Singer and reality show star K. Michelle is known for belting out ballads and throwing shade. But the celebrity recently revealed that her music career was not how she was able to truly build her wealth.
“I’ve never owned anything,” she said in an interview with The Shade Room. “I’ve never got no money from none of my gifts.”
K. Michelle recently that the bulk of her wealth as an artist came from touring and endorsement deals.
Where The Money Is
In 2015, K. Michelle landed a partnership deal with Jack Daniels. As the first Black brand ambassador for the company, K. Michelle promoted the brand on her “My Twisted Mind Tour.”
“I like to say, ‘I’m the first Black ever endorsed by Jack Daniels.’ K. Michelle said. “I made more money and learned more business from Jack Daniels than I made with any music.”
Two years later, the partnership continued — with K. Michelle helping Jack Daniels to craft the brand’s Southern Peach drink–from ideation to packaging.
“Jack Daniel’s is a brand with rich history,” K. Michelle said in a 2017 press release. “Also being from Tennessee, I’ve always appreciated how JD falls in line with my Southern values. This collaboration with Jack Daniel’s Country Cocktails is a celebration of all those values, and I’m excited to share that with my fans.”
From Losing Recording Contract to Reality Star to Recording Again
K. Michelle reportedly has a net worth of $2.5 million. She began her recording career in 2009 when she signed a deal with Jive Records and released the single “Fakin It.” Three other singles followed but before her debut album could hit the presses, Jive Records went out of business, leaving K. Michelle’s career in limbo. However, in 2012, as VH1’s “Love & Hip Hop” franchise expanded, K. Michelle landed a spot on the cast of “Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta.” She was a popular cast member for two seasons before joining the cast of “Love & Hip Hop: New York.” K. Michelle landed a lucrative recording contract with Atlantic Records and released her debut album, “Rebellious Soul.” The album charted at number two on the U.S. Billboard 200 and number one on the U.S. Top R&B/Hip Hop Album charts. During this time, she also starred in her own reality show, “K. Michelle: My Life,” and continued making appearances on “Love & Hip Hop: New York” and “Love & Hip Hop: Hollywood.”
Entrepreneurship Over Entertainment Industry
Despite K. Michelle’s success as a recording artist and reality star, her other endeavors seem much more lucrative and compatible with K. Michelle’s personality.
In addition to her endorsement deals, K. Michelle is a restaurateur. With two locations of the Atlanta-based Puff and Petals, K. Michelle has built a menu filled with classic Southern cuisine with a modern flair.
“I had to look at that the other day,” she said. “ ‘It’s not that you don’t like music, K. You don’t like the industry. You don’t do well with it. You do great in the studio. You do great on stage, but you don’t do great in no other part.’ ”
