The Grammy-winning R&B/pop superstar Kelly Rowland will no longer be recording with Columbia Records as a solo artist, it was officially announced today by the label.
Rowland, a founding member of Destiny’s Child, the world’s top-selling female group, will continue her relationship with Columbia Records in her ongoing role in the iconic ensemble.
“Because Columbia Records has been my home base as an artist for more than a decade, the decision to move out on my own required a lot of soul-searching,” said Kelly Rowland. “As a solo artist, I felt the need to explore new directions, new challenges, and new freedoms outside my comfort zone and my friends and family at Columbia have been incredibly understanding about my evolution. I want to thank everyone at Columbia for the love and support they’ve shown and I will never forget how many good times we’ve had over the years.”
“Kelly Rowland is one of our finest contemporary artists and a musical force to be reckoned with,” said Rob Stringer, CEO, Columbia/Epic Label Music Group. “It has been a privilege and a pleasure to work with Kelly and we will continue our working relationship with her under the Destiny’s Child moniker. The decision for Kelly to seek other opportunities for her solo career was agreed upon mutually, and any reports to the contrary are false.”
Rihanna may get a bodygaurd - on the big screen. The battered pop star made an impromptu trip to the Big Apple over the weekend to have some meetings about impending projects: one of which is a proposed remake of 1992’s Whitney Houston/Kevin Costner flick, “The Bodyguard.” Rihanna would be taking on Whitney’s role in the updated version, which an insider says would be a “young and sexy take” on the favorite film. “GI Joe” hottie Channing Tatum’s name has been bandied about to take on Costner’s role.
In addition to talking about her acting career, Ri is working on her new album, which will be released by year’s end. Two new tracks have already been cut - “We Own the Night” and “Pretty Girl Blues.”
Unfortunately, Rihanna has no plans to write or produce her own tracks at the moment. Another person who will not be earning writer/producer credits on the forthcoming album in R&B artist Ne-Yo.
“Some people are just born stars,” she says in her upmarket New York drawl. “You either have it or you haven’t, and I was definitely born one.
“Even as a kid I always had eyes on me, like bees on honey. I was always outrageous and I was always very smart.”
“I have a strong sense of my own sexuality. I love the naked human body and I have huge body confidence,” she says.
“I was working in strip clubs when I was 18. Girls from my background weren’t meant to turn into someone like me. I come from a wealthy Italian family, went to a good school [she was at the same super-rich Manhattan Catholic girls’ school – Convent Of The Sacred Heart – as Paris Hilton].
“I don’t like to talk about it too much but there were drugs, serious drugs,” she says. “I wouldn’t want to inspire other people to do the same.” But she doesn’t regret the stripping.
