Madonna Louise Ciccone was born in Bay City, Michigan at 7:05 AM on August 16, 1958. Her mother, Madonna Louise (née Fortin), was of French Canadian descent, and her father, Silvio Anthony Ciccone, was a first-generation Italian American whose family originated from Pacentro in Italy; he worked as a design engineer for Chrysler and General Motors. Madonna was nicknamed "Little Nonni", to distinguish her from her mother. The third of six children, her siblings are Martin, Anthony, Paula, Christopher, and Melanie.
In the fall of 1990, Beyonce Knowles enrolled in Parker Elementary School, a music magnet school in Houston, where she would perform on-stage with the school's choir. She also attended the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in Houston and later went to Alief Elsik High School, located in the Houston suburban munincipality, Alief. Knowles was a soloist in the choir of her church, in St. John's United Methodist Church. Beyonce Knowles only lasted in the choir for two years, however, because she was preoccupied with her newfound career.
