“Survivor” by Destiny’s Child

“Survivor” addresses an opinion that the singers (Destiny’s Child) will not make it without its original members. Beyoncé refutes this opinion in this song by claiming that contrary to their detractors’ expectations, the group is doing much better and selling more records without them.

The first and second verses see the singer talking about the negative thing her critics expect, then comparing it with the current reality. For instance, she sings about how she is thriving when others thought they wouldn’t last, and how she is on top, particularly in the music industry when her haters said she would be a failure.

The chorus which sums up the essence of the song tells its addressee that they are not going to fail just because someone left them. Instead they are going to work harder, never give up and rise to the top and remain relevant to prove all their critics wrong.

A Diss Track

“Survivor” is a diss track believed to be directed at singers LeToya Luckett and LaTavia Roberson. Both Luckett and Roberson founded Destiny’s Child with Kelly Rowland and Beyoncé. However, the pair left the group after a very bitter feud.

“Survivor” Facts

Writing: Beyoncé alongside Mathew Knowles and Anthony Dent
Production: Beyoncé and Dent
Album: Destiny’s Child’s pop/R&B album “Survivor” of 2001
Release: February of 2001

“Survivor” scored a No. 1 for Destiny’s Child in Norway, Ireland and UK. In addition to this, it also achieved top 10 status in several countries, including U.S.A. (where it reached No. 2). Simply put, it went on to become one of the group’s most successful songs. And as if all that wasn’t enough, it won the group a Grammy Award in 2002.

Destiny’s Child vs. LaTavia Roberson and LeToya Luckett

LaTavia Roberson and LeToya Luckett were the two founding members of Destiny’s Child alongside Beyoncé and Kelly Rowland. Destiny’s Child began dropping albums in 1998 and were an immediate success. And the four aforementioned ladies were in fact childhood friends.

The manager of the group was Matthew Knowles, who some readers will recognize as Beyoncé’s father. He was at the center of the gripe Roberson and Luckett, who were backup singers at the time, developed with the group. For they were under the impression that he was not paying them fairly for their contributions. Moreover, they felt that the trajectory of the band was designed in such a way to favor his daughter. Furthermore they felt he was setting Beyoncé (Destiny’s Child’s lead singer), up for solo success. So LaTavia and LeToya wanted to hire their own manager to work in conjunction with Matthew Knowles. And basically that decision resulted in the two of them being booted from the group.

That situation transpired in 1999. The following two years were highlighted not only by the former bandmates saying less-than-flattering things about the other members of the group. Furthermore, Luckett and Roberson slapped both Destiny’s Child and Matthew Knowles with a couple of lawsuits. The most-popular one was centered on Luckett and Roberson claiming that Destiny’s Child personally and publicly dissed them on the group’s 2001 mega-hit “Survivor”. That particular matter was eventually settled outside of court. And in another matter, the court granted LeToya and LaTavia royalty rights from Destiny’s Child’s first two albums. These were the albums they participated on.