The Life-Changing Whitney Houston Advice Destiny’s Child Ignored
Even the rich and famous have people whose opinions they value, but sometimes it's best to follow one's own instincts.
In 2023, Destiny's Child doesn't resonate as much as the names of its former members: Beyoncé, Kelly Rowland, and Michelle Williams.
But the trio used to be a big deal back in the 1990s.
Destiny's Child had humble beginnings as a quartet called Girl's Tyme in Houston, Texas, in the dim and distant 1990. The original lineup consisted of Beyoncé, Kelly Rowland, LaTavia Roberson, and LeToya Luckett. The band then rebranded as Destiny's Child after signing with Columbia Records in 1997. In 2000, LaTavia and LeToya left over creative differences, with Michelle Williams and Farah Franklin joining as replacements. The latter soon left, too, turning Destiny's Child into a trio.
Destiny's Child gained worldwide recognition, multiple Grammy Awards, and a Hollywood Walk of Fame star. At the peak of their popularity, they even counted Whitney Houston among their fans, who once offered them some unsolicited advice they never followed during a chance encounter.
In a 2014 interview with HuffPost Live, Michelle Williams shared the story of Destiny's Child meeting the legendary 1990s superstar in a hotel lobby. Houston greeted them by singing their famous hit, Say My Name, and leaving them star-struck, Williams recalled. The legend then advised Destiny's Child to never break up.
'"Y'all stay together! Stick together! Love each other!" She was very encouraging,' Michelle Williams says.
Despite their deep admiration for Whitney Houston, Destiny's Child didn't follow her advice and eventually parted ways in 2006. The decision was for the best, as all three singers have since enjoyed successful solo careers.
Beyoncé is one of the world's most popular and influential singers of all time and one of the wealthiest, too. She has inspired many other world-class performers, including Adele.
Kelly Rowland has released several successful albums, starred in various films, and mentored new generations of singers in singing competitions in the US, the UK and Australia.
Michelle Williams has enriched the gospel music scene with her solo albums, hosted and mentored in several singing shows, and made a successful transition to Broadway.
Had Destiny's Child heeded Whitney Houston's advice, their lives would have been entirely different, and so would ours because we would never have been treated to all the songs and TV shows the trio have created and played a major part in since embarking on their solo careers.