Kelly Rowland
Answers OUT Spoken’s Questions
By Tim Gaskin
Kelly Rowland, Grammy winning R&B/pop superstar, is re-releasing a deluxe version of the original "Ms. Kelly" album that includes 5 unexpected new tracks and 2 exciting remixes and will sing songs from the album live on the main stage at Gay Day at Great America May 23, 2008.
Did Beyoncé coach you on ‘Daylight’ with Travis McCoy from Gym Class Heroes
Beyoncé helped me with the vocal a little. I produce my vocals by myself, and that always makes me nervous, cause I am my worst critic. I will be in the studio for hours and hours and hours at a time, and she came in, and was like, ‘You’re over thinking it, just stop it.’ And she would walk out. I was like, “Please stay!!!” I over think everything. She knows me like a book.
What was it like when you heard your first single "Jumpin', Jumpin'" on the radio?
We were picking up Beyoncé’s sister from school, and I remember and we were just riding in the car and we heard it on the radio, [The Box, in Houston]. We all just jumped out and starting screaming, “Listen, listen!”
Do you have a song that you don’t like?
Yes, “bug a boo”. That line, “So what, never told you to buy me shoes,” it irritates me. That one sentence bothers me.
How many shoes do you have?
Put it like this, I don’t even know anymore. I have three closets of shoes, I love shoes.
What about the rumors of you doing Playboy?
I was like, ‘Girl please’. I don’t know where that came from. Destiny’s Child did a very tasteful nude album cover. It was a closed set. I did a very tasteful shot for Allure and I did a cover of Maxim before, tasteful.
I understand you had a stinky food incident on a recent flight?
Oh yeah, they were mad ‘cause I had barbecue. I guess they were pissed ‘cause they wanted food and they turned their noses up at me. ‘Cause you know I was the only person in first class with food and they thought that was tacky. I don’t care. It smelled up the whole plane and I don’t care. I was hungry.
Why are you always in Europe?
I like it over there, I like it. I love being in the states too, but they keep me really, really busy overseas. I have a record that is top five in France and the UK and I’m on my way to Australia.
When are you putting a bride’s dress on for Beyoncé?
That’s a good question. I’m ready for her to get married; I’m ready for Michelle to get married. I’m just ready for all of us to just settle down.
How often do you talk?
We talk every week, whether its every other day or every three days, we definitely talk once a week. We feel like that’s important, that’s friendship. Just like any other friendship, you have to grow individual as well as amongst each other.
Where do the girls live?
Michelle is doing The Color Purple in Los Angeles, doing an exception job. Beyoncé is an East Coaster, but she comes back down to Houston a lot. We like to go back home. I am in Houston and Miami.
Are you interested in achieving Beyoncé’s level of mega-stardom?
I wouldn’t shun it, but I’m not gonna force it or allow people to push me in that direction. If it’s gonna happen, it’s gonna happen. I'm just steadily building myself up as Kelly Rowland, not just Kelly Rowland of Destiny's Child, which is a blessing to be able to do that.
Do people expect you to be like Beyoncé?
People see how positive we are as women and as friends, and instead of them learning from that, they wanna hate on it. I have no time for that kind of negative thinking. People should be happy to see women getting along and working together, without being insecure about each other. It doesn’t have to be drama, but people always wanna create drama! I don’t even let that bother me. ‘Cause people will continue to talk and we’ll just continue selling.’
Famous quote.
"I was sick of not fitting into my tops. I simply went from an A-cup to a B-cup. I didn't want double Ds and be a little bitty size 2. That would look nuts... It is a decision I made for myself. I like it, and that's all that counts.”
What prompted you to make "Ms. Kelly: Diva Deluxe" a digital-only release?
That's where all my fans are. I think that it's important to be accommodating to them and they're not physically going to buy records as much as they would be in front of the computer and just purchasing it that way.
Shameless Plug
To my fans, thank you so much for being so supportive and following me for so many years. kellyrowlandonline.com
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