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 come to her defense after a radio host suggested that she “played second” fiddle to Beyoncé at the start of her career during her Destiny’s Child days. “You were with Beyoncé, and not only did you not fight [her being in the spotlight], it seems like you really loved the position that you were in and took it seriously,” “Hot 97” host Peter Rosenberg told Rowland earlier this week. In response to implications that her music career paled in comparison to Beyoncé’s from the start, the singer set the record straight with a beautiful response.

“Here’s the thing: light attracts light. I am light,” she said during her guest appearance on the radio show alongside Marsai Martin while promoting their new film, “Fantasy Football.” “I am a beautiful brown shining light. I don’t think anybody’s light dims anyone else’s. I think when other people start to compare you, I think that’s when it shows how dim they are of themselves. So I don’t take somebody else trying to dim my light anymore for anybody else. I love Bey, and I know that she’s a light. But I know that I’m a light too.”

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 was trying to ask her about thriving while having to deal with working with someone who is such a big star. People didn’t like the terminology of playing ‘second.’ It’s so obvious to me that she’s an iconic star that I didn’t think twice about bringing it up in conversation. But in retrospect, 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 messed up . Sorry @KELLYROWLAND…wasn’t remotely my intention but intentions don’t always matter. I will 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 “happy dance” as she shared her gratitude for all the loyalty in a tweet on Nov. 17. “Have The most amazing day Twitterville!!! Thank you all for your Love & support! I know ya’ll got my back! And that made me do a happy dance this am! Let me see your happy dance!! Here’s mine!”

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