Raised in a Christian-based family, Williams learned to sing in her church's choir. She later sang in a musical quartet called United Harmony with sister Cameron. After attending Auburn High School, she pursued a degree in criminal justice at Illinois State University while singing back-up for R&B star Monica. It was then that she gained the opportunity in becoming part of the what was soon to be global phenomenon of Destiny's Child.

Williams officially joined the group in February 2000, after much-publicized turmoil. The first video she appeared in alongside co-founding members Beyonc頋nowles and Kelly Rowland and new 4th member Farrah Franklin was Say My Name, shot just a few days after she joined the group. Subsequent events saw the new quartet reduced to a trio when Farrah left the group. As a trio, Michelle and Destiny's Child continued their (what may have been surprising to some people, after a line of member changes and media-developed group conflict) rise to global superstardom with the 11-week Billboard #1 hit, Independent Women Part 1, featured on Destiny's Child's third studio album, Survivor, as well as the Charlie's Angels soundtrack. After three other Top 10 Billboard Hot100 hits - the title-track Survivor, Bootylicious and Emotion - and a massive tour, the group separated temporarily to pursue various solo endeavors.

After the release and promotion of the Survivor, Williams became the first member to release a solo studio album. Her Gospel album, Heart to Yours, shot up to #1 on the Billboard Gospel Chart and became the biggest-selling Gospel album of 2002; she then broke into acting with her starring role in the Broadway hit, Aida, replacing R&B singer Toni Braxton.

Following the success of her debut, Michelle released her sophomore album, entitled Do You Know, in 2004, featuring the single of the same name and a Destiny's Child Gospel track I Know. The album did not perform as well as her debut but did reach #2 on the Hot Christian Contemporary Album Chart and #3 on the Billboard Gospel Chart.

The lesser performance of Do You Know may have been due to the increasing criticism of Williams, by some devout Christian groups, who were against the fact that she was both a solo artist partaking in Gospel music and an R&B artist as part of the globally successful Destiny's Child. Williams herself explained that she has a job and someone's job should not be a pre-conception of what that person is like, though at the same time she did not justify the claims of those Christian groups - their view being that it is almost sinful to partake in both a career in Gospel music and R&B music, believing it is for commercial gain alone. Still, the second album produced many great tracks and a different sound from the debut, with more R&Bish beats and very solid vocals from Michelle and all those featured.

After the three year hiatus that involved concentration on individual solo projects, Michelle rejoined Beyonc頋nowles and Kelly Rowland for Destiny's Child's fourth (and final) studio album, Destiny Fulfilled, released November 2004. The album hit #2 on the Billboard 200 and spawned the hits Lose My Breath, Soldier, Girl and Cater 2 U. Destiny Fulfilled is without doubt the album which displays Williams raspy, soulful vocals best and shows her development as an artist and potential to be even bigger as a future solo vocalist. The album title itself was a hint that Destiny Fulfilled may in fact be the last Destiny's Child album and indeed that was to be the case.

Williams and the other two-thirds of Destiny's Child embarked on a World Tour sponsored by McDonald's titled, Destiny Fulfilled and Lovin' It, in 2005, visiting over 70 cities throughout Australia, Asia, Europe and North America from April to September. Shortly before the end of the European leg of the tour, at a concert in Barcelona, Spain, Kelly announced that the group was to go their separate ways the following September. In October 2005 the group released their final album, entitled #1's, including all of Destiny's Child's #1 hits and most well-known songs. The Greatest Hits collection also includes 3 new tracks, one of which is the final single Stand Up For Love.

It is fair to say that Michelle has been the least profiled member of Destiny's Child and though not as famous as Beyonc頯r Kelly, she is much more well-known and recognised than the orignal ex-members of the group (LeToya Luckett and LaTavia Roberson, who were mainly noticed for their backing vocals on the majority of the group's first two albums). Unlike the former members, Michelle was given the opportunity to share lead vocals from Day 1 of her recording with Destiny's Child and has undoubtedly brought her own unique vocals to the forefront of the group alongside Beyonce and Kelly.

Their last effort as a group will be re-housing 100 families, affected in recent months by the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina, in a temporary trailer park community which will be known as Destiny Village.

--Wikipedia