Beyonce Knowles, Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams talked to MSNBC’S Deborah Norville, in an interview scheduled to air Friday, November 26. 9 p.m. ET. It was their longest and most wide-ranging primetime interview ever about their lives together as the hit singing sensation, “Destiny’s Child.”
Providing a rare glimpse into their personal lives and feelings, the band members speak candidly about their road to fame, how their faith has kept them healthy, the flip side of being famous and how they feel about each other. “Deborah Norville Tonight” telecasts from 9-10 p.m. ET Monday through Friday on MSNBC.
Following are excerpts of the interview:
DEBORAH NORVILLE, HOST, MSNBC: A lot of people when you separated said “Yeah, that’s a PR thing they won’t get back together” but you did!
BEYONCE KNOWLES: Well the beautiful thing about us, we really genuinely are friends and you know, it was important for us to go our separate ways for a while... and we always knew that we would come back. We know our strengths and our weaknesses now and it just makes the group even stronger and closer.
NORVILLE: When you look at the video of “This is Survivor” the title cut, take me back to where you were in your mind, Beyonce, as you were on the beach were you thinking “this could be a big thing for us”?
KNOWLES: Yes, well this probably was the most difficult video. Our knees were raw from the sand, the water, as glamorous as it looks, was freezing cold. They made it look blue but it wasn’t quite as blue as it seemed and it was a test! But we knew that it was something really special that you know, this weird vibe was going on.
NORVILLE: Now, fast forward to 2004, the new album is out, it’s called “Destiny Fulfilled.” Tell me about the fulfillment part before we look at a clip.
KELLY ROWLAND: “Destiny Fulfilled” is just, I have to say, one of the most amazing records that Destiny’s Child has ever done because like I said, it’s growth, it’s confidence, it’s just so many different elements on this record that makes it, you know, the great record that we feel that it is.
NORVILLE: How much of your own lives are in these songs? You’ve been working really hard since you were nine years old!
KNOWLES: I think the beauty in being in a group we’ve kind of combined all of our stories together. It’s so wonderful to have all these women that have been through the same types of things.
NORVILLE: How much fun was “Austin Powers?”
KNOWLES: I still can’t believe that was me. It was such a great time in my life. I was so nervous and so excited as my first film and I was with all these seasoned actors and I still.. I’m like, “Oh My God, that’s me.”
NORVILLE: While the hiatus was going on, each of you was doing different things. How was the "Jason" movie?
ROWLAND: That was a lot of fun. I was honored to be doing a Freddy and even a Freddy v. Jason movie. I just think that made history.
NORVILLE: And while these guys were burning up films, Michelle you were burning up Broadway in Aida? That has to be a completely different kind of pressure?
MICHELLE WILLIAMS: Yes, because in Broadway you have to really know the words you have to know your lines. I’m not saying in music that you don’t know lines but you can’t put your microphone in the audience and say “everyone sing along!”
DEBORAH NORVILLE: How do you all make these opportunities happen in your career? How does that kind of thing happen because there are a lot of people out there who are talented but they can’t take that talent and notoriety and ratchet it up?
KNOWLES: Well I think we love what we do and people can see that and appreciate it. I think the thing we focus on is respect. We want to make sure that our kids can be proud of their mommies one day.
NORVILLE: How did you all know at nine years of age that the kind of success you’re enjoying now is what you wanted?
KNOWLES: I think you know that there are certain people that are born for things. And we were very focused. We wanted to be singers. That’s what we dreamed about. We couldn’t think about anything else. After school, every summer, we would perform everywhere we could— at the grocery store, my mother’s hair salon, anywhere. Anybody that came to visit Houston, we were the opening act. We were so excited, so in awe and that’s just it, it was our dream.