It happens all the time. A mega successful group hits the scene, #1 singles & albums abound. The success and accolades pour in.. Fame, Fortune, Grammy Awards, American Music Awards, Billboard Awards etc..) The group automatically has a "lead" whom the media latches onto and whenever that said group decides to separate briefly, for a little while or all together.. the media drama begins.
A "lead" will always stand out with the media regardless of the talents of others in the group.
It happened with "The Supremes" (Diana Ross), "The Commodores"(Lionel Richie), "Jackson Five" (Michael Jackson - BTW.. really no comparison to any group or artist.. MJ was and always will be the greatest entertainer ever!), "DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince" (Will Smith), "N'Sync" (Justin Timberlake), "Destiny's Child" (Beyonce)and the list could go on and on.
However in rare cases, as far as mainstream media is concerned... more than one megastar is among the group.
Destiny's Child Live From The "Destiny Fulfilled and Lovin it" Tour
Kelly Rowland (Kelendria Trene Rowland) has shown all along she was a superstar in her own right, taking steps out of Beyonce's shadow and paving her own way. A shadow the "media" and the "public" placed on Kelly.
Both artists have always remained respectful to one another and have always had each other's backs. No cattiness appeared to be in the picture. Beyonce has always shown support for Kelly, just as Kelly has always shown support for Beyonce. They are sisters, and no matter what... family is going to stick by family.
Through all the "Destiny's Child" drama, with ex-members bashing then manager and father to Beyonce & some say father to Kelly Rowland (but we are going to leave that subject / urban legend alone)... Kelly and Beyonce proved they were "survivors" and went on to become part of the biggest female group ever. (The addition of a very talented Michelle Williams was an excellent choice.) Even when Kelly Rowland years later replaced Matthew Knowles as her manager, she remained respectful to the Knowles.
When "Destiny's Child" took their first "break", so they could concentrate on solo projects in music, film etc, Kelly Rowland even then... garnered major success in music and additional endeavors.
-Kelly's 2002 collab with Nelly on his track "Dilemma" was a #1 mega hit! Earning them both a Grammy for "Best Rap/Song Collaboration" and a Billboard Award the following year. To this day.. that track is bomb! Still on my ipod!
"Dilemma"
-In 2002, earlier than expected, Kelly released her first solo album "Simply Deep". It went as far as number 12 on the billboard 200 album chart. Very good solo beginning. "Simply Deep" went on to sale 600,000 copies in the U.S and a worldwide total of 2.5 million copies. That in itself was proof back in 2002-2003, Kelly was a artist in her own right. Yet the "media" still didn't really want to acknowledge what was right before their cameras, pens, magazines, newspapers, entertainment shows etc.. Kelly Rowland was a SOLO superstar.
-In 2007, Kelly Rowland's second solo album "Ms. Kelly" went on to sell 1.2 million copies worldwide. Platinum success. Kelly went own to gain huge success internationally for years.
"Like This" f/ Eve
-In July 2011, Kelly's album "Here I Am" was released and sold 77,000 copies the first week. Prior to the release, the single "Motivation", a collab with Lil Wayne was a instant #1 hit! Staying on the top of the R&B/Hip-Hop Charts for 7 weeks. As of October 2011, the album has sold 178,391 copies in the US. Kelly picked "Lay It on Me" as the next single in the US and "Down For Whatever" as the next international single. The International version of "Here I Am" will be released on November 28, 2011 in the UK. So "Here I Am" is on course to become another platinum success for Kelly. - I do believe through perhaps the fault of management or the record company, the amount of time that seems to lapse in between videos and releases need to be worked on a bit.
-Kelly Rowland has made numerous guest appearances on tv shows, and In 2004, Kelly made her big screen debut in the horror film "Freddy vs. Jason". Kelly was cast as one of the leads. The movie topped the U.S. box office, earning $36.4 million on its first weekend. The production budget was $25 million, the film became a financial success, resulting in a worldwide box office total of $114.3 million. An Uber successful film debut!
"Freddy v/s Jason" (2004)
The following year, Kelly returned to the big screen, this time for a lead role in the romantic comedy "The Seat Filler", (I actually have this dvd in my collection of over 2200 dvds - Yep..I'm a movie fanatic-, purchase or rent "The Seat Filler" if you haven't seen it, it's a cute romantic comedy) starring opposite Duane Martin and Shemar Moore. Executive produced by Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, the film hit theaters in the summer of 2005 and debuted at number eighteen at the box office top twenty. It eventually earned a total domestic gross ticket sales of $10.2 million, and went on to a box office gross over $17.5 million worldwide.
In the film, for which she recorded two songs, Rowland played a pop star who falls for an awards-show seat filler in which she mistakes for a high-profile entertainment attorney. Released to a limited number of festivals only, the film went straight to DVD in 2006. However it has become a DVD sales success.
"The Seat Filler" (2005)
-With the "Motivation" single success, the video releases of "Motivation, and most recently "Lay It On Me" and "Down For Whatever", even her live performance of "Motivation" on this year's BET awards, (which won her the audience pick for best performance of the night. Her sis Beyonce also performed that night as well. As a fan of both, because I don't choose to listen to one music artist over another.. who listens to just one artist? I happen to luv good music period... so I'm not throwing shade at Beyonce, just stating facts from the night of the BET Awards.)
Kelly is making 2011 the year that mainstream media and the constant haters can do nothing more but remove the invisible shadow they bestowed upon her from the get go. That shadow has long ago evaporated in the reality of her unstoppable solo success.
"BET Live Performance Of "Motivation" with Trey Songz cameo.
-Kelly Rowland was hand picked by Simon Cowell to be one of the judges on his wildly popular show "The X Factor", the British version, where the hit show franchise began. The UK version of the show is currently airing now, you can catch all the performances, judges houses results and more on Youtube, the show is just as fabulous as the USA version) - Rowland was confirmed as a judge for the eighth season of British television show The X Factor back in May.
"BET Live Performance Of "Motivation" with Trey Songz cameo.
-Kelly Rowland was hand picked by Simon Cowell to be one of the judges on his wildly popular show "The X Factor", the British version, where the hit show franchise began. The UK version of the show is currently airing now, you can catch all the performances, judges houses results and more on Youtube, the show is just as fabulous as the USA version) - Rowland was confirmed as a judge for the eighth season of British television show The X Factor back in May.
To watch or catch up on "The X Factor UK" Season 8, go to http://www.youtube.com/show?p=wdeHSOJEzBI&tracker=show_av or www.Youtube.Com/TheXFactorUK
Kelly Rowland is finally getting the media attention for her solo success, she deserved way back in 2002.
Congrats to Kelly on her success and it's surely to go even further. Below are the most recent videos of Kelly Rowland, "Lay It On Me" and "Down For Whatever". If you haven't purchased Kelly's album "Here I Am", do so today.
"Lay It On Me' ft. Big Sean
"Down For Whatever"
Kelly Rowland's destiny is finally being fulfilled.
Kelly Rowland is finally getting the media attention for her solo success, she deserved way back in 2002.
Congrats to Kelly on her success and it's surely to go even further. Below are the most recent videos of Kelly Rowland, "Lay It On Me" and "Down For Whatever". If you haven't purchased Kelly's album "Here I Am", do so today.
"Lay It On Me' ft. Big Sean
"Down For Whatever"
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