These Throwback Photos Prove Beyoncé’s Renaissance Has Been 24 Years In The Making

It’s been quite a while since Beyoncé had the kind of day job she sings about quitting in “Break My Soul” (well, if you count sweeping the floor of her mom’s salon as a kid, as she told Essence). By the time she was just 16, Destiny’s Child had dropped their first debut album.

Beyoncé’s first Grammys came soon after, winning Best R&B Song and Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal for “Say My Name,” alongside Destiny’s Child. 20 years later, Queen Bey became the Grammys’ most decorated female artist ever — but more on that later.