Kelly Rowland explains why, after her songs were leaked, she’ll be staying in control of everything from now on, everything except where to get a boyfriend.
Some people have called the lyrics to your single Work (‘‘put it in, do it baby, do it do it baby”) porn-like. Discuss.

No! I was in the studio with Scott Storch and Poo Bear, who wrote the song. Poo showed me ‘‘Put it in!” and I said, ‘‘I’m not singing that!” He said he meant, ‘‘This guy’s got to put in work to get a girl like you” and I said, ‘‘You know exactly what you’re doing” and he’s like, ‘‘Yeah and you’re gonna sing it!” All I could think was ‘‘What is my momma gonna think?”

What did your momma think?

I rang her and told her the lyrics and gave her the gist of the song and she said, ‘‘Girl, you’re past 21”. As long as my momma has no problem with it then that’s all that counts. Kelly Rowland explains why, after her songs were leaked, she’ll be staying in control of everything from now on, everything except where to get a boyfriend.
Some people have called the lyrics to your single Work (‘‘put it in, do it baby, do it do it baby”) porn-like. Discuss.

No! I was in the studio with Scott Storch and Poo Bear, who wrote the song. Poo showed me ‘‘Put it in!” and I said, ‘‘I’m not singing that!” He said he meant, ‘‘This guy’s got to put in work to get a girl like you” and I said, ‘‘You know exactly what you’re doing” and he’s like, ‘‘Yeah and you’re gonna sing it!” All I could think was ‘‘What is my momma gonna think?”

What did your momma think?

I rang her and told her the lyrics and gave her the gist of the song and she said, ‘‘Girl, you’re past 21”. As long as my momma has no problem with it then that’s all that counts.

You’ve been quite open about repackaging your album Ms Kelly because of low sales.

I felt the album had so much to offer. That kind of stuff just makes you work harder. I’ve worked harder and got better results. It taught me you can be up one day and down the next. It also taught me to trust my gut.

You also said there were too many ballads on the original version.

There were too many ballads. Coming from Destiny’s Child people want to hear a piece of that, otherwise it wouldn’t be me. That’s why I got songs like Work and Like That to bring the energy up. I’m still young!

Some of the songs you were working on leaked. . .

It is so frustrating. It’s robbing you. I want things to come out when I want them to come out, I don’t need people dabbling in my timing. You want to go and strangle someone.

So how do you stop the leaks?

When I record for my next album the sessions will be in an MP3 on the necklace, which will be around my neck all the time, even when I’m sleeping. I’ve gone through my computer, there’s something you click on to ‘‘share music”. I’ve shut that down. I didn’t know about that. I’ve learned my lesson.

Have you started working on your third album?

I have. I want something new and refreshing. I’m going to record a lot of it in the UK.

You seem to be aware of where you’re selling records . . . which isn’t America at the moment.

I have to be globally minded. Shoot, the most success I have is always international rather than domestic. I’m not mad at that. At first I was like, ‘‘Oh my home doesn’t love me”. My home is fickle. Everywhere I’ve been outside the States has been so loyal. I appreciate loyalty.

Is it true you auditioned for the role of Carrie’s assistant in the Sex and the City movie?

I did. When they called me and said I didn’t get the part I did cry, I can’t lie. I’m happy for Jennifer Hudson. She did a good job, but I could have done just as good a job!

You had work done upstairs when you went from an A-cup to a B-cup last year, and admitted it.
My mom called and said, ‘‘There are pictures on the internet . . . comparison pictures . . . before-and-after pictures. What are you gonna do?” She reminded me I came to her when I was 16 and said, ‘‘I want my boobs done”. Eleven years later, I decided to do it. She said, ‘‘I’m proud of you. I wanted you to do it for you, not for the industry, not for a guy, but for you”. Once she put it like that, I was proud of myself.

You waited 11 years, so what pushed you over the edge?

The last straw was putting on my favourite top and I looked like I was in kindergarten. That was really irritating. I still loved my body, that was just one thing I wanted to do, I wanted to go up a cup size.

Most celebrities deny it. . .

And say ‘‘I got a bee-sting!” I couldn’t lie when the journalist asked me. I’ve had a lot of good feedback from being honest about it, especially from the young fans. I made sure it was clear it was a decision I made, and I waited almost 11 years to do it.

And the role-model factor?

I carry the fact I am a role model like a torch, I carry it with integrity. I’m proud of that, I wouldn’t want to do anything that could jeopardise that.

Your video blog was seized as proof Beyonce and Jay-Z were going to marry . . .

People took that and ran with it. As for the other thing, that’s something you’d have to talk to B about.

You must be happy for her?

I’m happy for all my girls.

Do people other than journalists ask you about a band reunion?

All the time. And they ask Beyonce and Michelle (Williams) as well. Destiny’s Child is a part of me. Whenever the timing is right and comes together it’ll happen. I would want it to be a surprise, I think we owe that to the fans.

Did you see her on-stage fall on YouTube?

That freaked me out. You hear about it, you watch it on YouTube and it’s real and you can’t get in contact with her. I called her, ‘‘Boo, are you OK?” She was like, ‘‘Yeah I’m fine, I’ve got a big old gash in my leg, but I’m OK”. I passed out in Nigeria on stage, she rang me, she was worried.

Also as seen on YouTube. . .

Yeah, very embarrassing. I was dehydrated, forgot to eat. Crazy. I passed out. That was scary.

You’re going to Africa for HIV awareness this month.

I’m going over for MTV’s Staying Alive project to increase knowledge and awareness to young people about AIDS and HIV. AIDS is real and it’s rampant. If you’re going to make the decision to have sex, have safe sex. We’re going to meet people and hear their stories about how they got AIDS. One lady was raped by her uncle, some kids are born with it. It’s very real. Once you know, you’re held accountable. It’s important you pass the message on.

It’s a long way from Hollywood.

This is the most rewarding thing for me. If God has put me in this position it’s my responsibility I’m not just here in a cute dress with a microphone. I want to have a message. I want to stand for something.

Beyonce has done a lot of work with Nelson Mandela’s AIDS charity.

She said she had never felt so humbled. She said every time she wants to complain she thinks about that trip (to South Africa). She held a child five minutes before they passed. Once you see that, you want to look at people in the eye and say, ‘‘This is not a joke, this is real”.

The numbers are staying the same, they need to change drastically. Why is the message not getting through? I know some schools are hesitant about talking about AIDS, but look at where we’re headed if we don’t. I look at my nephews and nieces. Kids are robbed of their innocence as soon as they walk out the door. It makes me scared to have kids. I want kids, I want five.

But now my numbers have gone down two or three. Having a child is like letting your heart walk around. If I feel like this with my godchildren and nieces and nephews, my poor children, I won’t let them go anywhere. I’ll be terrified.

How are you going with finding a babydaddy?

I’ll be glad when God sends me a boyfriend. I can get serious, get married, have kids. I don’t know when that’ll happen. We’ll see.

This entry was posted on Friday, June 6th, 2008 at 7:58 am and is filed under Interviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.