11 February 2024 , 08:00
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When it comes to friendship goals, look no further than Beyonce and Kelly Rowland.
The duo are the epitome of sisterhood, combining loyalty, love and steadfastness, and have always had each other's backs. Beyonce and Kelly shot to fame in the world's biggest girlband Destiny's Child alongside Michelle Williams.
As Kelly prepares to celebrate her 43rd birthday, we take a look at their incredible friendship spanning nearly four decades from living together as kids to Coachella glory and a unshakeable sisterhood.
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Unlike other bands, you'll never see Beyonce and Kelly in public spats with each other, that would be against their girl-code. They are fiercely protective of one another, and Kelly is known to make sure only good people could get through to Beyonce after 'vetting' them first.
In a past interview, Kelly and Michelle were asked if they were worried abut Beyonce's success. At that point they all rolled their eyes and Michelle and Kelly said they were all very secure women and would always support each other.
True to their word, they have always shown up for each other, and have a girl squad of strong women including Taylor Swift, Blake Lively and Lala Anthony.
Kelly recently described reuniting with Destiny's Child for Beyonce's Coachella show in 2018 as one of the 'highlights of her career. She stated she never went to college, they spent a lot of time with tutors on the road. So Coachella was like her home-coming.
Beyonce and Kelly show up for third member Michelle too - and drove fans wild when they appeared on Michelle's gospel hit cover of Say Yes in 2014.
Early days
Much of Kelly and Beyonce's bond is due to them growing up as 'sisters'. Kelly moved into Beyonce's family home when she was a child aged 11, and was raised alongside Beyonce, and her younger sister Solange by 'Mama T' - Beyonce's mum Tina Knowles and Beyonce's dad, their band manager Matthew Knowles.
To this day, Tina lovingly calls Kelly her 'daughter' and refers to Kelly's children as 'her grandchildren.'
Highs and lows
Beyonce Knowles, Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams (Matt Baron/BEI/REX/Shutterstock)
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The group began their career as Girl's Tyme in 1990 in Houston, Texas, before switching up to Destiny's Child in 1997, when they signed to Columbia records.
As well as their musical hits, the girls hit headlines with their line-up changes when LaTavia Roberson, LeToya Luckett left, followed by Farrah Franklin later on.
Through it all, Kelly, Beyonce and Michelle have remained loyal to each other - never slamming each other in interviews.
Love and family
Throughout their dating days, Beyonce and Kelly would be fiercely protective of guys who were interested, they would get each other's seal of approval and make sure only the best of the best would date their girlfriend.
Beyonce and Kelly are known to support each other through motherhood too, talking about everything from stretch-marks to sleepless nights, raising their kids as cousins and going on family holidays together.
They are now both married with kids. Kelly has two sons, Titan, 8 and Noah, 2, with husband Tim Weatherspoon. Beyonce has 3 kids, blue Ivy, 11, and 6-year-old twins Rumi and Sir, with husband Jay-Z.
Their husbands are close too, and spent plenty of 'bro time' together exploring museums in Paris during the European leg of Beyonce's Renaissance tour last year.
Legacy
The band still has a huge fanbase (Tannen Maury/EPA/REX/Shutterstock)Destiny's Child are yet to announce if they will reunite for a sixth album, but they keep fans hopeful with their surprise reunions. Kelly opened up about just how much she loves being on stage with Beyonce and Michelle.
She said: "Of course I miss us being on stage, but I don't miss the ladies in that way, I see them all the time. We are still family, " she told Today. She said: "Those are my sisters. I call them when there's great news, bad news, OK news. I love them to death. Michelle and Bey are my gems, the gems of my life."