What Song Tops Kelly Rowland’s Most-Played List?

Kelly Rowland, the former X Factor judge and original member of the R&B group Destiny’s Child, 35, calls on both of those roles to put together the next superstar female singing act in the BET reality series Chasing Destiny, airing Tuesday nights.

How will Chasing Destiny work?

I wanted this show to be organic—not a cattle call. I wanted to find the girls. That’s the way it used to be with A&R [artists and repertoire departments], and that’s what [creative director/choreographer] Frank Gatson and I have done.

Explain the “Destiny” in the title.

Destiny is a very big thing for me. When you think about your dreams, you have to chase them. You have to know that they’re there; you have to know that it’s possible, and that’s what destiny is. You constantly want that goal to come true, so you’re chasing after it.

You play the mom of Lucious Lyon (Terrence Howard) on Empire in flashback scenes. How has that been?

Of course the flashbacks are with a younger Lucious [played by Shannon Brown], but I see everybody on set and we’ve gotten a chance to laugh it up. It’s been awesome.

You do a lot of charitable work. What’s closest to your heart?

Even before I was a mom, anything that related to children. I do a lot with Boys & Girls Clubs of America. To hear all these kids’ stories about how they got there, their journey with education, how much it means to them and how it changed their future is pretty amazing.

What might we be surprised to find on your iPod?

Taylor Swift’s “Today Was a Fairytale.” It’s on my most-played list, so I probably listen to that song every week. I just love the melody and the story of it.

What is next for you music wise?

I’m recording an album and am very excited about it. For me, I don’t want to just release music. I don’t want it to be shallow and I don’t want it to not talk about anything. So that’s what’s been taking so long. I want people to have something they can feel.

What is something you learned as part of Destiny’s Child that you’re going to pass on?

Hard work. Destiny’s Child worked so hard. I remember going overseas for the first time to Amsterdam and working 13-hour days. We were kids, 16 and 17 years old, but we wanted it so bad; we were definitely down to do the work.

The ’50s and ’60s had great girl groups like the Shirelles, the Marvelettes and the Ronettes, but today the focus is on boy bands. What’s the new girl group need to have in order to succeed?

They need to be secure within themselves, they need to be down to do the work; they need to be able to work together and have a sense of camaraderie.

Your son, Titan, is too young now, but if he wanted to follow you into the music business would you support that? You started so young and there was a lot of rejection along the way.

I would encourage him but I would also tell him to make sure he has a backup the same way my mom did with me. My mom asked me, “What else do you want to do?”  I said, “I want to be a pediatrician.” She said, “OK, cool. We’re going to make sure that your education is good. We’re going to make sure that this is good and you’re able to sing too.” The singing just happened to work out.