Solange Knowles

Solange Knowles has a background in overcoming unexpected obstacles. In 2004, the soul chanteuse -- familiar to most who've heard her name as the younger sister of Beyonce Knowles -- married football player Daniel Smith when she was only 17. Later that year, she gave birth to a son, and soon the family moved to tiny Moscow, Idaho, while Smith attended college. "We were probably the only black people there other than those on the football and basketball teams," Knowles says now, seated at a table in the restaurant of the Regent Beverly Wilshire.

Musicians - and the people who work closely with them - really know how to party. That's why Grammys night, unlike other high-end awards nights like the Oscars or Emmys, usually means one thing: unadulterated decadence. Actors hate to be seen acting rowdy, but musicians pride themselves on it. The parties started Tuesday and lasted until the wee hours Sunday. Solange Knowles and fellow alt-soul singer Lianne La havas were honored Wednesday at Essence's Fourth Annual Black Women in Music at posh West Hollywood nightspot Greystone Manor Supperclub.

Solange Knowles returns to music after a four-year hiatus with the release of the single and video for “Losing You.” The singer/songwriter/model's slow sonic evolution has been a captivating one to watch since she released her 2003 debut of unoffensive pop-R&B. Before coming into her own on 2008's criminally overlooked “Sol-Angel and the Hadley Street Dreams,” she struggled to find her footing and overcome the expectations that come with being the little sister of this person . Produced by Blood Orange's Devonté Hynes, "Losing You," is a sticky mid-tempo dance-R&B cut that pushes her further away from unfair comparisons.

A shimmering New York dance EP originally released as a digital download in late November, "True" becomes objectified on CD and vinyl Tuesday, and though the physical release doesn't feature any new stuff, it's nice to have such an infectiously heavy dance record occupy space in the world. Solange Knowles, as you may know, is Jay-Z's sister-in-law, but ignore the Beyoncé connection, at least when it comes to nepotistic skepticism. Here Solange crafts her own brand of dance music, one thick with wobbly bass and a dense dose of late-1970s loft music, early-'80s post-disco and syrupy early-'00s NYC house music.

It feels like the coldest day of the year on a January afternoon in Brooklyn. Snow is expected by evening and even the usually unflappable New Yorkers in the area are feeling the chill, clutching the collars of nylon puffer jackets closer to their chests, some ducking into a rustic, dimly lighted restaurant in the Cobble Hill neighborhood to escape the freeze. Inside, seen through the crowd of neutral tones and wool coats, sits entertainer and rising fashion It girl Solange Knowles, a definite bright spot on a frigid day. She seems to warm up the postage stamp-sized eatery with her colorful ensemble, approachable demeanor and pouf of curly hair.

Solange Knowles is so pretty that you don't know what to do.  There's the mess of dark curls that shows just enough of her almond eyes, candy-colored lips and some chic print jumper distracting you from the fact that "True," her first solo musical effort in four years, is what you should be talking about.  But you soldier on. Solange and her producer Dev Hynes discussed the EP, which has already yielded a buzz-worthy single and artful video...

A shimmering New York dance EP originally released as a digital download in late November, "True" becomes objectified on CD and vinyl Tuesday, and though the physical release doesn't feature any new stuff, it's nice to have such an infectiously heavy dance record occupy space in the world. Solange Knowles, as you may know, is Jay-Z's sister-in-law, but ignore the Beyoncé connection, at least when it comes to nepotistic skepticism. Here Solange crafts her own brand of dance music, one thick with wobbly bass and a dense dose of late-1970s loft music, early-'80s post-disco and syrupy early-'00s NYC house music.

Musicians - and the people who work closely with them - really know how to party. That's why Grammys night, unlike other high-end awards nights like the Oscars or Emmys, usually means one thing: unadulterated decadence. Actors hate to be seen acting rowdy, but musicians pride themselves on it. The parties started Tuesday and lasted until the wee hours Sunday. Solange Knowles and fellow alt-soul singer Lianne La havas were honored Wednesday at Essence's Fourth Annual Black Women in Music at posh West Hollywood nightspot Greystone Manor Supperclub.

Leading his band, Dirty Projectors, on Saturday night at Walt Disney Concert Hall, David Longstreth kept folding his long, gangly frame toward the floor, as though he were trying to avoid being noticed. Dirty Projectors released one of last year's most celebrated indie-rock discs, "Bitte Orca," and Longstreth, one presumes, has long since grown used to playing in front of the type of crowd that views a concert as an excellent opportunity to tweet. The seated Disney audience, though, entertained no such distractions, listening with laserlike focus as Longstreth and his Brooklyn bandmates, along with the New York chamber ensemble Alarm Will Sound, performed Dirty Projectors' 2005 album, "The Getty Address."

The Hollywood Reporter, with presenting sponsors St. Tropez, MAC and Ojon, hosted a luncheon at the Chateau Marmont Penthouse in Los Angeles on Wednesday to celebrate the publication of its list of 25 top beauty moments of 2012. The complete list will be in the Nov. 23 issue of the magazine, but the top three looks of the year, according to THR, are Anne Hathaway's pixie haircut in "Les Miserables," Scarlett Johansson's bombshell blond glamour in "Hitchcock" and Rooney Mara's fierce "Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" bangs.

Solange Knowles is so pretty that you don't know what to do.  There's the mess of dark curls that shows just enough of her almond eyes, candy-colored lips and some chic print jumper distracting you from the fact that "True," her first solo musical effort in four years, is what you should be talking about.  But you soldier on. Solange and her producer Dev Hynes discussed the EP, which has already yielded a buzz-worthy single and artful video...

Solange Knowles returns to music after a four-year hiatus with the release of the single and video for “Losing You.” The singer/songwriter/model's slow sonic evolution has been a captivating one to watch since she released her 2003 debut of unoffensive pop-R&B. Before coming into her own on 2008's criminally overlooked “Sol-Angel and the Hadley Street Dreams,” she struggled to find her footing and overcome the expectations that come with being the little sister of this person . Produced by Blood Orange's Devonté Hynes, "Losing You," is a sticky mid-tempo dance-R&B cut that pushes her further away from unfair comparisons.

It feels like the coldest day of the year on a January afternoon in Brooklyn. Snow is expected by evening and even the usually unflappable New Yorkers in the area are feeling the chill, clutching the collars of nylon puffer jackets closer to their chests, some ducking into a rustic, dimly lighted restaurant in the Cobble Hill neighborhood to escape the freeze. Inside, seen through the crowd of neutral tones and wool coats, sits entertainer and rising fashion It girl Solange Knowles, a definite bright spot on a frigid day. She seems to warm up the postage stamp-sized eatery with her colorful ensemble, approachable demeanor and pouf of curly hair.

Leading his band, Dirty Projectors, on Saturday night at Walt Disney Concert Hall, David Longstreth kept folding his long, gangly frame toward the floor, as though he were trying to avoid being noticed. Dirty Projectors released one of last year's most celebrated indie-rock discs, "Bitte Orca," and Longstreth, one presumes, has long since grown used to playing in front of the type of crowd that views a concert as an excellent opportunity to tweet. The seated Disney audience, though, entertained no such distractions, listening with laserlike focus as Longstreth and his Brooklyn bandmates, along with the New York chamber ensemble Alarm Will Sound, performed Dirty Projectors' 2005 album, "The Getty Address."

Solange Knowles has a background in overcoming unexpected obstacles. In 2004, the soul chanteuse -- familiar to most who've heard her name as the younger sister of Beyonce Knowles -- married football player Daniel Smith when she was only 17. Later that year, she gave birth to a son, and soon the family moved to tiny Moscow, Idaho, while Smith attended college. "We were probably the only black people there other than those on the football and basketball teams," Knowles says now, seated at a table in the restaurant of the Regent Beverly Wilshire.

Singers Robyn, Solange Knowles and Theophilus London performing at the Music Box theater in Hollywood, celebrating Elle Magazine's Women in Music issue... "True Blood" hunk Joe Manganiello causing a frenzy for gay fans in a Joseph Abboud suit at Logo's New Now Next awards at the Avalon...Mumford & Sons playing a sold-out show at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, counting Jeremy Piven in the crowd, on the heels of an impromptu show by Skylar Grey at the hotel's Marquee nightclub...Minka Kelly, Chace Crawford, Ryan Phillippe and Scott Porter heating up the launch of Gatorade's G Series Fit at the SLS Hotel...Coachella rewind: Lea Michele having a "Glee"-ful good time at Lacoste Live and GTC pool party...Emma Roberts and Kellan Lutz getting down at the Oasis Beach Club...Leonardo DiCaprio with best pal Lukas Haas at Armani Exchange and 944's Neon Carnival.

Alessandra Ambrosio has been selected to wear the $2.5-million "fantasy bra" in this year's Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, and said garment is to be formally revealed to the public on Thursday. Shown above is Miranda Kerr modeling last year's version. [The Cut] Justin Bieber has signed up to be spokes-celebrity for Adidas' Neo sportswear label. [Los Angeles Times] Levi's debuted a new line of eco-friendly denim, dubbed Waste