Beyoncé released her first solo studio album, Dangerously in Love, in 2003.
Columbia Records issued the album on June 23, 2003. Beyoncé recorded it during a period when Destiny’s Child was on hiatus, allowing her to establish an independent musical identity while remaining associated with the successful group.
The album combined contemporary R&B, pop, hip-hop, and soul influences. Its most prominent singles were “Crazy in Love,” “Baby Boy,” “Me, Myself and I,” and “Naughty Girl.” Jay-Z appears on “Crazy in Love,” which became an especially important early marker of Beyoncé’s solo career.
The year can be confused with 2001, when she appeared in the television musical film Carmen: A Hip Hopera, or with 2002, when she appeared in Austin Powers in Goldmember. Neither year marks the release of her first solo studio album.