Destiny’s Child released their self-titled debut album 20 years ago, which may seem like the perfect time to reunite for a new record. But the girl group’s longtime manager, Mathew Knowles, strongly disagrees.
“I would highly suggest [to] them not to do that,” the Racism From the Eyes of a Child author, 66, tells Us Weekly exclusively.
Instead, Knowles would prefer to see his daughter Beyoncé and her bandmates Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams get together again for a concert tour. “What fans want is to see them live,” he says. “What the fans want is to hear those songs that they grew up with. How today’s music is, I would highly suggest it’s a risk of putting out new stuff and it not being successful. That could mess up the tour.”
Destiny’s Child began their musical career in the early ‘90s under the name Girl’s Tyme. They competed (and lost) on Star Search in 1993 before changing their name and signing with Columbia Records four years later. After the departures of original members LeToya Luckett and LaTavia Roberson, DC went on to become one of the most successful girl groups of all time, with hits including “Say My Name,” “Independent Women,” “Bootylicious” and “Survivor.” They released their fourth and final studio album, Destiny Fulfilled, in 2004 before pursuing solo projects. Rowland and Williams, both 37, briefly appeared as surprise guests during Beyoncé’s Super Bowl halftime show in 2013.
According to Knowles, the trio have maintained a close friendship ever since they disbanded. “To this day, they are best friends,” he tells Us. “Most girl groups break up because of a breakup in the friendship. … But these girls are still best friends. So, I can absolutely one day think, like, ‘So, hey, let’s do a tour.’”
The businessman, who is working on a new memoir titled Destiny’s Child: The Untold Story, adds that his favorite DC song is “Survivor” because it has “touched a lot of people in a lot of positive ways.”
In Knowles’ book Racism From the Eyes of a Child, he discusses colorism and his experience growing up during the civil rights movement. He tells Us, “I have managed white boy bands and white girl groups. I know for a fact that the budgets are different — the recording budgets, the advances, the marketing budgets. … Colorism played a role, especially for black women [on] pop radio, from Rihanna, Alicia Keys, Mariah Carey, Nicki Minaj and others.”
With reporting by Marc Lupo.
