Sunday Diva/Three From The Hip: Kelly Rowland

Sunday Diva/Three From The Hip

Kelly Rowland

In my own personal big gay church there is a wing dedicated to those who belong to the Rhythm Nation. These divas got us to think, encouraged us to love and respect ourselves, made us feel sexy as hell and... most importantly, got us to dance!

One such diva?

Kelly Rowland

She may have come to the public's attention as one of three...

...but this lady has created an identity all her own!

Back up singer? You, back up! This diva lives in nobody's shadow.

Ms. Rowland is smart and savvy. She's never shied away from self-discovery and continues to this day to define herself on her own terms. 

She may have spent a time allowing the music industry to determine just who and what she was, but that was short-lived, as she quickly recognized that was a path that was never going to lead to where she wanted to go. 

She's been carving her own path ever since, with a sound that has us soul shaking, bump and grind aching, and baby making!

The gospel according to her?

Well, here are three from the hip, dropping from her lips. 

The Topic: Her 'Chocolatiness'

"When it comes to racial issues, I'm very passionate about young girls just loving who they are in their own skin. Because I remember going to an all-white school and being the only black girl in an all-white school - looking around me, thinking there's no one else here that looks like me."

"I remember I went through a period where I didn't embrace my 'chocolatiness.' 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."

"When I was a little girl I thought I was ugly. My nose was too big for my face."

"I went to a predominantly white school, and I was the only black girl. I can remember thinking, 'I don't want to be as dark as I am - I want to be a little fairer.' I didn't want to be me."

"It took a long while for me to know that I'm beautiful. I remember going through this phase when I was younger of wanting to pass by mirrors and not look at them. That was so ridiculous. I've learned now that beauty starts from within."

Stole - Kelly Rowland

Motivation - Kelly Rowland feat. Lil Wayne

Kisses Down Low - Kelly Rowland

And one last parting shot...

"If you don't know your worth, if you don't know your value, if you don't know how fantabulous you are - it's going to be hard for other people to see it. Being appreciative of self is beauty to me."