Although R&B/rap vocalist Kelly Rowland got her start with Destiny's Child in the late ‘90s, the well-acclaimed diva has proven she is much more than just one-third of a soul-infused pop trio. Rowland has also proven her worth as a solo artist, earning Billboard recognition and even a Grammy Award for her individual work without her Destiny's Child soul sisters.Rowland was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, and got her first taste of musical inspiration at age four when she first heard the songs of legend Whitney Houston. Immediately inspired to pursue a singing career, Rowland performed with her church choir in her youth. Her musical talents followed her to Houston, Texas when her family moved there, and it was there that Rowland met Beyonce Knowles, the two creating the band Destiny's Child in 1997. Rowland was barely in her 20s. Destiny's Child's first hit single "No No No" catapulted the group into fame, and the trio's two most famous albums, The Writing's on the Wall in 1999 and Survivor in 2001, made Destiny's Child a household name among both the pop industry and millions of teenagers across the globe.Destiny's Child took a much-needed break after the success following Survivor, and it was during this time that Rowland began writing some new pieces for her solo debut. In 2002, Rowland released her first solo album, Simply Deep, with Columbia Records. The album's first single was the song "Dilemma," a duet with rapper Nelly. The song reached number one on the charts, and even won Rowland a Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration in 2002. Continuing on with her successful solo career, Rowland released her sophomore album Ms. Kelly in 2007. The album was more R&B-oriented than Simply Deep, and it peaked at number two on the charts for Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums in 2007.
