Solange Knowles is the younger sister of Beyoncé Knowles, lead singer of Destiny's Child, and the daughter of Mathew Knowles, manager of Destiny's Child and head of the Music World Music record label. Solange studied dance and theater as a child and made her singing debut at age five at an amusement park. As her father managed her sister's emerging vocal group, she often opened for Destiny's Child, and she soon began writing songs. At 13, she decided to pursue a professional singing career, but her parents at first advised her to wait. Shortly afterward, however, she was called upon to replace one of the dancers in Destiny's Child's stage act on short notice. She spent the next two years dancing in the group's performances. When she was 16, her father signed her to his company and began grooming her for a solo recording career. Her debut single, "Feelin' You, Pt. 2," was released in late 2002 and reached Billboard's R&B/hip-hop chart. Her first album, Solo Star, followed in January 2003 and debuted in the Top 50 of the Billboard 200. ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide
