Kelly Rowland has a new girl group for a new era.
The Grammy-award winning singer embarked on a journey to discover the next great girl group since Destiny’s Child with her new BET docu-series called “Chasing Destiny.”
Her search has paid off.
Fans watched for weeks as Rowland and her partner-in-crime, acclaimed choreographer Frank Gatson, coached dozens of talented young women through the audition process. The show didn’t play up the catfights or drama of typical reality shows, and focused instead on the work ethic it takes to be at the top of your game.
After making some tough decisions, Rowland and Gatson eventually decided to pick five lucky women for the group: Shyann Roberts, Kristal Lyndriette, Brienna DeVlugt, Ashly Williams and Gabrielle Carreiro.
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Every girl has a different story and reason for chasing her own destiny through joining the group, which is yet to have selected its name but is getting closer. Many of the girls overcome poverty, broken homes or missed opportunities before “Chasing Destiny,” and the group represents a chance to realize their dreams.
Rowland says she realized the need for a fresh group of female voices in the music industry through her own experience with group-mates Michelle Williams and Beyoncé Knowles-Carter.
“I remember fans would come up to myself and the other members of Destiny’s Child and what they said just stuck,” says Rowland. “‘We love the way y’all work together.’ People still love the way we’re still so close. I just want a new generation to see that. I think girl groups are impactful, they’re powerful and the culture of it is missed.”
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In the first fweeks of their unveiling, the group has already made official appearances at the 2016 Billboard Music Awards, as well as recorded a cover of Drake’s ‘Hotline Bling.’
“We’ve been recording a lot of songs; getting our voices ready, getting our bodies ready, just really getting in the thick of becoming a full on performer,” says group member Kristal Lyndriette.
These young women have learned that talent alone isn’t enough to make their mark in the business. They will need dedication, unity and a fresh sound to stand out– and judging by their willingness to learn lessons from those who came before them, they’re off to a great start.
The ladies spoke with theGrio in one of their first interviews as an official group- check it out below!
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‘Chasing Destiny’ airs Tuesday nights at 10PM/EST on BET