Farrah Franklin, New Member Of Destiny's Child, Leaves Group

Jet, August 14, 2000

The hit-making group Destiny's Child has gone from a quartet to a trio after new member Farrah Franklin left the group.

"We're sorry that Farrah won't be with us for the long run, but we wish her the best in the future," said Destiny's Child's Beyonce Knowles, an original member and one of the group's founders, in a statement issued by Columbia Records. "It wasn't a management decision, it was a group decision. Destiny's Child is going to be fine. We've done three or four shows already without Farrah and they've been phenomenal."

No reason was given in the statement as to why Franklin left the group.

Since Franklin's departure, the group now consists of Knowles, Kelly Rowland, another of the group's original members and co-founder, and newcomer Michelle Williams.

Franklin and Williams joined the group at the beginning of the year in order to replace original members LaTavia Roberson and LeToya Luckett.