Tenitra Williams
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Tenitra Michelle Williams (born July 23, 1979) is an American singer and actress. She rose to fame in the early 2000s as a member of R&B girl group
Destiny's Child Destiny's Child was an American girl group whose final lineup comprised Beyoncé, Beyoncé Knowles, Kelly Rowland, and Michelle Williams (singer), Michelle Williams. The group began their musical career as Girl's Tyme, formed in 1990 in Hou ...
, one of the best-selling female groups of all time with over 100 million records, of which more than 60 million copies sold with the trio lineup that included Williams. During her time in the group she earned several accolades including a
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious ...
and a star on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a landmark which consists of 2,813 five-pointed terrazzo-and-brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in the Hollywood, Los Angeles, Hollywood dist ...
. During the group's two-year hiatus, 2001–2003, Williams released her debut solo album ''
Heart to Yours ''Heart to Yours'' is the debut solo studio album by American singer and songwriter Michelle Williams. Released on April 16, 2002, by Sanctuary and Columbia Records, it became the first solo release of any Destiny's Child member. Production of ...
'' (2002) which topped the US
gospel Gospel originally meant the Christianity, Christian message ("the gospel"), but in the second century Anno domino, AD the term (, from which the English word originated as a calque) came to be used also for the books in which the message w ...
album chart. That same year, ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
'' named Williams the fifth top-charting gospel artist of the year and she received a
MOBO Award The MOBO Awards (Music of Black Origin, also known as the MOBOs) are an annual British music award presentation honouring achievements in " music of black origin", including hip hop, grime, UK Drill, R&B, soul, reggae, jazz, gospel, and Bant ...
for "Best Gospel Act". Following this, she released her second solo album ''
Do You Know Do You Know may refer to: Music Albums * ''Do You Know'' (Michelle Williams album) an album from Michelle Williams ** "Do You Know", the album's title track * ''Do You Know'' (Jessica Simpson album), an album from Jessica Simpson ** "Do You Kno ...
'' (2004). After Destiny's Child's disbandment in 2006, Williams released her first pop album, '' Unexpected'' (2008), which spawned the singles "
We Break the Dawn "We Break the Dawn" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Michelle Williams. It was written by Solange Knowles, Andrew Frampton and Wayne Wilkins and produced by Wilkins and Frampton for Williams' third studio album '' Unexpected'' ( ...
" and the US Dance number-one " The Greatest". Her fourth studio album, '' Journey to Freedom'' (2014), received positive reviews and became her highest-charting album in the US; it includes the singles "
If We Had Your Eyes "If We Had Your Eyes" is a song recorded by American singer Michelle Williams. It was written by Harmony Samuels, Courtney Harrell, and Al Sherrod Lambert for her fourth studio album, '' Journey to Freedom'' (2014), with production helmed by Samu ...
", and " Say Yes" which topped the US
Hot Gospel Songs Hot Gospel Songs is a music chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine in the United States. It ranks the popularity of gospel songs using the same methodology developed for the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, the magazine's flagship songs chart, by ...
chart for seven weeks, and won the Stellar Award for Music Video of the Year. Williams has also ventured into acting, appearing in television,
Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street ** Broadway Theatre (53rd Stre ...
, and
West End theatre West End theatre is mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres in and near the West End of London.Christopher Innes"West End"in ''The Cambridge Guide to Theatre'' (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1998), pp. 1194–1195, ...
productions. Making her acting debut on Broadway in ''
Aida ''Aida'' (or ''Aïda'', ) is a tragic opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Antonio Ghislanzoni. Set in the Old Kingdom of Egypt, it was commissioned by Cairo's Khedivial Opera House and had its première there on 24 De ...
'' (2003), she has since starred in the sitcom series ''
Half & Half ''Half & Half'' is an American television sitcom created by Jeffrey Klarik and executive-produced by Yvette Lee Bowser through her Sister Lee Productions banner that aired on UPN from September 23, 2002, to May 15, 2006 (related to the come ...
'' (2006) and the musical productions ''
The Color Purple ''The Color Purple'' is a 1982 epistolary novel by American author Alice Walker that won the 1983 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the National Book Award for Fiction.Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
'' (2009–10), '' What My Husband Doesn't Know'' (2011) ''
Fela! ''Fela!'' is a jukebox musical with a book by Bill T. Jones and Jim Lewis, based on music and lyrics by the late Nigerian singer Fela Kuti, with additional music by Aaron Johnson and Jordan McLean and additional lyrics by Jim Lewis. It is based ...
'' (2013) and the original Broadway production of ''Death Becomes Her'' (2024). In addition, she received a nomination for " Best Lead Female – Equity" in 2008 at the 18th Annual
NAACP Theatre Awards The NAACP Theatre Awards are an NAACP member voted awards started in 1991 and presented annually by the Beverly Hills-Hollywood branch of the NAACP to honor outstanding people of color in theater. The ceremonies usually take place in the Los Ange ...
. Williams was a featured judge on '' MTV's Top Pop Group'', a contestant on
season 8 A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperate and polar ...
of ''
Strictly Come Dancing ''Strictly Come Dancing'' (commonly referred to as ''Strictly'') is a British dance contest show in which celebrities partner with professional dancers to compete in mainly Ballroom dance, ballroom and Latin dance, Latin dance. Each couple is ...
'' in the United Kingdom, and has also appeared on the
American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, p ...
,
British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...
, and
Australian Australian(s) may refer to: Australia * Australia, a country * Australians, citizens of the Commonwealth of Australia ** European Australians ** Anglo-Celtic Australians, Australians descended principally from British colonists ** Aboriginal Aus ...
versions of ''
The Masked Singer ''The'' is a grammatical article in English, denoting nouns that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The ...
''.


Early life

Tenitra Michelle Williams was born in
Rockford, Illinois Rockford is a city in Winnebago County, Illinois, Winnebago and Ogle County, Illinois, Ogle counties in the U.S. state of Illinois. Located in far northern Illinois on the banks of the Rock River (Mississippi River tributary), Rock River, Rockfor ...
, on July 23, 1979, to Anita Williams (née Washington) and Dennis Williams III (1952–2020). She has three siblings: elder brother Erron, who is a musician, elder sister Cameron, and younger sister Danielle. Williams made her musical debut at the age of seven, performing a rendition of the
hymn A hymn is a type of song, and partially synonymous with devotional song, specifically written for the purpose of adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification. The word ''hymn'' d ...
"
Blessed Assurance "Blessed Assurance" is a well-known Christian hymn. The lyrics were written in 1873 by blind hymn writer Fanny Crosby to the music written in 1873 by Phoebe Knapp. History Crosby was visiting her friend Phoebe Knapp as the Knapp home was having ...
" at the St. Paul
Church of God in Christ The Church of God in Christ (COGIC) is an international Christian perfection#Holiness Pentecostalism, Holiness–Pentecostal Christian denomination, and a large Pentecostal denomination in the United States. Although an international and multi ...
. She later sang in the gospel groups United Harmony and Chosen Expression. Williams graduated from
Rockford Auburn High School Auburn High School is a public high school located in Rockford, Illinois, US, housing close to 2,000 ninth- through twelfth-grade students living in the Rockford Public School District 205, Rockford school district. In addition to serving studen ...
in 1997. Shortly after graduating, she pursued a degree in
criminal justice Criminal justice is the delivery of justice to those who have been accused of committing crimes. The criminal justice system is a series of government agencies and institutions. Goals include the rehabilitation of offenders, preventing other ...
at
Illinois State University Illinois State University (ISU) is a public research university in Normal, Illinois, United States. It was founded in 1857 as Illinois State Normal University and is the oldest public university in Illinois. The university emphasizes teachin ...
, doubtful of her ability to make a career as a professional singer. After two years of college, she left to pursue a music career, as a backing vocalist for other artists such as Monica.


Career


1999–2003: Breakthrough with Destiny's Child, ''Heart to Yours'' and ''Aida''

In late 1999, 20-year-old Williams met Destiny's Child band members Beyoncé Knowles and
Kelly Rowland Kelendria Trene Rowland (born February 11, 1981) is an American singer, actress, and television personality. She rose to fame in the late 1990s as a member of Destiny's Child, one of the world's List of best-selling girl groups, best-selling gir ...
in the lobby of an
Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...
hotel. Several months later, a choreographer acquaintance of Williams who knew the group, connected Williams to the Knowles family and Rowland, as they were vetting potential new group members. After the much-publicized turmoil, Williams, alongside
Farrah Franklin Farrah Laron Franklin (born May 3, 1981) is an American R&B singer and actress. She is also a former member of the girl group Destiny's Child. Along with Michelle Williams, she replaced the group's original members LaTavia Roberson and LeToya ...
, officially joined the group in early 2000, replacing
LeToya Luckett LeToya Luckett-Coles (born March 11, 1981) is an American R&B singer and actress. She rose to fame in the late 1990s as a founding member of the R&B girl group Destiny's Child, one of the world's best-selling girl groups of all time. As a mem ...
and
LaTavia Roberson LaTavia Marie Roberson is an American R&B singer. She rose to fame in the late 1990s as an original member of the R&B group Destiny's Child, one of the world's best-selling girl groups of all time. During her time as a member, Roberson record ...
without notice. Buoyed by the group's breakout success, Luckett and Roberson had both attempted to split with the group's manager
Mathew Knowles Mathew Knowles (born January 9, 1952)Knowles in is an American record executive, businessman and university lecturer. He is best known for being the manager of Destiny's Child. He also once managed the solo careers of his daughters Beyoncé a ...
in late 1999, claiming that he kept a disproportionate share of the band's profits and unfairly favored Knowles and Rowland. The issue was heightened after Williams and Franklin appeared in the video of "
Say My Name "Say My Name" is a song by American group Destiny's Child from their second studio album, '' The Writing's on the Wall'' (1999). It was written by Beyoncé Knowles, LeToya Luckett, LaTavia Roberson, Kelly Rowland, LaShawn Daniels, Fred Jerki ...
", implying that the original band members were already replaced. Franklin, however, faded from the group after five months, as evidenced by her absences during promotional appearances and concerts. Franklin attributed her departure to negative vibes in the group resulting from the strife. After settling on this final lineup, the trio released "
Independent Women Part I "Independent Women Part I" is a song recorded by American group Destiny's Child for the soundtrack to the film adaptation of the 1970s television series '' Charlie's Angels''. It was written and produced by production duo Poke & Tone, consisti ...
", which appeared on the soundtrack to the 2000 film ''
Charlie's Angels ''Charlie's Angels'' is an American crime drama television series created by Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts for ABC. It originally aired from September 22, 1976, to June 24, 1981, airing for five seasons consisting of 115 episodes. It was produ ...
''. It became their best-charting single yet, topping the official US singles chart for eleven consecutive weeks. The success cemented the new lineup and skyrocketed them to fame. In May 2001, Destiny's Child released the group's third studio album ''
Survivor Survivor(s) may refer to: * one who survives Arts, entertainment and media Fictional entities * Survivors, characters in the 1997 KKnD series#Armies, ''KKnD'' video-game series * ''The Survivors'', or the ''New Survivors Foundation'', a fictional ...
''. It debuted at number one on the US ''Billboard'' 200 with sales of 663,000 copies. ''Survivor'' has sold over twelve million copies worldwide, 4.1 million of which were sold in the US alone. The album's other number-one hits are "
Bootylicious "Bootylicious" is a song recorded by American group Destiny's Child for their third studio album '' Survivor'' (2001). It was written and produced by Rob Fusari, Beyoncé and Falonte Moore. The song contains a prominent sample from Stevie Nic ...
" and the title track "
Survivor Survivor(s) may refer to: * one who survives Arts, entertainment and media Fictional entities * Survivors, characters in the 1997 KKnD series#Armies, ''KKnD'' video-game series * ''The Survivors'', or the ''New Survivors Foundation'', a fictional ...
", the latter earning the group a
Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals The Grammy Award The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as th ...
. In October 2001, Destiny's Child released their holiday album, ''
8 Days of Christmas ''8 Days of Christmas'' is the fourth studio album and only Christmas album by American R&B girl group Destiny's Child, released on October 30, 2001, by Columbia Records. Background The album contains twelve tracks featuring traditional Chri ...
''. Before releasing the 2002 compilation album, '' This Is the Remix'', the group announced their temporary break-up to pursue solo projects. While Williams was still with Destiny's Child, she intensified work on her debut solo album ''
Heart to Yours ''Heart to Yours'' is the debut solo studio album by American singer and songwriter Michelle Williams. Released on April 16, 2002, by Sanctuary and Columbia Records, it became the first solo release of any Destiny's Child member. Production of ...
''. The album material included collaborations with singers Carl Thomas,
Shirley Caesar Shirley Ann Caesar-Williams (Birth name, née Caesar; born October 13, 1938), known professionally as Shirley Caesar, is an American Gospel music, gospel singer. Her career began in 1951, when she signed to Federal Records at the age of 12. Thro ...
and the
Mary Mary Mary Mary is an American urban contemporary gospel duo formed in 1998, consisting of sisters Erica Atkins-Campbell and Trecina Atkins-Campbell. Their name is inspired by two biblical figures: Mary, mother of Jesus, and Mary Magdalene. They ar ...
duo, taking the singer's work further into
urban contemporary gospel Urban/contemporary gospel, also known as urban gospel music, urban gospel pop, or just simply urban gospel, is a modern subgenre of gospel music. Although the style developed gradually, early forms are generally dated to the 1970s, and the gen ...
and
Christian music Christian music is a genre of music that has been written to express either personal or a communal belief regarding Christianity, Christian life and faith. Common themes of Christian music include praise, worship, penitence and lament, and its f ...
. "Some people will do gospel when their career fails, but I chose to do it at the height of the popularity of Destiny's Child", Williams explained during the album's release. "And I didn't want to do it because it was a fad. I wanted to do it because it's in me. It's in my heart." Released on April 16, 2002, in North America to much critical acclaim, Williams became the first member of Destiny's Child to release solo material with ''Heart to Yours''. The album sold 20,000 copies in its first week, placing it at number 57 on the ''Billboard'' 200 and number two on the ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
'' Gospel Albums chart, where it later rose to number one. It became one of the year's best-selling gospel album, selling more than 220,000 units in the US, as of 2008. A
music video A music video is a video that integrates a song or an album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing device intended to ...
for the album's single, "Heard a Word", was produced by
film director A film director or filmmaker is a person who controls a film's artistic and dramatic aspects and visualizes the screenplay (or script) while guiding the film crew and actors in the fulfillment of that Goal, vision. The director has a key role ...
Sylvain White Sylvain White (born 21 December 1971) is a French film director and screenwriter. Life and career Filmmaker Sylvain White was born and raised in Paris, France. At 18 he attended the university of La Sorbonne then earned a scholarship to go to ...
. ''Heart to Yours'' won Williams a
MOBO Award The MOBO Awards (Music of Black Origin, also known as the MOBOs) are an annual British music award presentation honouring achievements in " music of black origin", including hip hop, grime, UK Drill, R&B, soul, reggae, jazz, gospel, and Bant ...
for "Best Gospel Act" along with a raft of nominations including a
Stellar Award A Stellar Award is an award presented by SAGMA to recognize achievements in the gospel music industry.Sagma
The Stel ...
nomination for "New Artist of the Year", a GMWA Excellence Award nomination for "Female Vocalist of the Year Urban Contemporary" and a
GMA Dove Award A Dove Award is an accolade by the Gospel Music Association (GMA) of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the Christian music industry. The awards ceremonies presented annually and have been held in Nashville, Tennessee exce ...
nomination for "Traditional Gospel Recorded Song of the Year" for her collaboration with Shirley Caesar on "Steal Away To Jesus" which was first featured on Caesar's ''Hymns'' album. ''Billboard'' listed Williams as the fifth Top Gospel Artist of 2002. In August 2002, Williams embarked on her first tour as a solo artist in promotion of her debut album. Sponsored by
Burger King Burger King Corporation (BK, stylized in all caps) is an American multinational chain store, chain of hamburger fast food restaurants. Headquartered in Miami-Dade County, Florida, the company was founded in 1953 as Insta-Burger King, a Jacks ...
, the 19-date BK Got Music Summer Soul Tour also featured
Luther Vandross Luther Ronzoni Vandross Jr. (April 20, 1951 – July 1, 2005) was an American Soul music, soul and Contemporary R&B, R&B singer, songwriter, and record producer. Over his career, he achieved eleven consecutive RIAA certification, RIAA-certified ...
,
Angie Stone Angela Laverne Stone (née Brown; December 18, 1961 – March 1, 2025) was an American singer-songwriter, rapper, actress, and record producer. With a career spanning over four decades, she has been credited with revolutionizing the sound of Ol ...
and
Gerald Levert Gerald Edward Levert (July 13, 1966 – November 10, 2006) was an Americans, American singer-songwriter and Music Producer, producer. Levert performed with his brother, Sean Levert, and friend Marc Gordon with the R&B vocal group, LeVert. Le ...
. Following the release and promotion of ''Heart to Yours'', Williams made her on-stage acting debut in 2003, replacing fellow singer
Toni Braxton Toni Michele Braxton (born October 7, 1966) is an American singer, songwriter, actress and television personality. She has sold over 70 million records worldwide and is one of the best-selling female artists in history. Braxton has won seven ...
in the title role of ''
Aida ''Aida'' (or ''Aïda'', ) is a tragic opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Antonio Ghislanzoni. Set in the Old Kingdom of Egypt, it was commissioned by Cairo's Khedivial Opera House and had its première there on 24 De ...
'', the hit
Broadway musical Broadway theatre,Although ''theater'' is generally the spelling for this common noun in the United States (see American and British English spelling differences), many of the extant or closed Broadway venues use or used the spelling ''Theatr ...
with music by
Elton John Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, songwriter and pianist. His music and showmanship have had a significant, lasting impact on the music industry, and his songwriting partnership with l ...
and lyrics by
Tim Rice Sir Timothy Miles Bindon Rice (born 10 November 1944) is an English songwriter. He is best known for his collaborations with Andrew Lloyd Webber, with whom he wrote, among other shows, '' Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat'', ''Jesus C ...
. She was the first and remains the only Destiny's Child member to have acted on Broadway.


2004–2007: Destiny's Child's final projects, ''Do You Know'' and acting debut

During the release of her fellow Destiny's Child members' debut albums, Williams spent time in the studio, recording her second album. The album saw her generally re-teaming with the majority of the producers and songwriters from her previous effort, including
Solange Knowles Solange Piaget Knowles (; born June 24, 1986) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She expressed an interest in music from an early age and had temporary stints as a backup dancer for Destiny's Child, which featured her older sister ...
, Dawkins & Dawkins, and brother Erron Williams.Music World Entertainment (2004) Michelle Williams – Do You Know (Liner Notes) ''Columbia Records''. Released in January 2004 in the United States, ''Do You Know'' reached number 120 on the ''Billboard'' 200 chart, despite a warm reception from critics who lent praise to Williams' songwriting ability. Once again, Williams scored more success on the component charts, where the album debuted at number two on the Top Gospel Albums chart and number three on the top Christian Albums tally. The album was later re-released, including previously unreleased songs and has sold 78,000 copies in the US, as of March 2008. After a three-year hiatus, Destiny's Child reunited for ''
Destiny Fulfilled ''Destiny Fulfilled'' is the fifth and final studio album by American girl group Destiny's Child Destiny's Child was an American girl group whose final lineup comprised Beyoncé, Beyoncé Knowles, Kelly Rowland, and Michelle Williams ( ...
'', released in November 2004. The album hit number two on the ''Billboard'' 200, and spawned the singles "
Lose My Breath "Lose My Breath" is a song recorded by American group Destiny's Child for their fifth and final studio album ''Destiny Fulfilled'' (2004). It was written by Beyoncé, Kelly Rowland, Michelle Williams, Rodney Jerkins, LaShawn Daniels, Fred J ...
", "
Soldier A soldier is a person who is a member of an army. A soldier can be a Conscription, conscripted or volunteer Enlisted rank, enlisted person, a non-commissioned officer, a warrant officer, or an Officer (armed forces), officer. Etymology The wo ...
", "
Girl A girl is a young female human, usually a child or an adolescent. While the term ''girl'' has other meanings, including ''young woman'',Dictionary.com, "Girl"'' Retrieved January 2, 2008. '' daughter'' or '' girlfriend'' regardless of age ...
" and "
Cater 2 U "Cater 2 U" is a song recorded by American group Destiny's Child for their fifth and final studio album ''Destiny Fulfilled'' (2004). The song was written by group members Beyoncé, Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams along with Rodney "Darkch ...
". In support of the album, Destiny's Child embarked on a 2005 '' Destiny Fulfilled ... And Lovin' It'' world tour, which started in April to September of the same year. On the
Barcelona Barcelona ( ; ; ) is a city on the northeastern coast of Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second-most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within c ...
, Spain visit, the group announced their disbandment after their final North American leg would end. In October 2005, the group released a
greatest hits A greatest hits album or best-of album is a type of compilation album that collects popular and commercially successful songs by a particular artist or band. While greatest hits albums are typically supported by the artist, they can also be creat ...
compilation album A compilation album comprises Album#Tracks, tracks, which may be previously released or unreleased, usually from several separate recordings by either one Performing arts#Performers, performer or by several performers. If the recordings are from ...
, titled '' #1's'', including their most successful singles alongside three new tracks, including the band's final single " Stand Up for Love", penned by
David Foster David Walter Foster (born November 1, 1949) is a Canadian record producer, composer, arranger, and musician. He has won 16 Grammy Awards from 47 nominations. His career began as a keyboardist for the pop group Skylark in the early 1970s befor ...
. Destiny's Child was honored with a star on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a landmark which consists of 2,813 five-pointed terrazzo-and-brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in the Hollywood, Los Angeles, Hollywood dist ...
in March 2006. They were recognized as the world's best-selling female group of all time. Following Destiny's Child's disbandment in early 2006, Williams made her television debut in the
UPN The United Paramount Network (UPN) was an American broadcast television network that operated from 1995 to 2006. It was originally a joint venture between Chris-Craft Industries (later sold to News Corporation)'s subsidiary, United Television, ...
comedy ''
Half & Half ''Half & Half'' is an American television sitcom created by Jeffrey Klarik and executive-produced by Yvette Lee Bowser through her Sister Lee Productions banner that aired on UPN from September 23, 2002, to May 15, 2006 (related to the come ...
'', where she played the role of Naomi, a record company executive who is
HIV positive The human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) are two species of ''Lentivirus'' (a subgroup of retrovirus) that infect humans. Over time, they cause AIDS, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), a condition in which progressive failure of th ...
. Later that year, she appeared as one of the celebrity singers on the
FOX Foxes are small-to-medium-sized omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull; upright, triangular ears; a pointed, slightly upturned snout; and a long, bushy tail ("brush"). Twelve species ...
reality television show ''
Celebrity Duets ''Celebrity Duets'' is an American reality television show, of the progressive game-show type, which combined celebrities of different backgrounds with professional singers in a weekly elimination competition. History The show was a take-off of t ...
'', duetting with actors
Alfonso Ribeiro Alfonso Ribeiro (born September 21, 1971) is an American actor, comedian, singer, and television host. He is best known for his roles as Carlton Banks on the NBC sitcom '' The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air'', Alfonso Spears on the sitcom ''Silver Spoo ...
and
Jai Rodriguez Jai Rodriguez is an American actor and musician best known as the culture guide on the Bravo network's Emmy-winning American reality television program ''Queer Eye for the Straight Guy''. He also co-wrote a book with the other ''Queer Eye'' ho ...
. In April 2006, Williams performed "America the Beautiful" at
World Wrestling Entertainment World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) is an American professional wrestling promotion. It is owned and operated by TKO Group Holdings, a majority-owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. A global integrated media and entertainment company, ...
's event
WrestleMania 22 WrestleMania 22 was a 2006 professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). It was the 22nd annual WrestleMania and took place on April 2, 2006, at the Allstate Arena in the Chicago suburb of Rose ...
, which was in her hometown of
Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
. Beginning in April 2007, Williams joined
Oprah Winfrey Oprah Gail Winfrey (; born Orpah Gail Winfrey; January 29, 1954) is an American television presenter, talk show host, television producer, actress, author, and media proprietor. She is best known for her talk show, ''The Oprah Winfrey Show' ...
's Chicago-based cast of the hit
Broadway musical Broadway theatre,Although ''theater'' is generally the spelling for this common noun in the United States (see American and British English spelling differences), many of the extant or closed Broadway venues use or used the spelling ''Theatr ...
''
The Color Purple ''The Color Purple'' is a 1982 epistolary novel by American author Alice Walker that won the 1983 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the National Book Award for Fiction.Cadillac Palace Theatre The Cadillac Palace Theatre (originally the New Palace Theatre) is operated by Broadway In Chicago, a Nederlander company and seats 2,344. It is located at 151 West Randolph Street in the Chicago Loop area. Opened in 1926 and designed largely i ...
. Williams described the opportunity as "a dream come true", playing the part of
blues Blues is a music genre and musical form that originated among African Americans in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues has incorporated spiritual (music), spirituals, work songs, field hollers, Ring shout, shouts, cha ...
singer Shug Avery, which earned her positive reception.


2008–2010: ''Unexpected'', ''Chicago'' and label troubles

In March 2008, Williams announced the release of her third studio album ''Unexpected'' in October 2008. A breakaway from the gospel music on her first two solo albums to secular pop/R&B, the album, her first release since the disbanding of Destiny's Child, involves production by
Stargate ''Stargate'' is a military science fiction media franchise owned by Amazon MGM Studios. It is based on Stargate (film), the film directed by Roland Emmerich, which he co-wrote with producer Dean Devlin; production company StudioCanal owns the ...
,
Rico Love Richard Preston Butler Jr. (born December 3, 1982), better known by his stage name Rico Love, is an American record producer, singer, songwriter, and rapper. He was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, but split his childhood between Milwaukee, Wisco ...
,
Wayne Wilkins Wayne Wilkins is a British record producer, songwriter, record engineer and record mixer. He has produced and written for artists such as Rick Astley ("Cry for Help"), Natasha Bedingfield (" These Words", " Single" and " Love Like This"), Bey ...
, and
Soulshock and Karlin Soulshock & Karlin is a Danish songwriting/production duo, consisting of Carsten Schack and Kenneth Karlin. They have produced many successful songs, including 2Pac's " Do for Love", Monica's " Before You Walk Out of My Life", Whitney Houston' ...
, among others. In June 2008, Williams released lead single "
We Break the Dawn "We Break the Dawn" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Michelle Williams. It was written by Solange Knowles, Andrew Frampton and Wayne Wilkins and produced by Wilkins and Frampton for Williams' third studio album '' Unexpected'' ( ...
" to universal acclaim from critics who hailed it as "a terrific fusion of European disco and American R&B". The song became her most successful single yet, peaking at number four on the US
Hot Dance Club Play The Dance Club Songs (also known as National Disco Action, Hot Dance/Disco Club Play, and Hot Dance Club Play) was a chart published weekly between 1976 and 2020 by ''Billboard'' magazine. It used club disc jockeys set lists to determine the mos ...
chart, topping the US
Hot Dance Airplay Dance/Mix Show Airplay (formerly Hot Dance Airplay) is a monitored electronic dance music radio chart that is published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine. The chart came about as a result of the small but influential impact of electronic dance musi ...
chart and reaching the top 50 in the UK and top 40 in Hungary — where it also placed on the 2009 year-end chart. In September 2008, " The Greatest" was issued as the second single release to mainstream radio, while "
Hello Heartbreak "Hello Heartbreak" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Michelle Williams. It was co-written by Jim Jonsin and Rico Love, and produced by Jonsin for Williams' third studio album '' Unexpected'' (2008). Critical reception "Hello Hear ...
" was catered to dance clubs. "The Greatest" became Williams' second hit on the ''Billboard'' dance charts when it peaked at number-one the US Hot Dance Club Songs. Gaining favorable reviews from critics, in October 2008 '' Unexpected'' debuted on the US ''Billboard'' 200 albums chart at number 42 and number 11 on the US ''Billboard'' Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, with first week sales of 14,618 units. The album charted internationally, in the UK and Japan. In July 2009, Williams began a limited six-week engagement at the
Cambridge Theatre The Cambridge Theatre is a West End theatre, on a corner site in Earlham Street facing Seven Dials, London, Seven Dials, in the London Borough of Camden, built in 1929–30 for Bertie Meyer on an "irregular triangular site". Design and const ...
in ''
Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
'', making her the first African-American to be cast in the West End production of the musical. Her run was extended and Williams continued appearing for three additional weeks for an extended engagement starting August 23 through September 12. In January 2010, Michelle parted ways with her manager
Mathew Knowles Mathew Knowles (born January 9, 1952)Knowles in is an American record executive, businessman and university lecturer. He is best known for being the manager of Destiny's Child. He also once managed the solo careers of his daughters Beyoncé a ...
and Music World Entertainment. In February 2010, Williams made a return to Broadway by commencing a seven-week limited engagement in ''Chicago'' at the Ambassador Theatre, replacing
Ashlee Simpson Ashley Nicolle Ross-Næss ( Simpson; born October 3, 1984), also known as Ashlee Simpson, is an American singer, songwriter, actress and television personality. The younger sister of singer and actress Jessica Simpson, she began her career as ...
. In April, it was announced that Williams would extend her limited engagement in ''Chicago''. In August 2010, it was reported that Williams would be participating on
season 8 A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperate and polar ...
of the British television dance competition show ''
Strictly Come Dancing ''Strictly Come Dancing'' (commonly referred to as ''Strictly'') is a British dance contest show in which celebrities partner with professional dancers to compete in mainly Ballroom dance, ballroom and Latin dance, Latin dance. Each couple is ...
'', the originator of the global ''
Dancing with the Stars ''Strictly Come Dancing (widely known as Dancing with the Stars)'' is an international television franchise based on the format of the British TV series '' Strictly Come Dancing,'' itself a successor to the show ''Come Dancing'' (1950–1998) ...
'' franchise. On the launch show, it was revealed that Williams had been paired with
Brendan Cole Brendan Cole (born 23 April 1976) is a New Zealand ballroom dancer, specialising in Latin American dancing. He is most famous for appearing as a professional dancer on the BBC One show, ''Strictly Come Dancing'' from 2004 to 2017. From 2005 to ...
. They remained in the competition for seven weeks with variable results; on October 23,
Ian Waite Ian Waite (born 29 January 1971) is a British professional dancer specialising in Latin American dance, a teacher and choreographer. Biography Waite was born in Reading, Berkshire. He started dancing at the age of 10. Mary Richardson, a former ...
stood in as her professional partner when Brendan was unable to do so. Williams was eliminated on November 14. In December 2010, Williams joined DJ Martin Jay to become a co-host on
Choice FM Capital XTRA (formerly Choice FM) is a British digital radio station owned and operated by Global. It broadcasts on 96.9 and 107.1 FM in Greater London, and nationally on DAB, Global Player and television platforms. It specialises in hip ho ...
's ''Breakfast Show'' in
London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
for the month, replacing Lucy Ambache who was on
maternity leave Parental leave, or family leave, is an employee benefit available in almost all countries. The term "parental leave" may include maternity, paternity, and adoption leave; or may be used distinctively from "maternity leave" and "paternity leave ...
. On December 15, Williams released the song "Stay for a Minute", a leftover from ''Unexpected'' for free
digital download Digital download may refer to: *Downloading, the processing of copying data to a computer from an external source *Digital distribution, a method of downloading software or audio-visual media as opposed to buying it at a traditional point of sale * ...
via
Twitter Twitter, officially known as X since 2023, is an American microblogging and social networking service. It is one of the world's largest social media platforms and one of the most-visited websites. Users can share short text messages, image ...
to celebrate gaining over 100,000 followers.


2011–2014: Acting, label change and ''Journey to Freedom''

In January 2011, Williams appeared on
BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...
's popular comedy
panel game A panel show or panel game is a radio or television game show in which a panel of celebrities participate. Celebrity panelists may compete with each other, such as on '' The News Quiz''; facilitate play by non-celebrity contestants, such as on ' ...
show ''
Never Mind the Buzzcocks ''Never Mind the Buzzcocks'' is a British comedy panel game show with a pop music theme. It has aired on Sky Max since September 2021, having originally aired between November 1996 and January 2015 on BBC Two. The original series was first host ...
''. In February 2011, Williams began a 28-city tour starring in the
David E. Talbert David E. Talbert (born February 10, 1966) is an American playwright, author, and filmmaker. He is a graduate of Morgan State University and attended the New York University film program. Talbert has won numerous NAACP awards for his work ''The ...
stage-play ''What My Husband Doesn't Know'' along with
Brian J. White Brian Joseph White (born April 21, 1975) is an American actor. He is best known for his roles in films such as ''The Family Stone'' (2005), '' The Game Plan'' (2007), '' 12 Rounds'' (2009), '' I Can Do Bad All by Myself'' (2009), '' Good Deeds'' ...
,
Ann Nesby Ann Nesby (born Lula Ann Bennett; July 24, 1955) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and producer known for her work in R&B, gospel, and dance music. She rose to fame as the lead vocalist of the Grammy Award-winning group Sounds of Black ...
and
Clifton Davis Clifton Duncan Davis (born October 4, 1945) is an American actor, singer, songwriter, minister, and author. Davis wrote The Jackson 5's No. 2 hit "Never Can Say Goodbye" in 1971. He has numerous Broadway credits, including ''Hello, Dolly! (mus ...
, playing the lead role of Lena Summer. In July 2011, Williams released a buzz single titled "Love Gun", to precede the release of her upcoming fourth solo album, on which she had begun work in 2010. In August, Electronic Giant Beatz released a press release, cover art and a music video teaser for a song featuring Williams titled "On the Run". The song was released in the United Kingdom in November 2011. In December,
Ultra Naté Ultra Naté (born March 20, 1968) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, DJ, and promoter who has achieved success on the pop charts with songs such as "Free (Ultra Naté song), Free", "If You Could Read My Mind" (as part of Stars o ...
released a joint collaboration with Williams titled " Waiting on You" which rose to number eleven on the ''Billboard'' Hot Dance Club Songs chart. On June 7, 2012, it was announced that Williams had been signed to
Light Records Light Records is a gospel record label founded in 1966 by Ralph Carmichael, as a joint venture with the Waco, Texas-based Word Records. It is a subsidiary of the MNRK Music Group. History Light Records' first roster included Ralph Carmichae ...
and was due to release her fourth studio album in 2013. On January 3, 2013, it was announced that Williams would play Sandra in the national tour of the Tony-nominated musical ''Fela!'', beginning January 29 in Washington, D.C., and playing in a total of 16 cities.
Destiny's Child Destiny's Child was an American girl group whose final lineup comprised Beyoncé, Beyoncé Knowles, Kelly Rowland, and Michelle Williams (singer), Michelle Williams. The group began their musical career as Girl's Tyme, formed in 1990 in Hou ...
released a compilation album titled ''
Love Songs A love song is a song about love, falling in love, broken heart, heartbreak after a breakup, and the feelings that these experiences bring. Love songs can be found in a variety of different music genres. They can come in various formats, from sa ...
'' on January 29, which featured the newly recorded song "Nuclear", co-written by Williams. On February 3, 2013, during Beyoncé's performance at the
Super Bowl XLVII halftime show The Super Bowl XLVII halftime show occurred on February 3, 2013, at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans as part of Super Bowl XLVII. Beyoncé headlined with special guests Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams (singer), Michelle Williams f ...
, held at the
Mercedes-Benz Superdome Caesars Superdome (originally Louisiana Superdome and formerly Mercedes-Benz Superdome), commonly known as the Superdome, is a domed multi-purpose stadium in the southern United States, located in New Orleans, Louisiana. It is the home st ...
in
New Orleans New Orleans (commonly known as NOLA or The Big Easy among other nicknames) is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 383,997 at the 2020 ...
, Rowland and Williams joined Knowles on the stage, where the trio performed excerpts from "
Bootylicious "Bootylicious" is a song recorded by American group Destiny's Child for their third studio album '' Survivor'' (2001). It was written and produced by Rob Fusari, Beyoncé and Falonte Moore. The song contains a prominent sample from Stevie Nic ...
", "
Independent Women "Independent Women Part I" is a song recorded by American group Destiny's Child for the soundtrack to the film adaptation of the 1970s television series ''Charlie's Angels''. It was written and produced by production duo Poke & Tone, consisting ...
", and "
Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It) "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" is a song by American singer Beyoncé from her third studio album, '' I Am... Sasha Fierce'' (2008). Columbia Records released "Single Ladies" as a single on October 8, 2008, as a double A-side alongside " If I ...
". Rowland and Williams then exited the stage and Knowles ended her performance. On February 21, it was announced that Williams would be starring in her own
reality television Reality television is a genre of television programming that documents purportedly unscripted real-life situations, often starring ordinary people rather than professional actors. Reality television emerged as a distinct genre in the early 1990s ...
show, titled ''My Sister's Keeper'' produced by E1 Television, to coincide with the release of her fourth studio album. In December 2013, Beyoncé released her self-titled fifth studio album in which Williams appeared alongside Beyoncé and Kelly Rowland on the song and music video "Superpower". In 2014, Williams became the spokesperson for a
Playtex Playtex is an American brand name for undergarments, baby products, gloves, feminine hygiene products, and sunscreen. The brand began in 1947 when International Latex Corporation (ILC) created a division named Playtex to produce and sell latex p ...
campaign titled ''Play On Playbook''. In April, it was announced that Williams would join the 50-city North American arena tour of
Andrew Lloyd Webber Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber (born 22 March 1948) is an English composer and impresario of musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End theatre, West End and on Broadway theatre, Broad ...
's
rock opera A rock opera is a collection of rock music songs with lyrics that relate to a common story. Rock operas are typically released as concept albums and are not scripted for acting, which distinguishes them from operas, although several have been ad ...
''
Jesus Christ Superstar ''Jesus Christ Superstar'' is a sung-through rock opera with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice. Loosely based on the Life of Jesus in the New Testament, Gospels' accounts of Passion of Jesus, the Passion, the work interprets ...
'' as
Mary Magdalene Mary Magdalene (sometimes called Mary of Magdala, or simply the Magdalene or the Madeleine) was a woman who, according to the four canonical gospels, traveled with Jesus as one of his followers and was a witness to crucifixion of Jesus, his cr ...
alongside ''
Superstar A superstar is someone who has great popular appeal and is widely known, prominent, or successful in their field. Celebrities referred to as "superstars" may include individuals who work as actors, musicians, athletes, and other media-based profe ...
'' winner Ben Forster and other recording artists such as
Brandon Boyd Brandon Charles Boyd (born February 15, 1976) is an American musician, best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band Incubus, with whom he has recorded eight studio albums. In addition to his work with Incubus, Boyd has released two solo alb ...
and
JC Chasez Joshua Scott "JC" Chasez (; born August 8, 1976) is an American singer, songwriter, actor, dancer, and record producer. He started his career as a singer, actor, and dancer on '' The All-New Mickey Mouse Club'' before rising to prominence as a ...
. In May 2014, the tour was cancelled before its launch in New Orleans due to poor ticket sales. It was announced that Williams would star as a mentor in an
Oxygen Oxygen is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol, symbol O and atomic number 8. It is a member of the chalcogen group (periodic table), group in the periodic table, a highly reactivity (chemistry), reactive nonmetal (chemistry), non ...
reality television competition titled ''Fix My Choir'', alongside fellow contemporary gospel recording artists
Deitrick Haddon Deitrick Vaughn Haddon (born May 17, 1973) is an American gospel singer, songwriter, pianist, arranger, record producer, and pastor. He is best known for performing progressive gospel and contemporary styles of music. He was one of the cast membe ...
and
Tye Tribbett Thomas Tyrone "Tye" Tribbett (born January 26, 1976) is an American gospel music singer, songwriter and a keyboardist. He is a choir director and founder of the Grammy-nominated and Stellar Award-winning gospel group Tye Tribbett & G.A. (short f ...
. In June 2013, Williams released the lead single from her inspirational fourth album '' Journey to Freedom'', titled "
If We Had Your Eyes "If We Had Your Eyes" is a song recorded by American singer Michelle Williams. It was written by Harmony Samuels, Courtney Harrell, and Al Sherrod Lambert for her fourth studio album, '' Journey to Freedom'' (2014), with production helmed by Samu ...
". The single became her first release to appear on the US ''Billboard'' Adult R&B Songs and Hot Gospel Songs charts, peaking at nineteen and twenty-two respectively. Williams reunited with her former Destiny's Child bandmates for the single " Say Yes", which was released a year later and became Williams' first number-one on the US Hot Gospel Songs; additionally charting internationally in the UK,
France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
and
Belgium Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeas ...
. "Say Yes" spent seven weeks at number one on the Hot Gospel Songs chart and received a nomination for Best Gospel/Inspirational Song at the
2014 Soul Train Music Awards The 2014 Soul Train Music Awards was held at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Centric and BET on November 30, 2014. The ceremony, hosted by media personality Wendy Williams, honored artists in 12 different categories. The nominees were ...
. In September 2014, ''Journey to Freedom'' debuted at number twenty-nine on the US ''Billboard'' 200, reaching number seven on the
Independent Albums The Independent Albums chart (previously titled Top Independent Albums) ranks the highest-selling independent music albums and extended plays (EPs) in the United States, as compiled by Nielsen SoundScan and published weekly by '' Billboard'' mag ...
. It became aa top 10 success on the UK Christian & Gospel Albums chart where it debuted at number 6. ''Journey to Freedom'' was nominated for Outstanding Gospel Album (Traditional or Contemporary) at the 46th
NAACP Image Award The NAACP Image Awards is an annual awards ceremony presented by the U.S.-based National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) to honor outstanding performances in film, television, theatre, music, and literature. The over 40 ...
s, while "Say Yes" won Music Video of the Year at the 30th
Stellar Awards A Stellar Award is an award presented by SAGMA to recognize achievements in the gospel music industry.Sagma
The Stel ...
, where Williams received a total of four nominations and reunited with Knowles and Rowland for a live performance of the song.


2015–2020: Continued acting, Coachella, and ''The Masked Singer''

On April 14, 2015, Williams sang for president
Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...
at the
White House The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest (Washington, D.C.), NW in Washington, D.C., it has served as the residence of every U.S. president ...
. The program titled, ''The Gospel Tradition: In Performance at the White House'' was broadcast on June 26, 2015, on
PBS The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcaster and non-commercial, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly funded nonprofit organization and the most prominent provider of educat ...
stations and simulcast on TV One. In August 2015, Williams reprised the title role in ''Aida'', presented at the
St. Louis St. Louis ( , sometimes referred to as St. Louis City, Saint Louis or STL) is an independent city in the U.S. state of Missouri. It lies near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a populatio ...
venue. The following month, she premiered her ''Believe at Home'' bedding collection on the EVINE network. In 2016, Williams sang again for Obama at the White House; alongside
Yolanda Adams Yolanda Yvette Adams (born August 27, 1961) is an American gospel singer, actress, and host of her own nationally syndicated morning gospel show. She is one of the best-selling gospel artists of all time, having sold over 10 million albu ...
and
Kierra Sheard Kierra Valencia "Kiki" Sheard-Kelly (born June 20, 1987) is an American gospel music, gospel singer and evangelist. She is the daughter of gospel singer Karen Clark-Sheard and COGIC Presiding Bishop John Drew Sheard Sr., J. Drew Sheard and the g ...
in the program titled '' BET Presents: Love and Happiness: An Obama Celebration''. In April 2018, Williams reunited with Beyoncé and Kelly Rowland during Beyoncé's headlining set at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. In late 2018, Williams starred alongside her then-fiancé, Chad Johnson in the
OWN OWN may also refer to: *Old West Norse, a North Germanic language *'' Once Was Not'' (2005), an album by Cryptopsy * One Warrior Nation, what The Ultimate Warrior calls his fans *Oprah Winfrey Network, a U.S.-based cable and satellite television c ...
reality show, ''Chad Loves Michelle''. Williams also returned to Broadway as Erzulie in the
Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...
-winning revival of ''
Once On This Island ''Once on This Island'' is a coming-of-age one-act stage musical with a book and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens and music by Stephen Flaherty. It is based on the 1985 novel ''My Love, My Love; or, The Peasant Girl'' by Rosa Guy, a Caribbean-set retel ...
'' on November 30, 2018, leaving in December on doctor's orders. On December 7, Williams released the pop single "Fearless" on Radiance Music Group. On December 21, it was announced by ''
Deadline Hollywood ''Deadline Hollywood'', commonly known as ''Deadline'' and also referred to as ''Deadline.com'', is an online news site founded as the news blog ''Deadline Hollywood Daily'' by Nikki Finke in 2006. It is updated several times a day, with en ...
'' that Williams would
guest star The term guest appearance generally denotes the appearance of a guest in an artistic or pop-culture setting. The guests themselves (referred to as guest artists, featured artists, guest stars, or guest fighters, depending on context), are disting ...
as
Diana Ross Diana Ross (born Diane Ernestine Earle Ross March 26, 1944) is an American singer and actress. Known as the "Queen of Motown Records", she was the lead singer of the vocal group the Supremes, who became Motown#Major divisions, Motown's most suc ...
in an episode of the
BET Black Entertainment Television (BET) is an American basic cable channel targeting Black American audiences. It is the flagship channel of the BET Media Group, a subsidiary of Paramount Global's CBS Entertainment Group. Originally launched ...
period drama series ''
American Soul ''American Soul'' is an American musical drama television series, created by Jonathan Prince and Devon Greggory, that premiered on February 5, 2019, on BET. The series tells the story of Don Cornelius and the creation of his legendary music and ...
'', which aired in February 2019. In April 2019, the singer was involved in Beyoncé's documentary ''Homecoming'' and
homonymous In linguistics, homonyms are words which are either; ''homographs''—words that mean different things, but have the same spelling (regardless of pronunciation), or ''homophones''—words that mean different things, but have the same pronunciatio ...
album. Later that year, Williams competed as "Butterfly" in the second season of ''
The Masked Singer ''The'' is a grammatical article in English, denoting nouns that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The ...
''. In December 2019, she came back to the stage starring as the
Evil Queen The Evil Queen (), also called the Wicked Queen or simply the Queen, is a fictional character and the main antagonist of "Snow White", a German fairy tale recorded by the Brothers Grimm. In the Grimm's story, the Queen is Snow White's stepmother o ...
for the 10th anniversary of ''A Snow White Christmas'' at the
Pasadena Civic Auditorium The Pasadena Convention Center is a convention center in Pasadena, California, United States. It consists of three buildings. Pasadena Civic Auditorium The Civic Auditorium, one of the major structures in the Pasadena Civic Center District, was ...
, alongside
Neil Patrick Harris Neil Patrick Harris (born June 15, 1973) is an American actor, singer, writer, producer, and television host. Primarily known for his comedic television roles and dramatic and musical stage roles, he has received List of awards and nominations ...
and Jared Gertner.


2020-Present: ''Checking In'' Memoir, ''The Masked Singer'', and Broadway return

In November 2020, Williams announced her memoir, ''Checking In: How Getting Real About Depression Saved My Life–and Can Save Yours'', which was released in May 2021. The accompanying podcast, ''Checking In with Michelle Williams'', premiered on streaming services in December 2020, and was nomintated at the
53rd NAACP Image Awards The 53rd NAACP Image Awards, presented by the NAACP, honored outstanding representations and achievements of people of color in motion pictures, television, music, and literature during the 2021 calendar year. The ceremony aired on February 26, ...
for Outstanding Lifestyle/Self-Help Podcast. On October 29, 2021, Williams costarred in Hallmark's holiday themed TV movie, ''Christmas in Harmony''. In 2022, Williams competed as "Rockhopper" in the
third series Third or 3rd may refer to: Numbers * 3rd, the ordinal form of the cardinal number 3 * , a fraction of one third * 1⁄60 of a ''second'', i.e., the third in a series of fractional parts in a sexagesimal number system Places * 3rd Street (dis ...
of the British version of ''The Masked Singer''. She later competed as "Microphone" in the fourth season of The Masked Singer Australia, making her the first celebrity to compete in three versions of the show. She also starred in the Lifetime movie '' Wrath: A Seven Deadly Sins Story'', which aired on April 16, 2022. In January 2024, Williams appeared alongside her cousin on
Fox Foxes are small-to-medium-sized omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull; upright, triangular ears; a pointed, slightly upturned snout; and a long, bushy tail ("brush"). Twelve species ...
's '' We Are Family''. In March 2024, Williams was cast in the musical adaptation of ''
Death Becomes Her ''Death Becomes Her'' is a 1992 American satirical surrealistic black comedy fantasy film directed and produced by Robert Zemeckis and written by David Koepp and Martin Donovan. The film stars Meryl Streep, Goldie Hawn, Bruce Willis, a ...
'', playing Viola Van Horn (Lisle von Rhuman in the film version), at the
Cadillac Palace Theatre The Cadillac Palace Theatre (originally the New Palace Theatre) is operated by Broadway In Chicago, a Nederlander company and seats 2,344. It is located at 151 West Randolph Street in the Chicago Loop area. Opened in 1926 and designed largely i ...
in
Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
from April 30 to June 2. She continued the role in the
Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street ** Broadway Theatre (53rd Stre ...
production which started on October 23.


Artistry


Voice

Williams can be identified as a
soprano A soprano () is a type of classical singing voice and has the highest vocal range of all voice types. The soprano's vocal range (using scientific pitch notation) is from approximately middle C (C4) = 261 Hertz, Hz to A5 in Choir, choral ...
. William Ruhlmann of ''
AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...
'' commented that she has a "warm, kittenish voice" with the ability to "transform" from "kitten to tiger", belting "with absolute conviction". ''GospelMusicCity.com'' praised her "delicate vocals" and described her "sopralto stylings" as "inimitable", writing that on "Heard a Word" she "demonstrates further versatility in
Ella Ella is a feminine given name, which also used as a surname. Ella (or similar) may also refer to: Places United States * Ella, Kentucky, an unincorporated community * Ella, Oregon, an unincorporated community * Ella, Pennsylvania, an unincor ...
-like fashion". Sal Cinquemani of ''
Slant Magazine ''Slant Magazine'' is an American online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New Yor ...
'' compared her to other singers, writing "Williams's warm vocal recalls both the playful wisps of her R&B contemporaries ( Jill Scott,
Erykah Badu Erica Abi Wright (born February 26, 1971), known professionally as Erykah Badu, is an American singer and songwriter. Influenced by rhythm and blues, R&B, Soul music, soul, and hip hop, Badu rose to prominence in the late 1990s when her debut al ...
) and the breathy timbre of
Diana Ross Diana Ross (born Diane Ernestine Earle Ross March 26, 1944) is an American singer and actress. Known as the "Queen of Motown Records", she was the lead singer of the vocal group the Supremes, who became Motown#Major divisions, Motown's most suc ...
". Emily Sogn of ''
PopMatters ''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, ...
'' wrote "Williams singing style is pleasingly slow paced...that owes a lot to her pop contemporaries like Ashanti and
Janet Jackson Janet Damita Jo Jackson (born May 16, 1966) is an American singer, songwriter, actress and dancer. She is noted for her innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows. Her sound and choreogr ...
." Mike Rimmer of ''
Cross Rhythms Cross Rhythms is a Christian media organisation based in Stoke-on-Trent, England. It operates an FM and online radio station, produces radio shows sent internationally, and its website has resources about contemporary Christian music. His ...
'' described her voice as "soulful". Caroline Sullivan of ''
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...
'' wrote that "Williams's strength is a shimmery jazz lilt".


Honors and awards

Williams has earned an array of awards and honors as a solo artist and a member of Destiny's Child. These include: one
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious ...
and one
MOBO Award The MOBO Awards (Music of Black Origin, also known as the MOBOs) are an annual British music award presentation honouring achievements in " music of black origin", including hip hop, grime, UK Drill, R&B, soul, reggae, jazz, gospel, and Bant ...
. ''Billboard'' ranked Williams as the fifth Top Gospel Artist of 2002 due to the success of her debut release ''Heart to Yours'' which was one of the best-selling gospel releases of the year. In 2013, Williams was honored in her hometown of
Rockford, Illinois Rockford is a city in Winnebago County, Illinois, Winnebago and Ogle County, Illinois, Ogle counties in the U.S. state of Illinois. Located in far northern Illinois on the banks of the Rock River (Mississippi River tributary), Rock River, Rockfor ...
at the 2013 ''I Love Gospel Music'' honors luncheon, which featured musical tributes, including one by '' Sunday Best'' winner Amber Bullock.


Personal life

Williams reportedly began dating pastor and professional sports chaplain Chad Johnson in July 2017. Williams and Johnson announced their engagement via ''
People The term "the people" refers to the public or Common people, common mass of people of a polity. As such it is a concept of human rights law, international law as well as constitutional law, particularly used for claims of popular sovereignty. I ...
'' on April 19, 2018. In September 2018, the couple revealed plans to film a television series, showcasing their relationship as they navigate the road from engagement to marriage. On November 3, 2018, the reality show ''Chad Loves Michelle'' began airing on the
Oprah Winfrey Network The Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN, also known as the OWN Network) is an American multinational basic cable television network which launched on January 1, 2011, effectively replacing the Discovery Health Channel, which one month later merged with ...
. In December 2018, Williams announced that she and Johnson had both called off their engagement.


Mental health

Williams has a history of depression, saying that she has "been suffering since the ages of 13 and 15". During her time with Destiny's Child, she says that she told their then manager Mathew Knowles about her feelings, but that he did not really understand. He replied to her concerns by trying to point out the good side of their new-found fame, "You all just signed a multi-millionaire dollar deal, you're about to go on tour, what have you got to be depressed about?" She said that she had difficulty understanding her own feelings until later in life, around her thirties, stating that "I didn't know until I was in my 30s what was going on, I just thought it was growing pains, I just thought I'm turning into a woman." She also felt that Knowles intended no malice, and only had her best interests at heart, "Bless his heart... I think he wanted me to be grateful, which I was, but I was still sad." Williams again felt helpless after she and her fiancé, Chad Johnson, split up in late 2018. She said the breakup left her "shattered and ... fighting suicidal thoughts." She said that she felt "so angry. The rage built up in me. I did not attempt suicide, but I was questioning ife. Williams suffered a nervous breakdown just after opening day for a Broadway production of ''Once on This Island'' and was advised to leave the show by her doctor. By April 2020 she had returned to better health, saying that "I am in a better place now. I am not perfect. I'm not preaching ... When people say it gets better, it does. It just takes time. The days do get brighter".


Memoir

In November 2020, Williams announced plans to release a memoir "revealing her entire truth including a deeper dive into where her anxiety and depression came from." She stated, "I'm ready to share, I've been a very transparent person and now I'm ready to share the good, bad, and ugly parts of my journey—the concerning part of my journey. ... I really go into the specifics, I really go into the first time I was diagnosed, I go into assessing the first time I had anxiety in a romantic relationship and what it did to that relationship and then subsequently what it did to the next one." Williams said she hoped to "really help heal through my story" and "let people know what I do on a daily, what I do on a monthly–whatever it takes to get people whole and get people where they can maybe start seeing some better results in their own life." The book titled ''Checking In: How Getting Real about Depression Saved My Life—and Can Save Yours'' was published on May 25, 2021.


Philanthropy

In 2001, Williams made a "bountiful" donation of $148,900 to her church, St. Paul Church of God in Christ in Rockford, Illinois – of which she has been a member since birth – to finish construction of the church's school, St. Paul Academy. The church is pastored by her uncle, Bishop James E. Washington. In 2005, music producer
David Foster David Walter Foster (born November 1, 1949) is a Canadian record producer, composer, arranger, and musician. He has won 16 Grammy Awards from 47 nominations. His career began as a keyboardist for the pop group Skylark in the early 1970s befor ...
, his daughter Amy Foster-Gillies, and Knowles wrote " Stand Up for Love", which would serve as the anthem of World
Children's Day Children's Day is a commemorative date celebrated annually in honour of children, whose date of observance varies by country. In 1925, International Children's Day was first proclaimed in Geneva during the World Conference on Child Welfare. Sin ...
, an event which takes place annually around the world on November 20 to raise awareness and funds for children's causes worldwide. Destiny's Child lent their voices and support as global ambassadors for the 2005 World Children's Day program. In this role, Knowles, Rowland and Williams visited Ronald McDonald Houses around the world during their '' Destiny Fulfilled... and Lovin' It'' World Tour and donated a portion of their North American ticket sales to Ronald McDonald House Charities. In September 2006, Williams jump-started the Chicago PepsiCo S.M.A.R.T. – which stands for five simple steps that encourage active living and better food choices – program to promote active, healthy lifestyles by building a new "Smart Spot" playground in Chicago. Williams, along with friend
Lance Bass James Lance Bass (; born May 4, 1979) is an American singer, actor, and producer. He grew up in Mississippi and rose to fame as the Bass (voice type), bass singer for the boy band NSYNC. The band has sold over 70 million records, becoming one of ...
, was on hand to sing to and greet kids at the opening of Camp Heartland, a camp dedicated to helping kids suffering from HIV/AIDS enjoy life and take their mind off their illness. In 2006, the
Chicago Sky The Chicago Sky are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago. The Sky compete in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) as a member of the Eastern Conference. The franchise was founded prior to the 2006 season. Th ...
, a team in the
Women's National Basketball Association The Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) is a women's professional basketball league in the United States. The league comprises 13 teams (scheduled to expand to 15 in 2026). The WNBA is headquartered in Midtown Manhattan. The WNBA w ...
, announced that Williams, along with Mathew Knowles, is part of a group of minority shareholder owners in the team. In 2012, she became an ambassador for the
American Heart Association The American Heart Association (AHA) is a nonprofit organization in the United States that funds cardiovascular medical research, educates consumers on healthy living and fosters appropriate Heart, cardiac care in an effort to reduce disability ...
's ''Power to End Stroke'' campaign. In speaking of her role she said "I am honored to partner with the campaign ... my father had a stroke in 2005 due to smoking, diabetes and an unhealthy diet, and my grandmother was diagnosed with having a stroke in 2006 when she went to her doctor for a simple outpatient procedure. I am bringing awareness to people so that strokes can be prevented. Let's take care of ourselves...the first step is knowledge about your health." In 2014, Williams partnered with
Hyundai Hyundai is a former South Korean industrial conglomerate ("''chaebol''"), which was restructured into the following groups: * Hyundai Group, parts of the former conglomerate which have not been divested ** Hyundai Asan, a real estate construction ...
's non-profit organization, Hope on Wheels, "committed to finding a cure for childhood cancer"; which has raised over $74,000,000 for the cause since its inception in 1998.


Discography

Studio albums * ''
Heart to Yours ''Heart to Yours'' is the debut solo studio album by American singer and songwriter Michelle Williams. Released on April 16, 2002, by Sanctuary and Columbia Records, it became the first solo release of any Destiny's Child member. Production of ...
'' (2002) * ''
Do You Know Do You Know may refer to: Music Albums * ''Do You Know'' (Michelle Williams album) an album from Michelle Williams ** "Do You Know", the album's title track * ''Do You Know'' (Jessica Simpson album), an album from Jessica Simpson ** "Do You Kno ...
'' (2004) * '' Unexpected'' (2008) * '' Journey to Freedom'' (2014) with Destiny's Child * ''
Survivor Survivor(s) may refer to: * one who survives Arts, entertainment and media Fictional entities * Survivors, characters in the 1997 KKnD series#Armies, ''KKnD'' video-game series * ''The Survivors'', or the ''New Survivors Foundation'', a fictional ...
'' (2001) * ''
8 Days of Christmas ''8 Days of Christmas'' is the fourth studio album and only Christmas album by American R&B girl group Destiny's Child, released on October 30, 2001, by Columbia Records. Background The album contains twelve tracks featuring traditional Chri ...
'' (2001) * ''
Destiny Fulfilled ''Destiny Fulfilled'' is the fifth and final studio album by American girl group Destiny's Child Destiny's Child was an American girl group whose final lineup comprised Beyoncé, Beyoncé Knowles, Kelly Rowland, and Michelle Williams ( ...
'' (2004)


Filmography


Stage credits


Other works


Podcasts


References


External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Williams, Michelle 1979 births Living people 20th-century Protestants 20th-century African-American women singers 20th-century American women singers 20th-century American singers 21st-century Protestants 21st-century African-American women singers 21st-century American women singers Actresses from Rockford, Illinois African-American actresses African-American Christians African-American women singer-songwriters American women singer-songwriters American contemporary R&B singers American dance musicians American expatriates in the United Kingdom American film actresses American gospel singers American musical theatre actresses American Pentecostals American performers of Christian music American television actresses American women pop singers Chicago Sky owners Destiny's Child members American feminist musicians Gold Star Records artists Grammy Award winners Illinois State University alumni Members of the Church of God in Christ Musicians from Rockford, Illinois Participants in American reality television series Singer-songwriters from Illinois