At some point in your childhood, you wanted to eat at McDonald’s.
You go on to ask your mom if you all could stop there, and she hits you with, “Do you have McDonald’s money?” And while this is a question to a question — it is widely recognized as a resounding “no.”
Disappointed by the news, you go home and find something to eat that’s already in the house. The new gag, there is a bunch of off-brand food and stuff you probably didn’t want. This is the story of many, and Kelly Rowland is a testament to the experience as well.
Born Kelendria, the American singer and actress is a member of the iconic group Destiny’s Child. The group rose to fame in the 1990s and maintained that stardom well into the 2000s. Rowland, along with Beyoncé, Michelle Williams, and at one point LaToya Luckett and LaTavia Roberson arguably owned the girl group era during that time.
Rowland and her bandmates went on to give the world hits like “Bills, Bills, Bills,” “Soldier,” and “Cater 2 U.” The group would go on to be nominated for nine Grammy Awards, winning two of them.
After the group recorded their last official album together, each member pursued a solo career. Rowland went on to enjoy success as a solo artist with songs like “Motivation,” “Like This,” and “Kisses Down Low.”
While Rowland is still active in the music industry, she can also be found as the guest host on singing competition shows like “The X Factor” and “The Voice.” The Houston native has also acted in roles across several television shows and movies.
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Rowland’s years of hard work led her to earn a net worth of $12 million.
And while the more financially humble days of Kelly Rowland are behind her, she admits that she splurged with her first few paychecks.
The Good Coin Rolled In
Based on a 2018 interview with InStyle Magazine, Rowland ignored financial advice about spending money when she first rose to fame.
“I remember so many people telling me that I needed to save my money and invest — but I didn’t listen,” Rowland told InStyle, laughing.
Her first paycheck went to buying food she wasn't allowed to eat because it cost too much, and she even invited several people over to enjoy it.
“When I got one of my first paychecks, I went to the grocery store and bought almost everything that my mom used to tell me was too expensive. I bought all of that sh-t, had a party at my house, and everybody ate up everything. I’ll never forget it because it was fun, and it was something I was able to fund myself,” Rowland recalled in the interview.
Honest With Herself
Although Rowland was having the time of her life with her newfound fortune, she was honest enough to admit that she may have overdone it a tad at times.
“I lost my mind—when it came to extra hair, fashion, I had to have everything,” she said to InStyle Magazine. “I remember just going completely nuts on trips to Paris and Italy, blowing like 30 grand in 30 minutes at Bergdorf Goodman. It was ridiculous. Eventually, I started to realize that my AmEx bill was really, really high, and I needed to chill out.”
But she was in her early 20s and thriving on the high of success.
“I was a millionaire by the age of 20. It’s insane when you think about a 20-year-old having all this money and not knowing what the eff to do with it,” Rowland explained to the outlet.
Today, the 41-year-old is much wiser with her income, putting priorities like her family and household first.
“When I was a kid, I thought money just fell out the sky,” she told InStyle. “That’s not the way it goes; you have to work hard for your money, and now I’m learning with being a mommy that it sometimes requires time away from your kid. That’s the hardest part when your job actually takes you away from your family. But the most important thing is that you have to put food on the table and keep clothes on their back and shoes on their feet. So, I don’t mind working that hard to make sure that the household and the family is great.”
