Key Takeaways
- Kelly Rowland reconnected with her father in 2018, after the birth of her son, Titan.
- Through the reunion, she learned her grandmother had been a background singer for Lena Horne and Count Basie.
- The experience reshaped how Rowland approaches her music and personal identity.
Kelly Rowland was destined to become a star, but she had no idea that fulfilling her dreams was a continuation of her family’s legacy. The Simply Deep singer learned about her bloodline’s deep musical roots after reconnecting with her father, Christopher Lovett. The estranged daddy-daughter duo began rebuilding their relationship in 2018 after the birth of Rowland’s first son, Titan. She and her husband, Tim Weatherspoon, welcomed a second son, Noah, in 2021.
Earlier this month, Lovett witnessed her perform live for the first time in her 30-year career, as an opener on “The Boy Is Mine Tour.” In a new interview for the “Mama, I Made It!” podcast with host Samantha Chatman, the Grammy Award winner opened up about being inspired by her firstborn to reunite with her dad. The experience helped her gain a deeper understanding of herself.
The Destiny’s Child stunner recalled wondering, “If he asked me a question later, what was I going to tell him about his grandfather? I could give him everything about his grandmother, you know what I mean? But what am I going to tell him about my father? And I knew that it was time to meet him.”
Although she expressed concerns about unpacking past trauma, Rowland revealed that the reunion was more rewarding than she ever could have imagined. “When I was able to meet him and talk to him and look at him in his eye, I realized why I sing… My dad’s mom was a background singer for Lena Horne and Count Basie. I didn’t know that; I didn’t know that I got my voice from her,” she said.
Rowland also described having felt her grandmother’s spirit — and a responsibility to “step up.” The “Motivation” singer said the experience gave her a renewed sense of purpose in her music. “This isn’t my dream that I’m living; it’s hers… I gotta really go for it because in the time that she was dreaming about music, I can only imagine what her limits were and how she probably felt, like, a lot of closed doors,” said the Mea Culpa actress. “So, I was like, I’ma bust every single one open just for her… It’s for her, it’s for him, it’s for my kids… It was bigger than me, meaning my father was bigger than me; it was about my kids and the unknown.”
What R&B project is Kelly Rowland working on next?
The multihyphenate entertainer is back in the studio crafting her first album since 2021’s six-track EP K. Her last full-length project, Talk A Good Game, dropped in 2013. Her forthcoming music will mark a return to her R&B roots after successful forays into pop, EDM and Afrobeats-inspired tunes. Rowland told Chatman that her songs will offer real stories and authenticity. “I plan on having a damn good time with this record,” she remarked.
Her journey of reconnection didn’t just heal old wounds; it redefined the why behind her artistry. With new music on the horizon, she’ll be channeling her family’s legacy into every note.