Kelly Rowland is an American pop singer songwriter, actress and singer composer. She rose to stardom in the late 90s as a founding member of Destiny’s Child and one of the biggest female groups of that period. She has gone on to have duets with singers like Beyonce Knowles, Madonna, Brandy Alexander, Mercedes Benz, Kaylee Simpson, Kelly Price and Koolhaas. She has also had her own solo songs and albums.
Kelly Rowland was born in Lakewood, Ohio, the youngest of four children of Debra and Joseph Ward. She was named after her grandmother, who was a singer and piano player. Her siblings were also successful musicians. After her parents died when she was young, Kelly decided to pursue a career in music and began performing as a teenager with her grandmother’s band.
After a short stint with Destiny’s Child, Kelly entered into an agreement with Grammy Smalls and rejoined Destiny’s Child. They signed to Island Records and began working on their first album. Their self-titled album was an instant hit, selling very well. The following year, they went back to where it all began and became known as Kelly Rowland and the Word. They went on to record an additional three albums and were once again a major hit.
Kelly continued to chart success with the band and moved on to other projects including a duet with David Bowie and a duet with Chic. Then, in 1996, the original Destiny’s Child quintet decided to split up and Kelly took a leave of absence. This was a big dilemma for the band since Kelly played a large role in their sound. However, she was replaced by newcomer Kat Von D and they went back to performing as a team with new members Skye Bauch and Mary J. Blige.
The single, “Fire,” was the first single from Kelly’s first solo album and it was an immediate sensation. This song went on to become another huge hit and the momentum just began to grow. By this time, it was clear that Kelly was well on her way to becoming a major figure in the r&b. It was obvious from the singles that Kelly had the talent to move into her own style and this soon began to show in her music.
In the second verse of Kelly’s first single, “Hips Don’t Lie,” it is revealed that Kelly and Grammy are indeed still close, despite the fact that they are no longer together. At the end of the verse, it is revealed that Kelly wants to get marry and live with Grammy in order to be with him forever. “It’s not you, it’s me,” Kelly reminds her friend, as she wants to make it clear that it is not the end of the romance between her ex. This romantic situation was the theme for the rest of Kelly’s first single, “Hips Don’t Lie.” While it may be true that Kelly has moved on from the break up, it was clear in her second single that she was still very much in love with Grammy and wanted to make their relationship into a romantic affair.
