Kelly Rowland (born Kelendria Trene Rowland February 11, 1981 in Atlanta, Georgia) is an African American R&B, pop singer, actress, and member of the successful musical trio Destiny's Child. Rowland lived with the family of fellow group member Beyoncé Knowles starting at age 10. She later rose to fame with the then quartet Destiny's Child in 1998 with the Billboard Top 10 hit, "No, No, No (Part 2)". Even after much publicized turmoil involving new and exiting group members, Destiny's Child (eventually a trio consisting of original members Rowland and Knowles, with Michelle Williams) managed to become one of the most successful pop/R&B acts in the late 90s/early 00's, earning four #1 Billboard 100 singles, several Top 10's,and two #1 albums. The group also earned No. 1's on various other Billboard and non Billboard charts. Kelly and Destiny's Child toured as an opening act for both Christina Aguilera and TLC before their 1998 platinum-selling self-titled debut album Destiny's Child was released. Their debut album was produced by Wyclef Jean and Jermaine Dupri and featured the platinum-selling, number one Hot 100 single "No, No, No". Destiny Child's second album The Writing's On The Wall, released in 1999, featured two number-one hits in "Bills, Bills, Bills" and "Say My Name". "Bug-A-Boo" and "Jumpin' Jumpin'" were also popular singles from the album. "Say My Name" won two awards at the 2001 Grammy Awards for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal and Best R&B Song, the latter of which was awarded to the songwriters, which included Kelly herself. Their next album, Survivor, proved to be another smash, going to number one on both the American Billboard 200 and R&B Albums charts, as well as the Canadian album chart. Two singles from the album went to the top of the Hot 100: "Independent Women" (Part 1) and "Bootylicious", with the album's title track reaching number two. "Independent Women" (Part 1) had been the theme song for Charlie's Angels in late 2000, before the album's 2001 release. The title track "Survivor" would win the group their third Grammy for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal. The album's fourth and final single, "Emotions", was a cover of the Bee Gees hit of the same name; it continued the group's impressive string of top ten hits. Over the course of the supergroup's seven albums, Rowland evolved from background singer to joint lead singer of destiny's child. Rowland shared lead vocals with Beyonce Knowles on even the group's earliest hits such as "Independent Women" (pre-chorusx2) "With me" (second verse), "Get on the bus" (second verse) and "Bills Bills Bills" (pre-chorusx2), but her vocal talent was overlooked by some of the media as she was overshadowed by Beyonce Knowles, the group's most prominent lead singer and chief songwriter. Rowland's lead vocals along with those of Michelle Williams were more prominent on the groups later albums. After the success of the trio's third album, Survivor, the three members separated to pursue solo endeavors. Rowland, in 2003, released her first solo album, the two million selling Simply Deep. The album, which went Gold in the US and debuted at #1 on the UK album chart, included the smash hit "Dilemma", a duet with Nelly which spent ten weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 (making Rowland the first Destiny's Child member to top the charts outside of the group) and won Rowland her first Grammy Award in 2003 for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration, she shared this award with Nelly. Rowland has won four Grammy Awards, three with Destiny's Child and one as a solo artist. Additionally, she branched into acting with her role in the 2003 summer blockbuster Freddy vs. Jason and in the 2004 independent film The Seat Filler. After the three year hiatus that involved concentration on individual solo projects, Rowland rejoined Beyoncé Knowles and Michelle Williams for Destiny's Child's fourth (and final) studio album, Destiny Fulfilled, released November 2004. The album hit #2 on the Billboard 200 and spawned the hits Lose My Breath, Soldier, Girl and Cater 2 U. The album title itself was a hint that Destiny Fulfilled may in fact be the last Destiny's Child album and indeed that was to be the case. Rowland and the other two-thirds of Destiny's Child embarked on a World Tour sponsored by McDonald's titled, Destiny Fulfilled and Lovin' It, in 2005, visiting over 70 cities throughout Australia, Asia, Europe and North America from April to September. Shortly before the end of the European leg of the tour, at a concert in Barcelona, Spain, Kelly announced that the group was to go their separate ways the following September. In October 2005 the group released their final album, entitled #1's, including all of Destiny's Child's #1 hits and most well-known songs. The Greatest Hits collection also includes 3 new tracks, one of which is the final single Stand Up For Love. It debuted at at #1 on the Billboard 200 album chart and #6 on the UK Top 75 chart. Their last effort as a group will be re-housing 100 families, affected in recent months by the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina, in a temporary trailer park community which will be known as Destiny Village.
|
