Billboard.com:
BET and Kelly Rowland have now locked in the title and premiere date for the singer’s televised quest to find the next superstar female group. Chasing Destiny will premiere on April 5, 2016 (10 p.m.-11 p.m. ET).
As a card-carrying original member of Destiny’s Child -- ranked by Billboard as the No. 3 girl group of all time --Rowland knows a little something about the dynamics behind a successful act. As does award-winning choreographer/creative director Frank Gatson, who will join Rowland as a recurring character on the 10 one-hour episodes comprising Chasing Destiny. In addition to his long-running association with Beyoncé and Rowland, Gatson has worked with Michael Jackson, Usher and Jennifer Lopez. Rowland also doubles as executive producer of the Den of Thieves production, together with Jesse Ignjatovic, Evan Prager, Tim Weatherspoon, Danny Rose and Jason Sands.
Last Saturday afternoon (Dec. 5) in Los Angeles, Rowland and Gatson put a contingent of hopefuls through their paces at Henson Studios. It was the third in a series of casting calls, preceded by stops in New York and Atlanta. Repping key chapters in the diva songbook, candidates emoted their way through hits by Aretha Franklin (“[You Make Me Feel Like] A Natural Woman”), Anita Baker (“Sweet Love”), Whitney Houston (“I Want to Dance With Somebody”), Alicia Keys (“If I Ain’t Got You”) and Sia (“Chandelier”).
“We’re seeing rough cuts of diamonds right now. That’s how I like to picture it,” says Rowland during a break between auditions. “You can’t expect somebody to come in polished. And that’s the most exciting part: being able to be part of that molding process.”
How did the idea for Chasing Destiny come about?
This was my and Frank’s idea. We were going to do this whether TV cameras were with us or not. We were going to have our own cameras. But after talking to Stephen (BET president of programming Hill), he said he’d like to be a part of the show. I was just happy that he saw how necessary a girl group is just as much as we do. Because there’s only only one out there now, Fifth Harmony.
Why are girl groups still necessary?
One of the things I loved about being in Destiny’s Child was little girls seeing us travel together, sing together, talk together, hang out together. It shows camaraderie, friendship and to me that’s missing. This is such a selfie-absorbed society. We need to see more of girls getting along. It’s not just about being an individual. You need friends to depend on. And I need these young ladies to know that still exists. And if they can see that in a group… that is the ultimate goal.
What’s surprised you the most at the auditions?
Just how many girls want to be in a group. Like today, I saw this one girl, who needs it. It’s not about for her talent as much as it is for her spirit. That’s what Destiny’s Child did for me. My mom was a nanny and we moved from place to place. For me, being in a group was stability. That was something I needed in my world. So it’s not just about what we can possibly do for these girls but what these girls can possibly do for themselves -- and changing the rest of their lives.
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