's Child released their first album, a self-titled offering, in February 1998, featuring the singles "No, No, No" parts 1 and 2. Their follow-up album, The Writing's On The Wall came out in July 1999 having the hugely popular singles "Say My Name", "Bug-a-boo" and "Bills, Bills, Bills". In May, 2001, the album Survivor came out, featuring "Independent Woman, Part 1", which was the theme song for Charlie's Angels, and spent 11 weeks at the #1 spot in America. Survivor also featured a title track, "Bootylicious" and "Nasty Girl". The other albums put out after this include a Christmas album and a Remix album. Destiny's Child also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Beyonce Knowles would start off her movie career by co-starring with Mekhi Phifer (8 Mile) in MTV's Carmen: A Hip Hopera. Afterwards, she would star next to Mike Myers in Austin Powers in Goldmember. Beyonce Knowles is currently co-starring in The Pink Panther with Steve Martin, and is filming Dreamgirls, a movie about a singing group loosely based on The Supremes, and has a cast including Jennifer Hudson, Jamie Foxx and Eddie Murphy, and is directed by Bill Condon. As for her solo recording career, Beyonce would put out Dangerously in Love, which would sell 8 million albums on the strength of singles like "Crazy in Love", "Baby Boy" and "Me, Myself and I". Beyonce has also won six Grammy Awards for her solo work.

[Additional Sources: CNN, MSNBC]