Kelly Rowland Reacts to Being Told She Was Second to Beyoncé

Image Source: Getty / Arturo Holmes / FilmMagic

Kelly Rowland knows she’s a superstar. On Nov. 16, fans of the “Dilemma” singer were quick to return to her defense after a radio host suggested that she “played second” fiddle to Beyoncé at first of her profession during her Destiny’s Child days. “You were with Beyoncé, and never only did you not fight [her being in the spotlight], it looks like you actually loved the position that you just were in and took it seriously,” “Hot 97” host Peter Rosenberg told Rowland earlier this week. In response to implications that her music profession paled compared to Beyoncé’s from the beginning, the singer set the record straight with an exquisite response.

“Here’s the thing: light attracts light. I’m light,” she said during her guest appearance on the radio show alongside Marsai Martin while promoting their latest film, “Fantasy Football.” “I’m an exquisite brown shining light. I do not think anybody’s light dims anyone else’s. I feel when other people start to match you, I feel that is when it shows how dim they’re of themselves. So I do not take someone else attempting to dim my light anymore for anybody else. I like Bey, and I do know that she’s a lightweight. But I do know that I’m a lightweight too.”

Kelly Rowland & Marsai Martin on Beyoncé and Homecoming – HOT 97 pic.twitter.com/PRtvMpAWIB

— Hermaden (Fan Account) (@IChoseViolences) November 16, 2022

Following the interview, fans of Rowland confronted Rosenberg online about his comments toward the Grammy-award-winning star. In a video discussing the incident on Nov. 18, Rosenberg said, “I used to be attempting to ask her about thriving while having to cope with working with someone who’s such an enormous star. People didn’t just like the terminology of playing ‘second.’ It is so obvious to me that she’s an iconic star that I didn’t think twice about bringing it up in conversation. But looking back, I brought it up in a way that was clumsy, and I understand why people were annoyed by it.”

Rosenberg also said he messaged Rowland privately to apologize for the incident. He added, “I tousled . Sorry @KELLYROWLAND…wasn’t remotely my intention but intentions don’t all the time matter. I’ll take the L . . . Still playing Nelly and Kelly at my wedding.”

As for Rowland? The “Motivation” singer saw fans coming to her defense after the interview and did a “blissful dance” as she shared her gratitude for all of the loyalty in a tweet on Nov. 17. “Have Essentially the most amazing day Twitterville!!! Thanks all on your Love & support! I do know ya’ll got my back! And that made me do a blissful dance this am! Let me see your blissful dance!! Here’s mine!”

See a portion of Rowland and Rosenberg’s conversation here.