The Truth Behind the Decision That Broke Up Destiny's Child

Destiny's Child broke up almost two decades ago, but the band still remains so popular that speculation about the causes behind their disbanding never ceases.

In their fifteen years together, the band rose to global fame, receiving multiple Grammy Awards and a Hollywood Walk of Fame star.

They also counted legendary Whitney Houston among their fans, who once urged them to always stick together. In 2001, the band announced they were going on a two-year hiatus to work on solo projects. Initially, the plan was to get back together and continue as a band after. However, two years later, the hiatus became permanent.

The band had humble beginnings as an act called Girl's Tyme in Houston, Texas, in the 1990s. Originally, they were a quartet comprising Beyoncé, Kelly Rowland, LeToya Luckett, and LaTavia Roberson. Enjoying some success, the band performed under the original name until 1997, when they signed a deal with Columbia Records and rebranded as Destiny's Child.

Three years later, LeToya and LaTavia quit because, according to them, producer Mathew Knowles clearly favoured Beyoncé and Kelly. Michelle Williams and Farah Franklin were hired as replacements, but Franklin left only a couple of months later, turning Destiny's Child into a trio until their eventual dissolution in 2005.

While some people have speculated about how the successful band got torn apart by internal strife, the truth is far more prosaic. By 2015, Destiny's Child had been together for a whopping fifteen years, and all the members felt it was time for a change, thus the hiatus to try and go solo. When their solo projects proved successful, they decided to call it quits as a band.

An official statement was issued, announcing Destiny's Child was 'disbanding'.

'We have been working together as Destiny's Child since we were 9, and touring together since we were 14,' the statement read. '... 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.'

Some speculated at the time that the decision to break up was pushed by the more successful members of the band (we won't be pointing fingers here); the truth is Destiny's Child went on that hiatus because all the members felt constrained by the girls' band format and wanted to try something different. Anyway, what's done is done, and all the Destiny's Child graduates have gone from strength to strength since their 'disbanding'.

Source: MTV News