interview by JANA LETONJA

Numéro Netherlands is thrilled to introduce four-time Grammy award-winning singer, songwriter, actress and executive producer KELLY ROWLAND, gracing the cover of our new issue. Kelly rose to fame as a member of the globally successful group DESTINY’S CHILD. Since then, ROWLAND has garnered success as a solo artist, actor, and fashion icon. Most recently, she starred in MEA CULPA on NETFLIX, and she’ll be a mentor and a judge on the streaming platform’s upcoming reality series BUILDING THE BAND.

How has your musical career and success shaped you into the artist and person you are today?

Wow. As an artist, it definitely reminds me of how hard I worked as a kid. Work ethic is everything to me. To be able to see the world so young was pretty extraordinary. I remember looking at the globe and the places that I thought were just so far away. Having gone to so many places by 18 years old was such a blessing. I’d say hard work and gratitude definitely shape everything I do, because I don’t like to take anything for granted now.

Why do you find music a space where you can express your creativity, and a space where you feel the most at home?

With writing and melody you’re able to create these stories, which is cathartic when you’re going through so much. You think about artists of the past, from Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder, who were going through so much in their time, and they were able to get all of that out. I think that sometimes now, or probably even before that, you kept a lot of things inside, but music is a place and a space where you can just let it all go. And that’s a really freeing place to be, because if the rest of the world is judging, your music is never going to judge you. You’re in there giving everything to it, and that’s such a freedom.

Who are your biggest musical inspirations and influences, especially at the beginning of your music career?

I mean, Whitney Houston was the biggest inspiration for me. Stevie Wonder was a big inspiration for me. My taste in music started to really evolve when I moved to Texas. That’s when I was listening to this one radio station in Houston, called Sunday 99.1. Before that, my first love was R&B, so I heard Babyface and Pebbles and all these R&B artists. And I also heard gospel, because gospel was playing in my home when I was little. From then on, it started going into more R&B artists. And then from there, when I moved to Houston, it became Queen and Bryan Adams, all these different pop rock songs that were so great. So, I feel like my palette for music is so incredibly diverse and I’m so grateful for that, because it’s not just one-dimensional.

You’ve shared your expertise and mentorship as a judge on popular shows like THE X FACTOR UK and US, as well as on THE VOICE AUSTRALIA. What did you find most fulfilling in these roles, where you mentored young singers trying to make it in the industry?

It was an experience above anything. Seeing the challenges that they would be having in the moment would kind of directly hit me from when I had those same challenges. And I would just want to, I don’t want to say save them from it, but at least talk to them about it to where they understand what’s coming, whether it’s a personal thing or a confidence thing or a performance thing. I’d see them be unsure about a song or if they can do this or do that, and I knew exactly what to say. I was able to coach them through that, so for me it was very fulfilling because it was like giving back.

dress ALEXANDER WANG
jacket NORMA KAMALI
boots BERHASM
glasses BALENCIAGA

As an actress, we’ve most recently watched you in TYLER PERRY’s legal drama MEA CULPA, which you also co-produced. What did you find creatively most intriguing about this plot and your character Mea, and what is in your opinion the most powerful message of the film to the viewers?

To me, MEA CULPA was a challenge. It was something I’d never done before, and Mea is not me. With film, I like the challenge. When Tyler told me about the script, I told him no. I was like ‘No, this feels like it’s a lot. I’m just not sure.’ And he was like ‘Kelly, I know you can do it. You can tap in.’ And then I called a friend of mine and he knew exactly what to say to me. He was like ‘Kelly, if it doesn’t push you, what’s the purpose of doing it?’ You have to actually be scared when you try new things, whether it’s work or whatnot. I mean, parenthood every day is a challenge, and it does push me, and I do grow and learn so much more about myself. And it was the same thing that happened with MEA CULPA.

I’ve done Christmas movies, which are so much fun, but I did want to do something that pushed me, and it did. And that’s what makes me the most proud of it. The story was definitely scandalous. I love the fact that Mea is this really powerhouse lawyer who knew exactly what she wanted. I love that about her, and I, of course, carry that with me.

Your unique style has generated numerous opportunities for you in the fashion sphere. How does fashion allow you to express your personality, and what do you love the most about it?

Right now, I can say my favourite thing about fashion is when it’s timeless. I wish that what I discovered in fashion, like, two years ago, I knew all along. There are so many pieces in my closet now that I’ve curated. If I can’t wear this now, or 10 years from now, 20 years from now, 30 years from now, what’s the purpose of having it? So, shopping for me and fashion for me is like art. You’ve got these really interesting pieces that are fresh and fly and timeless. It has to be timeless, I feel like that’s a big part for me.

But with fashion, it’s just expressions. Through so many eras of time, the ’20s, the ’30s, the ’40s, the ’50s, the ’60s, the ’70s, ’80s, ’90s, even the 2000s. Though, the shoes were definitely a struggle. But you have moments that really pop, like CAVALLI. And then I think about ALAÏA, who just really made his own rules. And I love that about him. I was able to break bread with him and hear his story, and he was just so bold and loved the female form. I like to actually hear the backstories of these designers. A favourite new designer of mine right now is GABRIELA HEARST. I also love LAQUAN SMITH. I love when fashion is edgy, chic, and timeless.

bra SAINT LAURENT
coat BERHASM
trousers JACQUEMUS
shoes JIMMY CHOO
earrings VIVIENNE WESTWOOD from SPR ARCHIVES

Do you have a favourite red carpet outfit from the last three years?

There was this red IRIS van HERPEN dress that I wore to a movie premiere. I remember that day so vividly – it was just stunning. And I remember I didn’t want my hair to touch the dress. It’s so cool to be styled, but also to have this integrity of the clothes – you want to make sure that the hair and make-up and everything else works with it, because it tells one full story.

There was this other dress that I wore to the VANITY FAIR PARTY that was super tight. I had very long hair and it was striped, but also sheer. It was so beautiful. That was one of my favourite moments.

As an author, you became an instant New York Times bestseller with the release of ALWAYS WITH YOU, ALWAYS WITH ME, which you wrote as a loving ode to modern motherhood. What do you find the biggest challenges mothers face in the modern world we live in?

I actually just read this story in the New York Times that the new mom is worried about keeping up with social media as far as parenting is concerned. And the other day I said to someone, ‘Why are there just so many different parenting techniques?’ It’s like gentle parenting, conscious parenting, parenting this, parenting that. It’s just too much. And here we are, some really great people, but we’re depending on a new technique, and we don’t know what it’s going to give us in 10 to 20 years from now with our kids. We want to make sure that we’re still a part of this process of having thick-skinned kids because there are cyber bullies, bullies and kids are hurting themselves because of someone either triggering them or whatever it might be. It’s so important for us to prepare our children for the world and the truth is that no one knows how to do that. We’re trying to figure this out every single day.

When I was growing up, it was just thinking about the danger of fire. And today, America keeps having shootings, and our kids have to suffer through that. I just wept at the chapel listening to that because I was like ‘Come November election time, we’ve got to get out here and really be bold with this statement if we don’t want this future for our children at all.’

dress LEVER COUTURE
heels ALEXANDRE BIRMAN

How has motherhood changed your priorities in life, and how do you balance your family life with your professional endeavours on a daily basis?

Now, I say yes to what I’m excited about and what really drives me and my passion, and pulls me and forces me to grow. I used to say yes to everything. Not anymore, because all of those yes’s will take me away from being here to mould my kids, to love on my kids and spend time with them. I think in the most recent times, they are so happy when I’m home. And here’s the thing: I still need to exercise creativity because that makes me happy. And I believe that when I’m full of joy and I’m doing the things that bring me joy and make me happy, they get a better version of me.

I’m trying to let them understand it’s a joy to work, it’s a privilege to work. It’s a blessing to be able to say that I can actually go somewhere for work or have a job or whatever it might be. They get to see me work and be happy about it. And I want them to have that same zeal and excitement for whatever it is they do, because they are going to have to work and that’s going to make them feel fulfilled. I pray to whatever it is they do, they feel fulfilled.

set VERSACE
boots FLOR DE MARIA

Soon, we’ll be seeing you as a judge on BUILDING THE BAND on NETFLIX, where you’ll be joined by NICOLE SCHERZINGER and LIAM PAYNE as judges, and A.J. McLEAN as a host. Tell us more about this upcoming series – what makes you excited to be a part of it?

The format was so cool. It’s almost like this play on LOVE IS BLIND, but with a talent competition component to it. I think that in the ’90s, you had some groups who were put together and some groups who formed amongst friends, like me and the ladies did. With this, they have all the elements that they need or could want in a group or group members around them, but they have to navigate their way through finding them. This makes it more authentic instead of seeing a couple of artists and you’re like ‘Oh, they would be cute in a group. Let’s get this person, this person, and that person formed together.’

This feels like they navigated their way through this whole idea and plan, and I love that part. The feeling of actually gelling is important. You can’t see each other, they don’t know what the other one looks like, but they can only lead by their voices. I’m excited to see the top portion of this show because I wasn’t there for that part. Nicole was there for that part, I was there to mentor them, and that was incredible. Of course, I’ve been in a band, so I know what that feels like and what the challenges are, the fun parts, and the parts that make it really complicated and interesting at times that actually make you even tighter as a unit. I shared all of that with them and was able to chat with them about certain things when they were formed. But the part where you have to let a band go, that’s always hard for me. If we’re thinking about this climate and who’s ready, the band that was ready rose to the time. I think everyone’s going to really enjoy the show. I think that the world is ready for a band, to see a group again.

Besides BUILDING THE BAND, what exciting projects are you working on next as a singer, actress and in other business ventures?

On the business side, I have something new that I’m embarking on. I can’t talk about it yet, but I do want to enlighten you later on when it’s all moving. In acting, I’m moving in the movie department and I’m really excited about this one project that I have. And music, being able to express myself in the most honest way in the studio feels really good.

I am working on new music. It’s long overdue, but I had to really narrow down what I wanted to talk about. I heard ADELE say she heard all these different songs and was like ‘I can’t relate to those.’ And for a long time, I think that I kept going like ‘Am I supposed to sound like this person or that person?’ I’m about to make an album that makes sense for me. And when I talked to friends about the direction that I was headed in, they were like ‘Please keep going.’ They related – and if they can relate, then everyone’s going to be able to relate.

TEAM CREDITS:
talent KELLY ROWLAND
photography TYLER PATRICK KENNY
styling WILFORD LENOV AT TUNNEL MEDIA GROUP
hair LACY REDWAY
makeup WENDI MIYAKE
nails MIHO OKAWARA
styling assistant GETH SEMANI
videography MEECH AT TUNNEL MEDIA GROUP
studio tech FRANCOIS
studio THE DREAM FACTORY
set assistant ASHLEY VAN DER LAAN
editor TIMI LETONJA
interview JANA LETONJA
cover design ARTHUR ROELOFFZEN
special thanks to EVAN DUNING for the great space and SHURE MEDIA GROUP for helping putting this together!

IN CONVERSATION WITH KELLY ROWLAND

IN CONVERSATION WITH RUDY PANKOW

KIT BUTLER STARS ON THE COVER OF NUMÉRO NETHERLANDS’ ODYSSEY