Singer and actress Kelly Rowland, the second wealthiest member of Destiny’s Child, has utilized her status as part of one of the world’s top 10 best-selling girl groups in history to achieve a life of luxury, financial stability, entrepreneurship, and philanthropy. Now a producer, she is challenging herself not only to showcase her talent but also to become a powerful force behind the scenes.
Rowland Music
Born Kelendria Trene Rowland, the star rose to success in the ’90s when the Houston group burst on the scene as teens with hit songs like “No, No, No,” “Say My Name,” “Bills, Bills, Bills” and “Jumpin,’ Jumpin’.”
Her vocals became as signature to the group’s sound as her bandmate and foster sister, Beyoncé.
However, it was her ability to step out as a solo artist in 2002, “Simply Deep,” that set her up to amass her $12 million fortune.
Some of her biggest singles as a solo artist are “Motivation,” “Dilemma,” and “Work.”
With four solo studio albums titled “Ms. Kelly,” “Here I Am,” and “Talk a Good Game” (and also five studio albums, along with five compilation albums, two remix albums, one extended play, and three video albums from Destiny’s Child), the bulk of her wealth has been generated from album sales, concerts, and royalties.
Hosting and Acting
In 2009, Rowland found a lane in hosting television shows including “The Fashion Show,” on the eighth season of “The X Factor UK,” and in 2013 became a judge on the third and final season of “The X Factor U.S.”
Being a celebrity coach and judge seemed to be her niche, making her a highly demanded personality for the shows. She was also cast to join the team for shows like “Chasing Destiny” and “The Voice Australia.”
Rowland also has done a lot of acting in guest roles on sitcoms like “The Hughley,” “Eve” and “Girlfriends.”
Then she was able to be featured as an actress in productions, “American Dreams,” “Freddy vs. Jason,” “Think Like a Man,” “Empire,” “American Soul,” “Fantasy Football,” and “The Curse of Bridge Hollow.”
In 2024, Rowland will be in front as the lead for the first time and behind the screen as a producer for the Netflix thriller “Mea Culpa.”
“I remember being very nervous when I read the script and I remember thinking about everything that an erotic thriller possesses and that made me very intimidated,” Rowland said to People. “And then I had a friend of mine who called me and he said, ‘You know, Kel, if it doesn’t scare you, what’s the purpose of doing it?’”
She added, “So, I literally ran to it. I figured everything out. Tyler [Perry] was so amazing and instrumental in this whole process and Trevante [Rhodes] was just a pleasure to work with. I was very blessed.”
Endorsement and Sponsorship Deals
Renowned for her captivating beauty and affable nature, the singer garnered attention when she walked out as a guest host on the “Today” show, prompting some to label her as a diva. Despite this, she remains a sought-after spokesperson for various brands, commanding substantial fees for the use of her image, voice, and likeness.
Among her notable endorsements are partnerships with McDonald’s, Mercedes-Benz, Dove, Bacardi, Family Guard, and Sephora.
Unilver-owned brand Caress also named her as one of the faces of the Caress Fresh Body Wash Collection. She joined Adriana Castro in this campaign and the two were called The Caress Fabulistas.
Rowland once inked a deal to endorse Jaguar’s new F-Type series, which was featured prominently in the brand’s commercials in 2013. Additionally, she has secured lucrative deals with luxury watch brand TW Steel and Sean John’s “Empress” perfume, as reported by Atlanta Black Star.
Philanthropy
Rowland, along with the Knowles family, established the Survivor Foundation to offer transitional housing for Hurricane Katrina victims. They also initiated the Knowles-Rowland Center for Youth, a versatile community outreach hub in Houston.
HIV/AIDS awareness has been a central concern for the multi-hyphenate over the years.
In 2006, Kelly contributed to the ALDO Fights AIDS campaign and collaborated with Kanye West on designing a Nike sneaker for an AIDS awareness eBay auction. As an ambassador for MTV’s Staying Alive Foundation, she advocates against HIV discrimination. Kelly’s efforts extend globally, as she has visited Tanzania and Kenya to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS. She even took an HIV test in Africa to inspire others to be tested for the deadly disease.
Mother of two Rowland has been married to Tim Weatherspoon since 2014. Later that year she had her first son and another in 2021.