The members of Destiny's Child are ready to become independent women.
During Saturday's concert in Barcelona, Kelly Rowland announced that it would be the band's final European appearance as the singers plan to go their separate ways at the conclusion of their Destiny Fulfilled...And Lovin' It Tour.
Beyoncé#233; Knowles, Michelle Williams and Rowland further confirmed their plans to split up with a statement pledging their ongoing love and respect for one another and thanking fans for their support.
"We have been working together as Destiny's Child since we were 9, and touring together since we were 14," the statement read. "After a lot of discussion and some deep soul searching, we realized that our current tour has given us the opportunity to leave Destiny's Child on a high note, united in our friendship and filled with an overwhelming gratitude for our music, our fans, and each other.
"After all these wonderful years working together, we realized that now is the time to pursue our personal goals and solo efforts in earnest....No matter what happens, we will always love each other as friends and sisters and will always support each other as artists. We want to thank all of our fans for their incredible love and support and hope to see you all again as we continue fulfilling our destinies."
Over the years, Destiny's Child has become one of the top-selling girl groups in history, with worldwide sales of more than 40 million. The band's most recent album, Destiny Fulfilled, has sold more than 2 million copies.
The band debuted as a teenage R&B quartet in 1997. Original members Knowles, Rowland, LeToya Luckett and LaTavia Roberson scored an instant hit with "No No No (Part 1)."
Following the release of the band's second album, The Writing's On The Wall, Luckett and Roberson were given the boot and were replaced by Williams and Farrah Franklin. The jilted band members sued the group and Knowles' father, Matthew, who acted as manager to the band, and eventually reached a settlement.
However, the drama wasn't over the band. After five months, Franklin was also given the heave-ho from Destiny's Child in July 2000. The group continued as a threesome, going on to score a huge hit with "Independent Women, Part 1" from the Charlie's Angels soundtrack and following it up with 2001's Survivor, which featured the song "Bootylicious."
The band then took a hiatus while the members pursued solo interests. It was at this point that Beyoncé#233; became a single-monikered superstar, with the multi-platinum success of Dangerously in Love, which went on to capture five Grammys.
Rowland and Williams also released less heralded solo projects. Rowland's 2002 album, Simply Deep, featured her Grammy-winning duet with Nelly, "Dilemma," while Williams came out with two solo albums--2002's Heart To Yours and 2004's Do You Know--that failed to make much of a splash.
With Beyoncé#233;'s meteoric rise, rumors were rampant that the band would never pick up where they left off. But last year, Destiny's Child returned to the studio to record Destiny Fulfilled, which, appropriately, would become their final album.
The North American leg of the band's tour kicks off July 9 in St. Louis and will wrap up in Vancouver on Sept. 10.
Following their final concert, Destiny's Child will retire the band's name and pursue opportunities in film, television, design and, of course, music.
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