Destiny’s Child alum Kelly Rowland knows a thing or two about handling superstardom as part of a younger girl group, and she’s sharing some advice to the next generation’s pop stars.
In an interview with Rolling Stone published Wednesday (Sept. 2), Rowland passed the girl group playbook down to KATSEYE. The temporary quartet has been navigating the rocky road of its lineup, and the Destiny’s Child star has some words of encouragement to the rising global pop act — and her advice comes from years of experience.
“In an industry as fast-paced as music, where there are constantly eyes on you and pressure to keep rising, your health is one of the most sacred things you have,” Rowland said.
“I learned during my time in Destiny’s Child that you can show up for your fans and your group while still honoring what you need as an individual,” she continued.
These words of wisdom come from someone uniquely qualified to provide them. During Rowland’s tenure with Destiny’s Child, the group became one of the defining acts of the late ’90s and early 2000s, scoring four No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 — including “Bills, Bills, Bills,” “Say My Name,” “Independent Women Part I” and “Bootylicious” — while landing four top 10 albums on the Billboard 200. Survivor and the greatest hits collection #1’s both reached No. 1 on the albums chart.
And Rowland’s charts success didn’t stop when she stepped outside the group. Her blockbuster collaboration with Nelly, “Dilemma,” spent 10 weeks atop the Hot 100 in 2002, giving the singer another perspective on balancing solo ambitions with life as part of a collective.
Meanwhile, KATSEYE — which formed through HYBE and Geffen Records’ The Debut: Dream Academy and later documented its journey in Netflix’s Pop Star Academy: KATSEYE — has quickly become one of pop’s most closely watched new acts. The group’s most recent body of work, the WILD EP, earned the group its first No. 1 on the Billboard 200. The standout tracks “Pinky Up,” “Animal” and even “Hootie Frutti” continue to sit on the Hot 100.
But as the members continue their rapid rise together, they’re also continuing to deal with change. KATSEYE recently began its Wildworld Tour with four active members following temporary breaks by Manon Bannerman and group leader Sophia Laforteza, who have each stepped back from activities to prioritize their well-being.
Fundamentally, Rowland wants aspiring artists to know this: Success doesn’t have to come at the expense of yourself.
“My advice to the KATSEYE girls would be to listen to themselves, be kind to themselves, and continue supporting one another through every season,” she told Rolling Stone.
And with the group now taking its music to arenas around the world, Rowland also stressed the importance of finding time to recharge amid the chaos of being on the road.
“Especially on tour, it’s so important to intentionally carve out time to rest and reset in their daily routines,” she advised. “Taking care of your mind and body is what allows you to bounce back, stay resilient and keep doing what you love.”
