Kelly Rowland (June 2007)
Kelly: Hello?
MiddleChild: Hey Ms. Kelly!
Kelly: Hey!
MiddleChild: You don't know how happy I am to be speaking with you right now.
Kelly: Aww. Thank you.
MiddleChild: So how is everything going with you?
Kelly: Everything is going really good. I'm just in the car driving from New York to Philly for this radio show.
MiddleChild: Well that's what's up. So let's jump right into it. You've been doing this thing for ten years plus now. Like ten years strong as far as being out on the scene. We won't include all of the previous time. Tell me one thing you believe people still don't give you credit for or try and short change you on.
Kelly: I would say...gosh. That's a good question. Somebody just asked me the same question! (laughs) We all know the answer to that question. People are forever going to compare me to Destiny's Child and I think that it's important for them to see me in my own solo light and not ever compare me to Destiny's Child or B or anybody else, so just respect me as such. Just Kelly Rowland. When I started recording the album I thought about that. I said that I wanted to have an album with it's own sound and where people could get to know me better on.
MiddleChild: Ok. So from the records you recorded and give us on the album, what song would you say is the one that's going to help us figure out who the real Kelly is?
Kelly: It's not one specific song. It just takes listening to the album just cause on this album I'm real personal. I'm very vulnerable as well and it's basically like listening to a conversation that I would have with like maybe my best friend. You know what I mean. Just letting them in my world. Thoughts. Fears. Everything.
MiddleChild: So are you nervous about striking out? Because it's basically like starting over once again. You come out, you build, you get real high and then you start over on a new road. So does starting out on your own again scare you?
Kelly: It's exciting I must say. I'm very excited about this record. It makes it all worth it. You know what I mean?
MiddleChild: Well we are familiar with all the people you pulled into the studio with you, so tell me who you think brought the most out of you?
Kelly: Uhm. Each experience was different from the last one so it makes everything very unique with each producer or each writer or each collaboration. I know I actually got a chance to go into the studio with Eve and Tank as far as our collaborations are concerned. And Snoop, I know I actually sent him "Ghetto" and he sent it back to me done in like a matter of I think it was a week and a half. Maybe two weeks. But each experience was unique and it was fun so...
MiddleChild: Well that's what's up. We spoke to Tank a few weeks ago and he gave you so much love and talked about how people were not ready for you and they shouldn't sleep on you or whatnot. So I just wanted to shout him out for showing you love because we show you so much love as well.
Kelly: Thank you so much.
MiddleChild: No problem. So let me tell you that a fan favorite is definitely "Still In Love With My Ex". So several wanted me to ask you if there were plans on making that a single.
Kelly: Oh definitely. (laughs) It's so funny because that song came out much better than I expected it to be. I still want to keep up the pace. I don't wanna go right into a ballad right after the first single, but I'm not sure yet. Because my favorite is "Come Back". I mean I wanna do another hot video. (laughs)
MiddleChild: (sings) You got that come back. That hubba bubba. Hey. I love that too. As well as "Work".
Kelly: Exactly. So I wanna go and do a hot video for that one and then go do a hot storytelling video for "Still In Love With My Ex". I mean, that could be a third single. I could bring that right behind "Come Back".(laughs)
MiddleChild: Definitely. Please do that for me. And I really love "Work" as well and I can definitely tell I'm going to be playing the hell out of "Better Without You". I can tell that...
Kelly: Oh my God I love that record! (both laugh) I'm sorry.
MiddleChild: You did your thing.
Kelly: I love it. You're making my day. I appreciate it.
MiddleChild: Well let me just tell you like this. I don't care what the haters say or the people who just like to hear themselves talk say to you or about you. This is definitely going to be one of my albums of the year. Like just from the snippets I can tell. It's been on repeat and I can tell you I love it. It's just like a minute and a half of each song and I'm just killing it. (laughs)
Kelly: Thank you so much. I really appreciate that.
MiddleChild: So how many total tracks did you go in and record after you decided to revamp the album?
Kelly: Let's see. When I revamped the album I did, let me think in my head. I did "Like This", "Love", "Work", "Come Back"... I think that I recorded like eight more and then I used like the four of five that I already did. That was it!
MiddleChild: Well shouts out to my boy Justin because he is really in love with "Love" and when I told him I would be speaking with you today he would not let me go without promising him that I would tell you that.
Kelly: Thank you very much. (laughs)
MiddleChild: I know you're going to do a tour. I heard you were supposed to open for Justin Timberlake later this year. Is that true?
Kelly: I don't know. That would be awesome. (laughs)
MiddleChild: Ok. So if you could pull together a ladies first tour, who would you invite out on the road with you?
Kelly: Oh! Let me see. Nelly Furtado. Rihanna...you mean right now right? Like people out right now?
MiddleChild: Yes.
Kelly: Ok. Nelly Furtado and Rihanna....who else is out right now?
MiddleChild: Well I would like to see you on tour with Monica. (laughs)
Kelly: Oh. Monica would be hot too.
MiddleChild: That would be great. That would make my day. (both laugh)
Kelly: I love Monica. She is a sweetheart.
MiddleChild: (laughs) Yep. That would be my jumpoff. So other than your acting and your music, what would be some other dreams of yours you want to accomplish over the next few years?
Kelly: I really want my own fragrance. I would love to create a T-Shirt and tank top line. I know how crazy that sounds,but I do. I also want to do another movie, another tv show and hopefully be married and have some children somewhere child.
MiddleChild: Somewhere! Somewhere, right?
Kelly: Somewhere! (both laugh) Somewhere! Somewhere down the line. I'm getting older.
MiddleChild: Well you still got a few years. My mama try and play me like that too. Always asking when I'm going to give her some grandkids and I be like "Mama! I'm only twenty-six!" So you got time Kelly.
Kelly: I'm getting asked that same question. Trust me.
MiddleChild: Well let them know. It's all in due time. It'll happen.
MiddleChild: As far as you doing...well you been doing this for ten years, group to solo and you learn as you go and you grow as you go. So what's been the hardest thing you have had to come to terms with about yourself?
Kelly: Uh. I have to be happy. I used to and sometimes I still do, although not as much as I used to is think about "Oh, I got to make sure this person is happy and this person is happy and this person is happy" to the point where I would forget about myself and I can't do that anymore. As my mama would say, "Miss Kelly don't do that no more." (laughs)
MiddleChild: So you're learning! That's cool. Any plans for a live DVD down the line?
Kelly: I guess so. That would be hot. I want to tape it on like an island somewhere.
MiddleChild: Well you have lots of international fans as well. So what's been like the most welcoming country for you?
Kelly: Gosh. Pretty much everywhere has been very welcoming. From the UK to Germany to France. Australia, Japan. Everywhere has been really welcoming. I've been very blessed to have great experiences.
MiddleChild: Ok. How critical are they. You know we're very critical in the states of our own artists. We watch these specials on tv where our artists go overseas and they know the words and they are super happy and whatnot. Who is harder on our American artists?
Kelly: Uh. (laughs) They're not as critical as the states to be very honest. They're not as critical as the states are. I think because American artists don't come over there as much, I think they just appreciate our music alot more. Which is really cool and why I love to go over there.
MiddleChild: No doubt. Well I haven't heard of anything crazy as of late, but are there any specific rumors you want to tackle while I got you? Because you know there is always something!
Kelly: There's always a rumor honey. I know just a couple weeks ago I was pregnant, I was dead, I was dating some footballer when I was in London and I never even met him before.
MiddleChild: Oh yea. A fan asked me about some soccer player.
Kelly: Yea. Honey, I ain't never met him to be very honest. (both laugh)
MiddleChild: Well that's what's up. I like to let you squash them if you can.
Kelly: Well thank you.
MiddleChild: Well I really appreciate talking with you. Like I said before, I love you and I been with you since you dropped in 1997, so this is an honor.
Kelly: Thank you. It's an honor to talk to you. You have great energy and I appreciate that.
MiddleChild: Well thank you. I hope you have a great show and if all goes well I will be seeing you soon on the road.
Kelly: Alright! Go for it!
MiddleChild: I really wanna see you. So much love and you've always got my support!
Kelly: Thank you so much!
MiddleChild: So make it happen alright?!
Kelly: Alright! Bye Bye.
MiddleChild: Have a good one.
