Beyonce Knowles at the 2001 Soul Train awards

"The ladies of Destiny's Child did talk of taking a 'break', but never used the word 'break-up'."

The trio, comprising Beyonce Knowles, Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams, already had a number of appeances scheduled for the new year, he said.

Destiny's Child are due to appear at the American Music Awards show, on 9 January, and at the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People's Image awards in February.

A world tour would start in the spring, Mr Knowles added.

However, a spokeswoman for the group's management company, Music World Entertainment, confirmed that the three did not plan to return to the studio as a group next year.

Destiny's Child arrive for the MTV awards in 2000

"They're going to chill out with Destiny's Child for the year 2002 and concentrate on solo efforts," she said.

"Probably in 2003, they'll come back as a group and record together," she added.

The group's third album of new material, Survivor, debuted in May at number one in the Billboard charts, and has sold more than three million copies.

It was followed by an early festive release, Eight Days of Christmas, in late October.

Earlier this month, the vocalists were named Artists of the Year for a second consecutive year at the Billboard Music Awards.