New York, Sept 16: Singer Beyonce Knowles says she and Destiny's Child cohorts Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams will reunite in the studio early next year to begin work on their first album of new material together in more than two years. The last studio record by the Grammy-winning rhythm and blues trio was "Survivor" in 2001.

"Destiny's Child will be back in the studio in January," Knowles said in an interview with Reuters on Monday. The three singers parted company in late 2001 to pursue solo projects. Knowles cemented her own celebrity status as Foxxy Cleopatra in the 2002 film "Austin Powers in Goldmember," then scored a hit earlier this year with her solo record, "Dangerously in Love."

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Rowland made her solo debut with last year's "Simply Deep," while Williams released a gospel/soul record titled "Heart to Yours."
Knowles, who stars in the upcoming film "The Fighting Temptations," opening on Friday, has kept particularly busy. She may issue another collection of her own songs before the new Destiny's Child effort.

"I recorded about 45 songs for my record, but only put 15 on it," Knowles said. "I still have a lot of songs that I really love that I couldn't put on the record. So I might be releasing another record of my unreleased songs before the Destiny's Child record comes out."

Knowles said she hopes the trio can take a few months to work on some new material and find a fresh sound.

"I want us to work together from the very start on every song because everybody has grown so much," she said. "It's been a couple of years. I know the sound is going to mature and be a little different. We have to figure it out.
"Kelly made an alternative record and Michelle's was gospel. We've got to mix it all together and figure out what we're really going to do."

Destiny's Child, which began more than a decade ago as a foursome in Houston, emerged as a reconstituted trio following the acrimonious departure of two co-founding members of the group in 1999.

Knowles, Rowland and Williams became a dominant pop music force in the spring of 2000, producing a string of multi-platinum albums and such hit singles as "Say My Name," "Jumpin', Jumpin"' and "Bootylicious."

The group's third album of new material, "Survivor," debuted in May 2001 at No. 1 on the Billboard pop charts and sold more than 3 million copies.

Bureau Report