
Kelly Rowland
Kelly Rowland Opens Up About Reconnecting With Her Father After 30 Years
Kelly Rowland got candid about the emotional reunion she had with her father after not seeing him for 30 years. The former Destiny’s Child singer was joined by her father, Christopher Lovett, while guest co-hosting the Today Show with Hoda Kotb and they shared how they were able to build a bond after not speaking for three decades.
Kelly was raised by her mom who passed away three weeks after the singer gave birth to her first child Titan in 2014. “I had a wonderful mom who supported me and loved me, but the truth is, there was always a piece of me that was kinda missing,” she said. “For 30 years, my dad was absent in my life.” Prior to making the connection with her father, the “Motivation” singer admitted that she originally didn’t want to have anything to do with him due to him being absent.
She even went as far as to tell security not to let him come inside venues where she was performing. Her father revealed that once he figured out that Kelly was his daughter, he did try to make contact with her numerous times, but was unsuccessful. However, when the 41-year-old mother of two decided it was time to meet her father, she reached out to him and they met at a hotel in Atlanta where they spoke for two hours.
Christopher called meeting his daughter for the first time a “dream.” “People would say I saw your daughter [on TV] and I used to sit there and say, ‘I didn’t’ and it hurt,” he said. He also shared that he felt “sad” when security wouldn’t let him see his daughter in the past.
Christopher wanted to use the opportunity of finally meeting his daughter to share his side of the story such as the fact that he didn’t know that Kelly and her mother left Atlanta and moved to Houston until three or four years later.
During the Today Show, Kelly reflected on the first time she heard her father say those three words every young girl yearns to hear: I love you.
“It was necessary to hear it for the little girl in me,” she said. “It was necessary to hear it from a man. It was necessary to hear it from my father. When I thought about all the tumultuous relationships and trying to figure out men, like, that is the base and the foundation of it psychologically. So when I’m talking to therapists, and I’m asking them about this, it all runs back to the abandonment issue.”
For people who are thinking about reaching out to an estranged parent, Kelly shared these tips.
“Brace yourself and ask yourself a couple of questions. Am I ready for this? Am I ready for no matter the outcome whether it’s good or bad? Because the truth is you don’t want to set yourself up,” she said.
“Everybody is always scared of the other side and you don’t know if it’s going to be this person embracing you with open arms or they’re not ready. And if they’re not ready, that’s okay. That’s kind of their way of shielding you from themselves.”
Featured image by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images for Disney Dreamers Academy
Kelly Rowland Reveals How She Uses Powerful Affirmations To Overcome Self-Doubt
Over the years, Kelly Rowland has been open about her insecurities and lack of self-confidence in her skin, but now she’s sharing how affirmations helped her overcome self-doubt. The “Motivation” singer spoke with Hello Beautiful about the many challenges women face when looking in the mirror. “My biggest insecurity would probably be, one of the many, I usually challenge how smart I am,” she said.
When that happens, Kelly likes to send herself flowers and little notes that remind her of how smart she actually is. A technique I think we all can benefit from. But that’s not all. The singer also speaks positive affirmations to herself, which can also be a helpful tool.
“I counter it immediately, by telling myself, you are capable. You make great decisions. You are very smart. You make great decisions. Look at all the decisions you’ve made in the past,” she said. Speaking of the past, Kelly has talked about how as a dark skin woman, she struggled with her beauty.
In 2013, she did a red carpet interview where she revealed how Tina Knowles Lawson helped her love her “chocolatiness.” “You know what I had great women in my life to help me overcome that. I remember I went through a period where I didn’t embrace my ‘chocolatiness,’” she said. “I don’t know if that’s a word, but I didn’t embrace my chocolate lifestyle. Just being a chocolate, lovely brown skin girl and being proud of that.”
“I remember Tina Knowles, Bey’s mom and I remember being out in the sun and I was trying to shield myself from the sun and she said, ‘Are you crazy?’ She said ‘You are absolutely gorgeous,’ and she just told me how beautiful I was and how rare chocolate is and how gorgeous the skin is, all of this stuff. And I was just like ‘Yeah!’ Like a light went off.”
She added, “So between her and my mother and then me sitting out in the sun a little more, just to be a little more chocolate. You just embrace it. You embrace everything that you are as a woman, even your flaws too.”
That is the reason why the mother of two was moved by the February 2022 British Vogue issue that featured all dark skin, African women.
“I lost my mind and posted it immediately,” she said. “I’ll never forget looking at a Vogue cover years ago and I saw three white women — all blonde — and they said this is what beauty looks like.”
She continued, “This cover literally made my eyes well up because it’s like the moment did the complete opposite and he [Edward Enninful] has no idea what he did to my soul. It erased that memory out of my head. I want to genuinely write him a letter and thank him — it meant so much to me as a brown girl.”
Featured image by Rich Fury/Getty Images
Kelly Rowland Wants You To Know Motherhood Doesn’t Take Away A Woman's Sex Appeal
Kelly Rowland is proof that you can be both a mother and exude sex appeal. The singer is a mother to two boys, Titan, 7, and Noah, 10 months, and she keeps looking better and better.
Kelly broke the internet the week of November 2, after she posted a seductive video of herself wearing a leopard print dress while making flirty gestures to the camera and who can forget her look at The Harder They Fall premiere in Los Angeles when she had the viral moment with Jay-Z.
The chocolate goddess is debunking the theory that mothers can’t be sexy one photo at a time and she also spoke about it with Access Hollywood. The “Ice” singer is promoting her new holiday film Merry Liddle Christmas Baby, in which she stars in and she spoke about being a sexy mama.
“I’m continuing to understand and know myself and I think that that’s a blessing,” she said.
“It’s so funny because a girlfriend of mine told me that a man told her ‘make sure you have your babies way later in life because after you have a baby you won’t feel sexy.' And I was like, you should never say that to anyone.”
“J. Lo, Beyoncé, like all of these different women having children and they’re thriving, they’re gorgeous, they’re stronger than ever. So, that no longer needs to be anywhere in a discussion at all,” she concluded.
It also looks like her sons may be following in her footsteps. During a recent interview on the “Today with Hoda and Jenna” podcast, Kelly revealed that Titan is singing. "Titan actually has perfect pitch and I do scales with him,” she said. “The girls do scales with him when they are over to the house."
The girls in question? You guessed it, her Destiny’s Child bandmates, which she also refers to as “his aunties.”
Keep scrolling for 7 more times Kelly proved she is one "sexy mama":
Featured image by Jerritt Clark/Getty Images
The concept of going to therapy has now been made mainstream as all things mental health matters have been brought to the forefront. While prioritizing our mental health is something this panorama and 2020 overall has emphasized is of the utmost importance, enforcing boundaries and amplifying self-preservation is still something seen as a radical act of self-love among Black women. And it's because so many of us are still unlearning hard lessons of toxic strength and resilience that brainwashed us into believing we have to have our capes on at all times.
We are so used to being all things to all people, we often forget ourselves, so the Naomi Osakas and Simone Bileses of the world doing their part to emit a battle cry of "no" in lieu of placing themselves first has been yet another thing to add to the list of things "we love to see" for the culture. In her recent cover story with British Vogue, Zendaya added her voice to the growing mental health conversation by revealing why she is such an advocate for therapy.
Despite the undoubtable M's in her bank account and her award-winning projects on deck, the Hollywood starlet had trouble navigating uncertain times as shakily as a lot of us did outchea last year. She described what she went through emotionally as a "kind of taste of sadness where you wake up and you just feel bad all day, like what the f**k is going on? What is this dark cloud that's hovering over me and I don't know how to get rid of it, you know?"
After encountering one of her most difficult years to-date, Zendaya decided to look to therapy to help pull her out of her dark moments. She explained to British Vogue:
"Yeah, of course I go to therapy. I mean, if anybody is able to possess the financial means to go to therapy, I would recommend they do that. I think it's a beautiful thing. You know, there's nothing wrong with working on yourself and dealing with those things with someone who can help you, someone who can talk to you, who's not your mom or whatever. Who has no bias."
Zendaya is not alone in expressing the gratitude for the peace of mind she's experienced since investing in therapy. In fact, here are 9 more celebs on why they are advocates for going to therapy.
Issa Rae
In a 2019 interview for Fuse's The Read with Kid Fury and Crissle, Issa Rae admitted that she hadn't really considered going to therapy a priority until hearing the stories of the two co-hosts and how they've done the work. She also noted that watching her mother and grandmother as Black women carry around burdens with no one to help them with it served as another reminder to invest in therapy as an act of self-care.
"...I think the first time I finally made the time to go was just last year. I did three little sessions and I fucked with it. But it is important to not necessarily go because you think something's wrong, but you should if you're in an industry like this, prioritize it because nobody else will. And that's what I've learned just throughout my journey here."
Taraji P. Henson
Taraji P. Henson has been doing the work and paying it forward through her work with her foundation, Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation. Per The Jasmine Brand in 2019, Taraji P. Henson revealed:
"I suffer from depression. My anxiety is kicking up even more every day, and I've never really dealt with anxiety like that. It's something new… It [fame] was fun at first, but the older I get, the more private I want to be. I think there's a misconception with people in the limelight that we have it all together, and because we have money now and are living out our dreams, everything is fine. That's not the case. When they yell 'Cut' and 'That's a wrap,' I go home to very serious problems. I'm still a real human."
In regards to investing in therapy, she went on to say:
"You can talk to your friends, but you need a professional who can give you exercises. So that when you're on the ledge, you have things to say to yourself that will get you off that ledge and past your weakest moments."
Janelle Monae
Janelle Monae is another entertainer who has made it no secret that she looks at going to therapy as a vital part of her self-care regimen.
"When I first started getting a check, I went to therapy. Therapy is important. And being a Black woman that was not something that was pushed in my community, it was always 'pray about it, God will take care of it'. I believe in a higher power but I also believe that that higher power gives you people on Earth to help walk you through some of your darkest times and help you cope and deal."
Gabrielle Union
"You need to find a way to talk about the darkest parts of your life. I've been in therapy for the last 25 years. Whatever path you need to take to heal, it's the best one."
Big Sean
A couple of years ago, rapper Big Sean got real about the "why" behind him taking a year-long hiatus to take care of his mental health. Shortly thereafter, he became more candid about his experience with anxiety and depression and how therapy ultimately helped him gain clarity.
"I just felt lost. You know what I'm saying? I didn't know how I got there. I've been meditating since I was 17 years old. You know, that helps with anxiety, depression all those things. All those things that I felt. But it wasn't doing it all the way for this, so I knew that this required some special attention.
"So what I did was, I started therapy. I got a good therapist. You know what I'm saying? I was blessed enough to talk to some super-spiritual people. And they made me realize one thing that I was missing in my life, and that was clarity."
Keke Palmer
Keke Palmer is another young celebrity that has been candid about her bouts with anxiety and depression throughout the years. She opened up to Cosmopolitan about being in therapy for years as a means to cope with her mental health issues:
"Being able to say how I feel, that was something that was so hard for me for so long. If you grow up in the industry, it forces you to be agreeable at all times. When it came to saying 'I'm tired and I want to figure out how to balance my life better,' 'I feel lonely, 'I'm afraid of my stardom' — those things I could not say."
Kelly Rowland
In a 2018 chat with Oprah Daily about mental health, Kelly Rowland opened up about what inspired her to go to therapy:
"I realized I didn't want to try to figure things out by myself. I can try as much as I can, but doing it all myself, I'd end up driving myself insane circling the same situation and same problem over and over again."
She continued:
"Sometimes people feel like faith and praying...and don't get me wrong, I have faith and I pray and I do believe I'll get through things with that also. But I like to talk to somebody who has the insight of psychology, too. There are other connectors. It's important that we understand that as well."
Halle Berry
"I've done therapy on an as-needed basis since I was probably 10 years old. My father was an alcoholic and a very abusive one, and my mother knew the value of providing me with the outlet of an unbiased person to talk to. So I've done that all my life when times get stressful. It really helps me deal with stuff."
Kerry Washington
"Therapy helped me realize that maybe it's OK for me to communicate my feelings. Instead of literally stuffing them down with food, maybe it's okay for me to express myself.
"I say that publicly because I think it's really important to take the stigma away from mental health. My brain and my heart are really important to me. I don't know why I wouldn't seek help to have those things be as healthy as my teeth. I go to the dentist. So why wouldn't I go to a shrink?"
Featured image by Elisabetta A. Villa/Getty Images
Our favorite girlfriend in our head, Ms. Kelly Rowland has been making her rounds in the press these last few months, promoting body positivity and being a new mommy. In doing so, we've learned new pregnancy terms, we've been introduced to fly athletic wear, and adoringly watched her love on her family while pulling our heart strings.
But now--now mama is tired and needs a drink, m'kay?!
Well, she took to Instagram Live to do just that while showing us just how she gets down at the bar. Joined by a few friends Angie Beyince and Bresha Webb, they rallied in the kitchen to try a recipe of chocolate peanut butter martini, which we'll name..."The Kelly Rowland" (see what I did there?). And lawddd, it looked goodt! There's even a (verbal) appearance from husbae Tim Weatherspoon, who drops in for fun and adds his two cents.
We've got the full recipe to try it out, so grab your glasses and let's get our post-work(out) drink on!
Here's what you'll need:
- Chocolate Liquor 4oz (Godiva, Bailey's, etc.)
- Peanut Butter Whiskey 4 oz (Skrewball, PB&W, etc.)
- Creme de Cocoa 4 oz (DeKuyper, J Brandt, etc.)
- 1 oz heavy cream
- Your favorite peanut buttercup candy
- Chocolate syrup
- Ice
First, grab your shaker and add 4 oz of Peanut Butter Whiskey to ice.
Kelly Rowland/Instagram
Rowland opens the video with all the adulting excitement we needed in our lives.
"So! We're making peanut butter martiiiiniiiis. Chocolate peanut butter martiiiiniiis. How many chocolate peanut butter lovers we have out there?"
The group then measures out the peanut butter whiskey and chocolate liqueur and begins to pour each over ice. Note: make sure you have a decent-sized shaker as this recipe makes enough for four martini glasses, or two 'Kelly Rowland glasses.'
Up next, add the creme de cocoa and heavy whipping cream to the mixture.
Kelly Rowland/Instagram
"It smells delightful."
Once the contents are all added to the shaker, then it's go time. Shake, shake, shake. Grab your martini glasses and then line each glass with chocolate syrup. Chop up your favorite peanut butter cup brand and line the rim of the glass with its crumbs.
And listen, our girl could not wait to take her sip.
"Baaaaby. That is good! Wow. Hope you like it! Cheers!"
Watch the cute, fun video below:
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Featured image by Jerritt Clark/Getty Images
Kelly Rowland Shows Off Her Very Real Post-Pregnancy Abs While Working Out
Kelly Rowland is back at it again, proving time and time again why she is our collective fave. As we all know, our girl and husband, Tim Witherspoon, welcomed their second child, Noah Jon at the top of the year. Since, she has taken a step back from her career to be mommy to both him, and oldest son, Titan.
But one of our favorite things about Kelly, is--if we can choose just one--her realist approach to being a mom, in a world where so much can be...pre-packaged. Recently, she took to her social media to prove just how real giving birth can be, post-pregnancy ab realness and all.
It all started while working with her trainer, Rebecca. The two were educating us on diastasis recti, which is the partial or complete separation of the abs, or "six-pack" muscles, that meet at the midline of your stomach. The ladies taught us how to test for the condition, and Kelly showed up prepared to show how real post-pregnancy can be for the body, openly rocking her deeper-tinted core for the world to see, unapologetically.
"I don't know about any of the moms out there but when my core is weak, my back starts to hurt. And my neck. And sometimes my lower back. So we're going to show you how to test for it."
Kelly Rowland/Instagram Story
The mom of two then demonstrates how to test for diastosis recti, with Rebecca and new terms-to-know in tow. In her midsection, Kelly has what is considered a stimulation of the pigment cells in the skin/melanocytes by the female hormones oestorgen and progesterone to produce more pigment when exposed to the sun.
Women with a light brown skin type who are living in regions with intense sun exposure are particularly susceptible to developing this condition. The discoloration usually disappears spontaneously over a period of several months after giving birth.
But listen, mama absolutely did not care, giving a huge cosign to moms whose bodies change postpartum.
Kelly Rowland/Instagram Story
Rowland, who is 40, may have a snapback that only most of us can dream about, but she didn't put any pressure on herself to do so. Thanks to genetics and a fit pregnancy, she was able to bounce back in no time. But for this pregnancy, she is taking the time to show off what real women go through, in real time.
She told Billboard:
"I'm still navigating myself through motherhood. So the less pressure I put on myself and allow myself grace -- because I'm not going to get it right every single time – I think it's only fair to just breathe and use your instincts to navigate your way through. But I've learned not to put so much pressure on myself and to let my creativity flow."
And from here, her social media has went from life pre-baby, to advice, new favorite products, and more. She even shows off, and uses her platform, to guide new mothers in a way where they feel as if they're not alone, which plenty of new moms can appreciate.
Whew, there goes Kelly Rowland being a superhuman again, ladies and gentlemen.
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Featured image by Cindy Ord/Getty Images