Kelly Rowland
When it comes to celebrities who’ve achieved longevity as part of their various professional accolades, Kelly Rowland continues to lead the way. The Grammy award-winning artist has continued to use her immense talent as a launchpad to other successful endeavors across multiple realms. Throughout her career, Rowland has given a masterclass on what it means to leverage one’s skillsets on the journey to success, and one element has always been present — her love of family. When the Motivation singer first debuted with Destiny’s Child, she showcased the power and beauty of the sisterhood between her bandmates. As a wife and mother of two, Rowland continuously highlights the special relationships she shares with her husband and children. That love and support of family have extended beyond her personal relationships as she recently partnered with home cleaning brand FamilyGuard for its YES, PLAY! initiative.
The program promotes the importance of having a clean and designated play area for children while providing parents with resources to do so, and it is one that Rowland is excited to be involved with.
“The FamilyGuard brand is a new line of disinfectants, and they've just come up with this initiative, YES, PLAY! and it's very cool. They have $50,000 to divide amongst 100 families, and they're able to provide the resources to create this safe, clean space for kids to thrive and develop. I'm delighted to partner with this brand, and this initiative is very close to my heart. If people want to get involved, they can go to FamilyGuardUSA.com.”
The nurturing and loving spirit that Rowland displays for her children’s happiness is something she does outside of her professional commitments, as well. That intentionality is embedded in the very fabric of her motherhood, especially her day-to-day routine.
“Sometimes, getting ready for the day is getting ready the night before. During my Destiny’s Child days, I did not even think about the next day except for the schedule. But it's not just about me anymore; it's about my kids. Everything is for the kids, whether preparing their lunches for the next day or disinfecting their toys, backpacks, and shoes. I actually am doing that with products from the FamilyGuard brand. My routine also includes getting on conference calls while doing it simultaneously. I feel like it's a multitasking mom kind of situation these days, and it makes for more of an experience and journey.”
Kelly Rowland
Not only is the multihyphenate busy in the household but outside as well. Earlier this year, it was announced that the entertainer would star in and executive produce Lifetime’s upcoming Merry Liddle Christmas Vacation. When it comes to juggling her professional and personal obligations, it’s something that Rowland is getting better at with the help of her support system.
“I'm learning, and it takes a village. If I'm away filming, I have my husband holding down the fort and my team and friends' help. It's a lot of pre-scheduling because I have OCD, and because I have OCD, I just like to make sure that the kids are going to be alright. But I'm learning balance. I'm learning to figure out how to take care of myself, my husband, and the kids all at the same time. But, I get advice like everyone else and need advice like everyone else, for sure.”
While Rowland has given her fans glimpses of how she maintains balance in her busy lifestyle, she’s also been transparent about her admiration for another starlet — the dearly departed Donna Summer. When thinking of some of her favorite hits she’d love to sing alongside Miss Summer, the songstress reflects on the power of her artistry.
“I'm thinking of her catalog right now, and I'm just thinking about women and how dope it would be to collaborate on She Works Hard for the Money. That video was so amazing. I would also say Last Dance. It's just so beautiful, and every time I see her perform it; it just feels like she just gives the audience such a hug. I feel like it's her warm embrace, and I think Last Dance for me, is one of my favorite Donna Summer records. It just feels like a hug. It's the texture of her vocal, the chord; everything about it is great. She's just great.”
Not only does the New York Times bestselling author revere the artists who’ve paved the way for her, but the artists she’s paved the way for in her career. Rowland feels that supporting the latest generation of soulful crooners is important due to the challenges they face in their careers.
“I just think about the fact that they're encountering so many different situations, challenges, and decisions to make. I think about how many things were thrown at me when I first got into the industry, and I like to extend myself or the knowledge that I might have from these years to them, and I want to support them. The support that I had was Beyoncé and Michelle, and if I can be there in any way possible, I will. I just want to ensure they enjoy the process and it's not stressing them.”
Kelly Rowland
While women artists are routinely subjected to unfair critiques, specifically ageism, when compared to their male counterparts, Rowland feels that women must collectively unify to combat those patriarchal standards.
“I think that it started a long time ago, and I think that women have to be the ones to stop it, to be honest, and we have to have the support of men as well in that space. But we have to be the ones to check them in a unified way. The messaging has to be coordinated and unified. I truly believe that women will single-handedly heal the state of this nation right now, and I think that when we are on the same page and moving in the same direction, there's no stopping us at all. And I think that makes them nervous, so they bring up age, color, and many things to strip away our power and what we bring to the table. So, it would be easier to focus on that, but if we allow them to focus on that all the time and we actually start to believe it, then we can't move forward. So, we have to know that it's part of the strategy and to have our own strategy and move past everyone else.”
