During Destiny’s Child‘s ground-breaking reign, the ladies firmly established themselves as a “supergroup”.
By no means editorial rhetoric, each member brought a brand and strand of unique that, when fused together, delivered dynamite results.
Yet often under-valued is the fact that each of Destiny’s divas are also solo forces in their own right.
Of course the blockbuster success of a certain mononymously named member has cemented this in some regard, however the abilities of the trio’s remaining pillars are rarely spotlighted or celebrated.
As such, in kicking off our new Top 5 series, That Grape Juice present…Kelly Rowland’s Top 5 Solo Performances…
5) Gotsta Go (Live At MTV Japan Awards 2006)
Initially prepped as the lead single from Rowland’s sophomore album, ‘Gotsta Go’ was paired with this sass-filled performance that oozed all sorts of diva.
With its edgy barbie theme (which we’d love to see her re-visit), army of dancers, and a swagged-out dance-break, the performance reminds us of the hit that this could have been. Indeed, as some may remember, ‘Gotsta’ was scrapped, as was its parent album ‘My Story’. Rowland was re-appear a year later with new “lead” single ‘Like This’ and a renamed LP, ‘Ms. Kelly’. Still, we’ll have the memories…
4) Medley (X Factor UK, 2011)
Kelly’s run as a judge on The X Factor UK generated headlines aplenty back in 2011. From show-stopping outfits, to witty charm, to a rift with fellow judge Tulisa, the singer’s tenure on the ITV hit was anything but dull.
While the casting of some panelists on the show was “questionable”, Kelly proved her worth with this show-stopping performance in support of then-new album ‘Here I Am’.
3) Commander (BBC Radio Live Lounge, 2010)
Like a lot of artists, Kelly’s more recent releases have pandered more to radio in terms of their sing-along-song ability. While a smart move given the competitive climate of today’s chart, it has arguably seen the power in her vocal delivery diluted so as to appeal to the masses.
This acoustic rendition of dance-floor classic ‘Commander’ helps remind what the 33-year-old is working with!
2) ‘Gone’ (BET Black Girls Rock 2013)
Though ‘Gone’ was never given the video treatment, the ‘Talk A Good Game’ number was tattooed into the minds of the masses when Rowland, co-writer Sevyn Streeter, and Eve delivered this delicious rendition at BET’s Black Girls Rock 2013.
Watch the trio thrill with the titillating showing…
1) ‘Motivation’ (BET Awards 2011)
Too grand a comparison, perhaps, yet Kelly’s electrifying performance of ‘Motivation’ at the BET Awards 2011 easily serves as her Motown 25 moment.
Whereas her 2007 solo BET effort was respectable, it was this showing that saw all the stars align in the best of ways.
The diva-dom, the choreography, the vocals, and the all-round energy were on a max, resulting in her most action-packed performance yet.
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Do you agree with our picks? As ever, sound off below!