Beyoncé's Girl-Powered Tour
Beyoncé's got herself some bootylicious backup.
The Grammy-winning diva has chosen 10 lucky ladies, along with two almost-as-lucky alternates, to form the all-girl backup band for an upcoming solo tour in support of her second album, B'Day.
The newly formed band was culled from a nationwide search by Knowles and her creative team, who auditioned more than 1,000 wannabes.
Cattle calls for the high-profile gig were held earlier this month in Chicago, Atlanta, Los Angeles and Knowles' hometown of Houston, and 30 finalists were flown from their respective cities to a final audition in New York, where they competed against 10 other borough-dwelling musicians.
The touring band, which will serve as musicians only, not background singers or dancers, were chosen by the "Crazy in Love" singer last Sunday.
While the names of the independent women were not released, their instruments and hometowns were.
Knowles will be joined on the road by a three-piece horn section, as well as drums, percussion, keyboards, bass and guitar players, hailing from everywhere from Saga, Japan (first keyboards), to Fredericksburg, Virginia (drums).
The musicians had to fit a few criteria. They had to be over 18 years old, be able to perform Knowles' hit song "Work It Out," and possess enough genetic good fortune to have "the look."
The newest addition will join the warbler this fall in support of B'Day, so named in honor of its worldwide release date, Sept. 4, which happens to fall on Knowles' 25th birthday.
The album will be released in the States on Sept. 5 and marks the follow-up to the former Destiny's Child member's 2003 multiplatinum solo debut, Dangerously in Love, which won the songbird five Grammy Awards.
While the band begins rehearsals for the autumn jaunt, the recent PETA target isn't waiting to jump back on stage.
She's set to perform her first single off the new album, "Déjà Vu," at the BET Awards June 27.
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