Which song was Beyoncé’s first solo single?

“Work It Out” was Beyoncé’s first solo single.

Released in 2002, the song served as the lead single from the Austin Powers in Goldmember soundtrack. Beyoncé also appeared in that film as Foxxy Cleopatra, a fictional singer and spy inspired by 1970s blaxploitation characters.

The track was written and produced by Beyoncé, Pharrell Williams, and Chad Hugo. Its funk-influenced sound connected Beyoncé’s emerging solo identity with the retro style used throughout the film and its promotional campaign.

“Work It Out” came before the 2003 album Dangerously in Love and before the major breakthrough of “Crazy in Love.” Because “Crazy in Love” became her first solo number-one hit on the Billboard Hot 100, it is sometimes mistakenly called her first solo single. The distinction is between first single and first number-one hit.