Destiny's Child are preparing to release new music for the first time in more than two decades, marking the 30th anniversary of the group's formation. Beyoncé, Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams are working on previously unheard material, according to Mathew Knowles, Beyoncé's father and the trio's former manager.
The announcement caught fans off guard, since few had expected new material from the group. Knowles said the release was only weeks away.
What Mathew Knowles revealed
In a recent interview, Knowles said the group was preparing a lot of new remixes, some of which fans have never heard from Destiny's Child. He said several of the remixes had never been released and would come out very soon, adding that they were expected within the next 30 days.
He was clear that the tracks are not covers performed by other artists. He said it is the three women themselves who appear on the songs.
According to Knowles, the songs are being reworked for a fresh sound across different genres, ranging from dance remixes to urban versions. He confirmed one name already generating excitement among fans: American rapper Missy Elliott. He said there are some guest rappers involved, but that Beyoncé, Kelly and Michelle carry the weight of the songs.
Knowles also suggested some of the upcoming tracks could be entirely unreleased material, saying the group has so much Destiny's Child music that never came out.
How many songs, and what comes next
Knowles has not said exactly how many tracks the group has ready, though some media reports suggest they have a collection of between 10 and 15 recovered songs for the new project.
Whatever the final count, it would mark the first joint material from the group since their 2004 album 'Destiny Fulfilled'. That record capped one of the most successful careers in R&B history before the trio officially announced their split in 2006.
A slow-burning reunion
The news comes as a surprise, but there have been signs of a possible reunion for years. Beyoncé, Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams have remained close, performing together at the Super Bowl halftime show in 2013 and sharing a stage again five years later at the Coachella festival.
Last year, Beyoncé invited Rowland and Williams to join her at the final concert of her Cowboy Carter tour in Las Vegas, where the three performed songs including 'Bootylicious', 'Lose My Breath' and 'Energy'.
Fans of songs like 'Say My Name', 'Survivor' and 'Independent Women Part I' now have new material to look forward to. It remains unclear whether the project will lead to further new songs, a tour, or simply serve to mark three decades since the group's formation, but hearing the three voices together again is expected to stir nostalgia for millions of fans.
