Kelly Rowland Opens Up About Living in Beyonce’s Shadow and Torturing herself for a ‘Whole Decade’

Kelly Rowland, the former Destiny’s Child member, recently opened up about being compared to Beyonce, in a candid conversation on The Voice Australia, while mentoring singer, Chris Sebastian.

In a recent segment from The Voice Australia, contestant Chris Sebastian spoke about feeling like he had “grown up” in his older brother’s shadow. Chris’s older brother just so happens to be Guy Sebastian. In 2003, Guy Sebastian won the first Australian Idol and has since gone on to be a hugely successful singer, with numerous top 10 hits. Not to forget, Guy is also currently on The Voice Australia’s judging panel alongside Kelly.

“I love Guy, but I’ve always had to prove myself”

“For a long time, I did feel like I was in Guy’s shadow,” Chris explained to Kelly. “I’d play shows and people would only associate me with him and I struggled with that for a really long time.

I love Guy, but I’ve always had to prove myself,” he continued. “It’s been hard to be taken seriously. I felt like you would get me.”

“Can you imagine what it’s like being in a group with Beyoncé?”

Turns out Chris was absolutely right. His confession led Kelly to make her own stunning admission. “I know this feeling,” she immediately responded, empathizing with his experience. However, In her case, it’s her longtime friend and former Destiny’s Child band-mate, Beyoncé. “Can you imagine what it’s like being in a group with Beyoncé?”

Kelly described how difficult it was for her to have an individualistic identity while singing and dancing alongside the 38-year-old superstar on the road to stardom. The Coffee singer confessed she had to try hard to measure up as a solo artist while Beyonce rose to become Queen Bey.

“I would just torture myself in my head”

Kelly went on to reveal that constant comparisons with Bey made her question her own career and style choices while she tried to find her footing as a solo artist.

“I would just torture myself in my head. Like, I can’t wear this dress because they’re going to say it’s like B. Or I can’t have a song like that because it sounds too much like B. They’re gonna compare anyways,” she said.

“I would be lying if I said- No, it’s never bothered me.”

Kelly went on to tell Chris, “I would be lying if I said ‘No, it’s never bothered me.’ That’s bull. There was a whole decade, if I am being completely honest. A decade where it was like the elephant in the room. It was the thing that would constantly be on my shoulder.” Even when the ladies were together in Destiny’s Child, Beyonce always got the center power position among the trio during performances.

“This is your opportunity to carve your own path,” Kelly finished. “Even with [Guy] sitting in that chair down there.”

How Destiny’s Child came to be

Rowland and Bey go way back. Kelly began performing with Beyoncé in 1990 at the tender age of 9, in the Houston-based group, Girl’s Tyme.

The group, along with Michelle Williams, became Destiny’s Child. They soon shot to the top of the charts to international super-stardom in the late 1990s and 2000s. The group had several hits including, Say My Name, Bootylicious and Survivor.

In 2002, Destiny’s Child went on a hiatus as the ladies began solo projects, and officially disbanded in 2006.

Kelly’s career as a Solo Artist

Despite the comparisons, Rowland has had much success as a solo artist. Following her girl group days, she’s gone on to release four studio albums. Including Simply Deep in 2002, Ms. Kelly in 2007, Here I Am in 2011 and Talk a Good Game in 2013. Kelly’s recent projects include her seductive single, Coffee, which released in April earlier this year.

Queen Bey’s Rise to Stardom

You don’t have to be part of the Beyhive to appreciate Beyonce. After Destiny’s child, Bey went on to become a solo artist as well. She dropped her iconic debut solo album, Dangerously in Love, which spawned quite a few legendary hits. Namely, Crazy in Love, Baby Boy, and Me, Myself and I. Its no secret that Beyonce is one of the most successful singers out there with 22 Grammys. Right from her legendary performances, to record breaking albums, Queen Bey has definitely earned her title.

Destiny’s Child Reunion

However, Bey acknowledges her past, and is grateful from where she started. The Formation singer has brought the group together for an iconic reunion on multiple occasions.

In 2013, Beyonce was headlining the Super Bowl XLVII Halftime show. After performing a few of her solo hits, the singer brought her former group members, Kelly and Michelle onstage. The trio danced and sang to some iconic numbers including Bootylicious, Independent Woman and Single Ladies.

In 2018, Bey made another reunion possible while headlining the 2018 Coachella Music Festival. The ladies threw it back to the early 2000’s with a medley including Lose My Breath, Say My Name and Soldier.

Even though Destiny’s Child is no longer together as a group, it has not impacted their friendship in the least bit. The trio has time and again proved that they are friends for life, who love and respect each other to this day.

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