A Drink With Kelly Rowland

Hillary of A Drink With sat down with Kelly Rowland over whiskey sours poured by The Spirit Guide on Cerise Rooftop. Really, what more could you ask for other than chatting about girl groups, love and her go-to drink (which is definitely not what you’d expect). Visit adrinkwith.com for more!

ADW: What are you going to order?
KR: A whiskey sour. People are always surprised. They say, “You drink whiskey?” But yes, I’m a Texas girl. We like whiskey. Actually, B [Beyoncé] introduced me to whiskey and she was drinking whiskey straight. I thought flames were rolling down my esophagus. Then the light came back hours later.
ADW: Your show, “Chasing Destiny,” is a search for the next girl group and just premiered on BET. I love that the show captures real moments among women with real talent.
KR: Thank you. That makes me so happy. I feel like the girl-group culture is just lost right now. When I was coming up there were so many different girl groups– En Vogue, TLC, Spice Girls, Jade. Now I’m thinking about how many girls groups we have and it’s like two: Little Mix, who is overseas – and by the way, I put them together when I did “X-Factor” with Simon [Cowell] – and Fifth Harmony. So, I feel like there’s a void in the marketplace. Girl groups are just such a great part of history and they showcase camaraderie among women and females. It’s really important for the next generation to see that.

ADW: What is something that you had to learn the hard way that you’re able to pass along to the girls on the show?
KR: Listen to your intuition, and be smart. I know it’s easier said than done, but be smart. Being smart and listening go hand-in-hand, because if you listen to your intuition it’s usually telling you something that you feel deep down inside. To me it’s a higher power telling you, “This is what we need to be happy. This is what we need to be comfortable. This is what we need to push ourselves.” I think that listening to your intuition gets you where you need to be.

ADW: When was the last time your intuition was telling you something?
KR: I think mine talks to me every day. My higher power speaks to me every day– at all times of the day, and night. I listen, but for a long time I didn’t. When I didn’t, I went through a lot of heartache. I went through a lot of unnecessary stress. When you tap into it, it’s more stress-free. You look younger, you feel younger, and everything just feels right.

ADW: What do you think makes a star?
KR: Not being afraid of being unique. Not being afraid of taking the risk. I think that’s what we love so much about Lady Gaga. It’s what we love so much about Rihanna. It’s what we love so much about David Bowie, Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson– they weren’t afraid to be themselves. It was probably the wildest them that they could think of, but they wouldn’t tone it down for anybody. They just knew what they wanted to sound like, what the music wanted to make them feel like, what they knew they wanted to express, what message they wanted to send to their fans and their audience. I think it’s important to know that too.
ADW: With all of your experience talking to the press, can you share any tips on how to redirect a question?
KR: I find a story that has something to do with [the question I don’t want to answer], but doesn’t quite answer it, but still adds humor. Be witty. My husband is witty and I had to learn to be witty. When I lived in London, everybody has quick wit there. I had to learn wit very quickly.

ADW: When did you know your husband was the one?
KR: We had a conversation on the phone. We developed this weird friendship because Michelle Williams of Destiny’s Child knew Tim [Witherspoon] since she was a kid. When she came into the group, Tim started to come around and I asked her, “Who is that guy with you?” And she was like, “Oh, Tim, we grew up when we were kids.” So I asked her why she wasn’t dating him because I just thought he was so cute. She said, “Tim, no, oh God no. He’s family. I would never.” So Tim and I became just friends, because I was super shallow back then. “Oh, he’s bald. We’re the same height. I don’t like his shoes.” I was really bugging out. We talked on the phone one day and I never wanted to stop talking to him. I was dating this loser guy at the time and I was asking Tim for relationship advice. I told him, “You know what? I’m not going to date. I’m over this guy. I’m just going to take a break for a year. I’m going to wait for God to send me a man.” He said, “Well what if God sent you a dude and you waited your year and that dude was me?” I hung up the phone. Our conversations were just so deep and I knew then and there. I was like, “Oh man, is this my husband? Right now, God? This is too early.” We just became friends and friends turned into lovers and lovers turned into marriage. I don’t want to be without him. I don’t want life without him. He is just the best guy ever. I don’t know what I did or who said a prayer, but man, I hit the lotto. And so did he. I’ll drink to that.
ADW: What is the best drink you’ve had?
KR: Jolly Ranchers, tequila and ice in a blender. You completely lose your way, but it’s really fun getting there.

ADW: If you could have a drink with anyone, who would it be?
KR: If I could have a drink with anyone it would be Frank Sinatra. I would know what drink he drank, I would try it, and then it would probably be my drink of choice. I really like him.
ADW: Last but not least, can you even pick a favorite Destiny’s Child music video?
Probably “Say My Name.” It was so cool how that whole video came about with us having two new members and them not really knowing how to step. We knew that poses would work [instead]. How that came about was nothing but magic, because then when people saw us at the concerts they’d be posing. It was such a moment. It was such a beautiful mistake.