Kelly Rowland explains why she left her church after Destiny’s Child’s ‘secular music’ criticism

Kelly Rowland recently sat down with Kirk Franklin for a recent episode of his Good Words with Kirk Franklin podcast. She spoke candidly with the pastor about being more spiritual than religious and why her church did not agree with the music she produced with R&B girl group Destiny’s Child.

“The saints there didn’t quite…the saints didn’t really take to the fact that I was going to be singing this secular music. I was like, that’s cool, and found me another church that I wanted to go to that did not care. And that’s what happened with that,” said Rowland in regards to her church not approving of the group’s music, per Madame Noire.

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 17: Kelly Rowland attends Rose Inc. x Beautycon POP Intimate Dinner With Rosie Huntington-Whiteley on January 17, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Presley Ann/Getty Images for Beautycon)

Read More: Kelly Rowland on celebrating women in her life: ‘I’m rich in my female energy’

Thankfully for us, she did not fall under the church’s pressure because Destiny’s Child is one of the most successful girl groups of all time.

“I didn’t need to hear the other judgmental side of that. I was not about that. I didn’t care. I was chasing a dream and it felt right to me in my gut. I wasn’t going to jeopardize my faith or anything else for that,” Rowland shared.

She continued, “And my mom catching the brunt of that, that really sucked. I think at the beginning it was like, ‘oh this is cute, we’ll see how far they get.’ Now when them checks start rolling in…[laughs].”

The wife and mother of two also told the pastor she is more spiritual than she is religious.

“I believe in God, I believe in Jesus, I believe in faith more than I do religion,” said the singer, who is known for speaking openly about her faith. “I think it’s more so faith to me because it’s such a personal walk … and it’s carried me. It’s made me the woman that I am. It’s making me the mother that I am.

It’s continuing to make me the woman that I am. It’s teaching me how to be a wife. It’s continuously stretching me and keeping me in uncomfortable positions to where it makes me better.”

She also told the pastor that her faith is what helped her navigate her career. Rowland was the only original Destiny’s Child member in the group when it came to an end besides Beyoncé.

“I’m so grateful for it because this industry should have chewed me up and spit me out and ripped me apart. And people should have chewed me up and spit me out and ripped me apart. And so many times, I do think that I was close. But faith,” she adds. “But faith, but God, but prayer…it’s definitely layered for sure.”

NEW YORK – JUNE 22: (U.S. TABS OUT) Singers Beyonce Knowles, Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams of Destiny’s Child appear onstage during MTV’s Total Request Live at the MTV Times Square Studios June 22, 2005 in New York City. (Photo by Scott Gries/Getty Images)

Read More: Kelly Rowland on new baby and new album ‘K’: ‘It feels amazing’

TheGrio recently spoke with Rowland about her new baby and album.

The superstar who gave birth to her second son, Noah, on Jan. 21 is already back to work promoting the project that features six songs, including the lead single “Black Magic.”

The brown-skinned beauty who has been in the business since she was a teenager to find out how she managed to stay sane while doing the MOST during quarantine. 

“He’s such a good baby,” she says of her new bundle of joy. “And Titan is such a great big brother already.” 

Plenty of people watched this superwoman working out on IG right up until delivery, and just weeks after giving birth, Rowland is radiant as ever. 

“I am trying to just have a little fun and take the good with the bad. It’s kind of insane,” she says. “In this time of COVID, I’ve learned a lot about myself as a woman, as a mother, as a wife, and as a businesswoman. In moments when I was frustrated, I would just dance my way through.”

Not only did she pull off a pregnancy, but she also starred in and executive produced the Lifetime holiday flick, Merry Liddle Wedding, celebrated her 40th birthday, and released the music she’s been dying to drop for years. 

“It feels amazing because I’ve held on to it for so long. Some of the songs I’ve held onto for so long and then for others it’s been like, Oh my God, I can’t wait to share this with everybody. Records like “Hit Man” and records like “Black Magic” and “Crazy,” they all felt so urgent to me.“

Additional reporting by Cortney Wills

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