BEYONCE KNOWLES - BEYONCE LEAVES MINNIE DEVASTATED BY OSCAR REJECTION

The news R+B beauty BEYONCE KNOWLES has replaced MINNIE DRIVER to perform at the OSCAR ceremony next Sunday (27FEB05) left the British actress-turned-singer devastated.

Driver is said to be "inconsolable" after finding out she will no longer be singing ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER's LEARN TO BE LONELY at the ACADEMY AWARDS.

The 34-year-old was considered the obvious choice to perform the song, which is nominated for the Best Original Song award, as she sang it in movie THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA.

However, hugely popular DESTINY'S CHILD hitmaker Knowles recently stepped in to perform the track.

A close source says, "Minnie just doesn't have the pulling power or the voice of Beyonce. Minnie is devastated and inconsolable.

"She'd told everyone that this was to be her big break as a singer."

Knowles is also singing two other nominated songs at the 77th Academy Awards - including LOOK TO YOUR PATH from LES CHORISTES (THE CHOIR) and the THE POLAR EXPRESS theme BELIEVE.