Kelly Rowland has revealed how heartwarming words from lyrical genius Jay Z gave her the confidence to reunite with her long-lost father.
The Motivation singer became estranged from her dad, Christopher Jovett, for 30 years after he decided he wasn’t ready for parenthood.
Kelly was raised by her single mother, Doris Rowland Garrison, who died aged 66 in 2014.
The former Destiny’s Child star eventually decided to open up the communication between her and Christopher, and reached out to her father in 2018.
However, before doing so, she sought advice from her longtime friend Jay Z, who of course is married to her best pal Beyonce, and recalled on the Today Show: ‘He said, “Love is all about risk. You gotta decide if you’re gonna jump”. You gonna jump?” That’s what he asked me: “Are you gonna jump?”’
Well, Kelly, 41, did take the plunge and met up with Christopher at a hotel room in Atlanta, Georgia where she allowed him to talk freely for two hours as she listened.
‘I had a wonderful mum who supported me and loved me, but the truth is, there was always a piece of me that was kinda missing. For 30 years, my dad was absent in my life,’ the singer explained.
Referring to the death of her mother, Kelly added: ‘At that time, I think I still had these feeling of “Oh my god, I have no parents” and it was like, “No, you do, you have one left”.’
Kelly met with Christopher, who joined her for the interview, a few years after giving birth to first son Titan, and realised she needed to forgive if she were to allow her father back into her life.
‘I learned that we are not perfect, and it broke my heart to know that there is going to be something about me that my kids is going to be disappointed about,’ she said.
‘Something, you don’t do it intentionally of course. You have to allow space. You’re not going to get it right every time and that’s OK.
‘I had to give my dad grace. As parents, we have to give our parents grace. It’s never too late. Forgiveness is always right there.’
Kelly is mother to sons Titan, seven, and Noah, one, who she shares with husband Tim Weatherspoon.
Even without Beyonce, Kelly and Jay Z, 52, are known to be good friends and the pair went viral last year when the rap icon was seen getting excited when she surprised him at the premiere for The Harder They Fall.
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