16 Don't Pull Your Hair Out, July 2010 Interview


Asweet timefor Kelly S


FormerDestiny's Child singer KellyRowland tells us about the collaboration with super-DJ David Guetta, her forthcoming album, and why she feels more confident than ever.


By Andy Welch


frozen at the age they become famous. Despite having travelled around the


world many times, both as part of Destiny’sChild and for her solo career,and having shifted morethan 60million records, there’sacertain naivety about her which reflects the fact she first shot to fame aged 16. Certainly rumours about her weight


INGER Kelly Rowland, 29, gives weight to the theory that peo- ple’spersonalities become


direction. She was in the south of France two summers ago for amusic festival whereshe met French DJ and pro- ducer David Guetta. They hit upon something pretty


quickly, and in 2009 won aGrammy awardfor their first collaboration, the globalhit When Love Takes Over. Havingwon three Grammys as part


loss, and acontroversial relationship to food, seem unfounded, as she sits happily in her hotel room, surrounded by bowls of jelly beans and empty Celebrations wrappers. “Oh my,” she says. “I love these


things. The Snickers areincredible. And the littleBounty bars. Ihave a terrible sweet tooth.Ihave to stop myself!” From the way she talks about the


last two years and the next steps of her career,itseem like the Atlanta- bornstar is very positive about the future. “In Destiny’sChild we wereateam;


of Destiny’sChild, one of the most successful groups of all time, and another for her duet with Nelly, Dilemma, Kelly knows athing or two about awards, but her solo gong holds aspecial place. “I think it was God telling me that


thereare rewards for taking risks, and that this is just the start,” she begins. “It was arewardfor my change in mindset, and asign to say Iwas on the right track.Ididn’tappreciate it before, or take it in that I’d won, and it still hasn’treally sunk in so when someone mentions it, it surprises me all over again!” Eager to repeat the formula that


earned them the prestigious award, Kelly and David have teamedup again for another single, Commander. Again,like Love Takes Over,it’sin


we thought as ateam, sang as a team, and that’swhat made it so great,” she explains. “Now that I’m by myselfIfeel empowered, sureofmyself and happy with the space I’m in. “I remember around two years ago,


realising Iwas closer to 30 than Iwas to 25, and Ibegan asking myself whereIwanted to go, what Iwanted to do, what Isaw myself doing, trying, and whereIwanted to be in 10 years time. “I put myselfunder alot of pressure,


and for awhile Iwas just in panic mode, feeling like Iwasn’tincontrol of anything –which Ihated, because I learned that I’m acontrol freak. “I finally realised Iwanted morefor


me. There’snothing wrong with that. I had been thinking as ateam for so long that Icarried it over to my solo career,but with all due respect, as much as Ilove my sisters, Ishould have been thinking about me more, ratherthan the, ‘We, we we we’.” Kelly says this epiphany changed


she says. “I’m still dismissing fear now in different guises, but Ifilled the space with faith. “I have faith in myself, my family, my


friends, God, my fans –all the ones who have believed in me so long.” Kelly’s says he newly found confi- dence has allowed her to make some big decisions in her personal life – although she doesn't go into details. Professionally,itsaw her leave a recordlabel and change musical


the Europop vein ratherthan the RnB-based sound Kelly made her name with. “I didn’tknow anything about


Europop and trancebeforeDavid, he had to introduce me to the whole cul- ture,” she says. “Club music in America is alot more


RnB-led, but we’regetting therewith this proper dance culture.Thereare pockets in Miami,parts of LA, New Jerseyand places whereit’sreally big. “It only took about two hours to get


the way she thought about every- thing,and enabled her to ‘banish fear’ which soundsmightily impressive. “I was scared of certain decisions,”


the vocal on the track, Ijust wanted to sing it,” she says excitedly,before leaning forwardconspiratorially. “I love to sing,”she whispers, like she’s delivering atrade secret. It all bodes well for her forthcoming album,due out later this year.This time she’spulled in awhole host of guest-writers and producers to help her,although Guetta will oversee the entirealbum as co-producer. “It’sgoing to be amazing,” she beams,beforereeling offaveritable Who’sWho of the talent enlisted. There's SalaamRemi, who pro- duced Amy Winehouse’sdebut album Frank,uber-cool Norwegian duo Stargate, Grammyaward-winner and Diddy-DirtyMoney co-writer Rico Love, and Dr Luke, who has written for Miley Cyrus,Pink and Kelly Clarkson. “I thought it would be hardworking


with so many people, and that all the songs wouldn’tline up, sonically,but it’sgoing to sound just perfect,” she says, unwrapping aminiature Snickers and grinning. “Just you wait.”


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