Take Action on Your Dreams with Kandi Burruss

Kim:

On the Kim gravel show, we are always encouraging you to love who you are. Now, this episode today is sponsored by dancing like nobody's watching. Most of us don't have really good dance moves, but here's the thing. Who cares? I'm giving you permission to dance badly. If you're a grandma. Dance it up. Dance with your kids. Dance with your mother.

Kim:

Dance with your cat. Dance with your husband and his weird friend Dave. I don't know about that, but, you know, dance with a stranger. Dance with everybody. Love who you are, and dance away. Even if it looks like one of those inflatable two men who are out in the front of the used car dealership. Who cares? Dance like nobody's watching. We dance all the time, and you know Zac can't dance.

Kim:

Just saying. No, Zac, that's not.

intro:

This is The Kim Gravel Show.

Kim:

She's a real housewife, a business mogul, a mom, a wife.

Kandi Burruss:

I didn't want to be one of those kid stars who, you know, get broke when they get older.

Kim:

Just feel a little tea. Let's just get to the gossip right up front.

Zac:

I've had no scrubs stuck in my head for 25 years.

Kandi Burruss:

What?

Kim:

How do you take action on your dreams and your goals?

Kandi Burruss:

A lot of us don't really know how to negotiate for ourselves. Ourselves?

Kim:

You can't get to the good stuff unless you go through the hard stuff.

Kandi Burruss:

That is really the change of my life.

Kim:

Okay, this is gonna get a little risky. Welcome to the Kim Gravel show. I am your host, Kim Gravel, and I have music royalty on the show today. Yep, sure do. But before we get to her, I need you to do me a personal favor, y'all, and send a link for this show to a friend who you think will like it. We all have a friend who could use a laugh every now and then and definitely use some encouragement today. So if you will, share it, because, y'all, sharing is caring, and it would mean the world to me. And thank you so much for your support.

Kim:

And just know that I love ya so much. Our guest today is a Georgia peach. She's a Georgia girl. She's a Broadway producer, an actress, a Grammy winning singer and songwriter, y'all, with over 65 million. Uh huh. 65 million records sold. She's a real housewife, a business mogul, a mom, a wife. Her brands range from beauty to fashion to restaurants.

Kim:

Y'all, let's welcome to Miss Georgia Peach herself. Kandi Burruss. Hey, girl.

Kandi Burruss:

Kandi burst. Wait, what? Did you get through that?

Kim:

It wasn't me. Girl, play it again, Zac. Just say.

Zac:

I'll play it again.

Kandi Burruss:

Kandi Burrow.

Zac:

Kandi, I actually have a quick aside for you on that. So we have this wonderful woman named Roxy Reese who makes these for us.

Kim:

Yes.

Zac:

And we send her these every week. And when I told her you were on the show, her response, she flipped out. Oh, my gosh. Katie burst like she's never responded to anyone before. And, yeah, so she's.

Kim:

And let me tell you this, Kandi, she's never performed quite that good. I like. She's like, I'm auditioning.

Kandi Burruss:

Yeah, well, we know it wasn't you on that team.

Kim:

You know? Okay, you gotta keep it real. 100. I can always. You can always. You know I can love you. What about you, Katie? Is you always keep it real. I mean, there's so much to talk to you about today. Where do we start? Girl, are you really leaving the real housewives of the atlas?

Kandi Burruss:

Yeah, I'm out of there.

Kim:

All right, just spill a little tea on why before we dig into your whole entire life. Like, let's just get to the gossip right up front. Why?

Kandi Burruss:

Girl, it was just time. I did 14 seasons straight, right? And then I guess at the end of last season, you know, they were taking too long to figure out what they wanted to do, you know, as far as, like, who were they gonna pick? Who were they gonna, you know, do whatever. And during that time, I started doing a lot of other things, and I just started feeling like, you know what? I could just have a stress free life.

Kim:

Well, you got two babies. You got three kids and two at the house.

Kandi Burruss:

Yeah, well, I always count my bonus daughters, so four in total, but, yeah, I got two little ones. One is finishing college right now. She's in New York. And my other, my oldest, our oldest, she's my bonus baby. She's in New York as well. So I got two here in the house and two in New York, and.

Kim:

Then a husband, so that makes five. So they're.

Kandi Burruss:

Exactly. But I've been really enjoying my time. Really? I feel like. Yes, like Maxine, Walter said, I'm reclaiming my time. I'm reclaiming my time.

Kim:

I'm gonna reclaim my time, too. That's my new phrase, just for 2024. What's left of it. I'm reclaiming it. Are you gonna miss it? Do you think you're gonna miss it, girl?

Kandi Burruss:

You know, honestly, I think I probably will. The only reason why I say that right now, I'm feeling fine. But I talked to Cynthia Bailey. And she was like, you know, it's gonna kick in when the show is actually on the air, and then you're gonna be like, oh, wow, I'm not there with them anymore. And so she's like, that's when you will feel it. So I was like, okay, I'll probably feel it then.

Kim:

Well, I'm hoping it might just be a nice little pause. So, you know, I know you. Cause I've followed you throughout the years, and you never say never. You're not a burner Bridger person, so you never know.

Kandi Burruss:

No, no, no. I definitely left on a good note. Like, I have a great relationship with the network. I wouldn't be doing other things with them. So it's not like a goodbye to Bravo completely. It's not a goodbye to NBC. Whatever. Completely, because we'll be doing other things together.

Kandi Burruss:

But it's just a goodbye for our hoa for now.

Kim:

Okay, well, we'll talk about that before you go about what might be in the works with Bravo. But let me talk to you about something that I think is. I think people know you're a singer, you're a songwriter. I don't think they understand how many, like, hit songs you have written. My love. I mean, thank you. No scrubs for TLC. Okay.

Kim:

Bills, bills, bills. With Destiny's child. Lord, I put that on repeat. You wrote there you go with pink. Yes, for pink. And then the shape of you with Ed Sheeran. Kandi, you're a prolific songwriter. Zac, I'm gonna give you the floor right now, because Zac is one of your biggest fans.

Zac:

Honestly, this is what I wrote in the notes to Kim. I've had no scrubs stuck in my head for 25 years. Kandi.

Kim:

Correct.

Zac:

What I. Honestly. Here's the thing. I will be in the shower and just be like, no, I don't want no screw. Like, that's. You don't want me singing? Like, let's just. We're gonna cut that.

Kim:

Let me just say, zach, that is the most unlikely thing I've ever heard. No judgment. I'm just saying. Can you see it, though, Kandi?

Zac:

Clearly your target demo. Kandi. But, like, it's just, like, one of the catchiest songs I've written, honestly.

Kim:

It's good.

Kandi Burruss:

Thank you. I appreciate that.

Zac:

And my kids listen to it now. My three year old is, like, jamming to some, like, old. You know, like, all those old songs.

Kandi Burruss:

It's so funny how, you know, that song has definitely been one that has played forever and ever and ever, and I'm thankful for it. Please let's know. Like, hey, it's the gift that keeps giving to me.

Kim:

What do they call that, Kandi? Passive income? Mailbox money.

Kandi Burruss:

Mailbox money is definitely mailbox money for me.

Kim:

I love it. No, but it's.

Zac:

Do you get your own song stuck in your head? Sorry, Kiv. I'm just. I have to ask this question.

Kim:

No, go ahead. Go ahead.

Zac:

I know you already stuck in your head the way that, like, all the rest of us do.

Kandi Burruss:

No, not really. To be honest with you, I don't really listen to a lot of my own songs. Like, I really don't. I know it sounds crazy, but because, you know, I did it, it's not like I listen to it when it first comes out or whatever, and that's about it. Or, like, when I first created, I play it out. Like, a lot of times what I'm listening to are songs that I've written recently or something that hasn't even come out yet. You know what I mean?

Kim:

But as a creative Kandi. Cause there's a lot of people, you know, who are watching that really admire your entrepreneurship. But for you, creatively, how easy do these songs get written? Like, is it. Is it. Are they hard? Are they easy? Like, tell us a part of your creative process, like, how you work. Cause everybody's so interested in how that process works.

Kandi Burruss:

Well, for me, like, say, for instance, I'm inspired by real life a lot of times. So a lot of. So, a lot of songs come to me easily. No scrubs was actually, like, a title. I had wrote that title down in my notepad, and I was like, that's a cute title. I want to write a song called no scrubs one day because I used to keep, like, a notepad full of concepts and, you know, song titles that I thought were good. And I just. Whenever I got, like, a good track that I liked, I would just write it.

Kandi Burruss:

And I remember riding down the highway with one of my homegirls one day, and I was listening to the track that Shakespeare gave me, and I just started freestyling. Scrub is a guy that thinks he's flying. I just started freestyling it because I was talking about this guy that I had dated before.

Kim:

I was gonna say, was it based on a true story?

Kandi Burruss:

Yeah. And she and I were laughing about the situation, so we were just riding down the highway, and I had just freestyled the song. So it just depends on the song. Some songs come so easy, and then there are others that I have to listen to the track over and over and over again. To get inspired, and I'll just get in my car. And that's the best way for me. Like, if I'm riding in the car, I come up with great ideas, is.

Kim:

Well, let's talk about the entrepreneurship, because I'm an entrepreneur like you, and it's. It's hard, right? I mean, I enjoy it. I love working for myself, and I want to hear your take on it. Cause you've got Kandi coated. You've got the Kandi coated cosmetics. Now you've got television shows. You're producing. I mean, you're producing the whiz on Broadway.

Kim:

I mean, my gosh, girl. So, like, restaurants, you know, old lady gang. Oh, lord, some collard greens.

Kandi Burruss:

Whoo.

Kim:

Talk to us about your. Were you always an entrepreneur? Like, how did you. How do you approach this wide variety of businesses that you run? Because I love to see women become financially independent and entrepreneurial in hiring other women. I mean, do you know what I mean? Like, how have you always wanted to do that, Gandhi?

Kandi Burruss:

Well, yes, but I feel like out of necessity. Meaning, okay, you know, I started my career when I was a teenager, right? So I never had a job prior to music. Okay? So I've never worked a regular job. And when I group blew up, I was only. What? Uh, I was 16 when we signed our deal. I was 17 when I first, um, song just kicking. It came out, and it blew up. Um, so, for me, I didn't want to be one of those stories you hear about a kid who.

Kandi Burruss:

Kid stars who, you know, get broke when they get older. Like, I didn't want to be that story, you know? So I was always constantly trying to figure out, okay, how do I maintain my lifestyle? How do I do that? And all the books that I was reading, I started reading financial books at a younger age, and they were saying, oh, you have to have multiple sources of income in order to be a millionaire. Stay a millionaire. So that was, like, my push to say, okay, I need to be coming up with something. And then, you know, I wanted to have some businesses that had nothing to do with the music industry. So that's why, like, the first thing I did was, you know, partner up with a friend and do the clothing store, right? And then later on, yeah, then later on, the adult toys came along, and that was because I was. I had. I had a.

Kandi Burruss:

I had a podcast before podcasts were popular, right? I was doing Kandi coated nights on the Internet before it was a thing, and I had a following for it. And we all. We talked about was sex and relationships. So I. That's how the idea for the adult toys came about, and it became a big thing. And I started having the consultants, bedroom Kandi consultants. So it's like thousands of people across the country who sell bedroom Kandi.

Kim:

And I know, but Kandi, that is fostering entrepreneurship in other women, too. Do you know what I'm saying?

Kandi Burruss:

Oh, yes.

Kim:

That's what I love about you. It's not just for you, it's for everyone. And you really give us that hope. You recently said on the Tamron hall show, girl, people talk about what they want to do and never put action behind it. That will never be me. Okay, so there's people sitting at home going, okay, she started this. This, this. Why is action so important? And how do you take action on your dreams and your goals, Kandi?

Kandi Burruss:

Okay, so action is important because an idea that has no action mind, it just never becomes anything. It's just an idea. And one of my cousins, I mean, well, my brother in law at the time, he's no longer married to my sister, but at the time, he was. He told me, he said ideas just float around in the air. He said, if you don't reach up and grab it, it's gonna float past you and go to the next person. So how often do we have a great idea that we think about and we just never do it? And then, like, a couple years later, we see somebody else do it and they blow up and they're successful, and we like, man, I thought about that. You know what I mean? The difference in you and that other person is that other person put action behind it and start really putting the steps together to make it happen. You were just sitting there thinking about it, dreaming about it all day.

Kandi Burruss:

So it's like I always tell people, it's like we can defeat ourselves before anybody else defeats us if we talk ourselves out of our own great ideas, right? Cause most people do. We sit there, we say, oh, I wanna do this, but it probably costs too much, right? Why do we say it probably costs too much if we've never even checked to see how much it costs?

Kim:

Let's go.

Kandi Burruss:

You know what I mean? Cause we never. We never even, like, even baby steps, like, people automatically think that they have to have the biggest version of whatever the idea is, when really you could start it off small and build your fan base or build your supporters, right? And then later it becomes big and all of that. But everybody always talks their selves out of the idea because they're just thinking they have to be so huge from day one.

Kim:

Well, and that's not realistic. I mean, everybody always sees the. It's not even for you, Kandi. Even when you start something new, can you tell everybody it's still a journey, it's still a ladder climb. People think, oh, well, Kandi can do it. Cause she's got money and she's got this, but everything, right? I mean. Cause now you're doing the Amazon live thing, right? Where you're, you basically have your own channel where you are selling, you are producing, you are, you know, how do you stay on that hustle, girl? How do you stay, you seem to be ahead of, like, head of social media, ahead of live. Sally.

Kim:

What keeps you ahead of the hustle?

Kandi Burruss:

It's funny, I just always think of myself like a student of the game. I never really look at myself as, like, I'm too big to learn something. Some people feel like, oh, I've done that already. You get those people who feel like they've made it already or they already. I know it's a constant grind to have longevity in any industry. Okay? So you have to constantly be learning and stuff. So, like, I'm always watching the newcomers. Like, I'm not, I don't really care about the person who's doing it.

Kandi Burruss:

The biggest and the best. I always watch what the newcomers are doing because my thing is, like, how did this person that we don't know have a thousand people who really rock with them? So it's not really about the person who has, like, a million followers, and really, half those people aren't really following what. They ain't really. They just watching them just to talk about them. But it's that person who has, like, a small group of people who really rock with them, who really show up for them. And, and you see them doing a lot of things locally or, you know, on a level that's not necessarily huge, but their following really rocks with them. Those are the people I pay attention to because I'm like, okay, well, what are they doing? What is the next thing? What is new? So I always try to see, and I believe in partnering, and I'm constantly supporting the new people that come along, and I'm learning from them as well. So whereas in their mind, they probably feel like, oh, Kandi's helping me, I feel like they're also helping me because it's like, in turn, their support means everything.

Kandi Burruss:

Even if they only have 500 strong followers, their support means everything. You know what I mean?

Kim:

Yes. You never take it for granted. You never take it for granted.

Kandi Burruss:

You can't. But I just you can't take anything for granted in this world because honestly, it's like I would rather have, you know, a thousand people that go hard for me, like, no, other than to have, like, millions and millions of people that really just, like, waiting for me to fall off. You know what I mean?

Kim:

And you know what, Kandi, that is to me? That's like my daddy used to always say, if you've got, if you've got five good friends and you're lucky, I mean, you're lucky to have one. If you got two, you blessed five is a miracle. So I know, exactly. It's a mindset of that. You know what I'm saying? You want it deep, not wide. You want depth to your relationship. Now, you said the people who rock with you, now, you, of course, we've seen your real housewives. We follow you.

Kim:

We all up in your business.

Kandi Burruss:

Okay?

Kim:

You partner with your husband just about on a lot of your endeavors, a lot of your projects. I mean, it's family oriented. I mean, you have that tight group. How did you build that tight community? How did you do that, Kandi?

Kandi Burruss:

Well, as far as, like, with my husband, in meeting Todd, I respected the fact that he knew things that I didn't know business wise.

Kim:

He's talented.

Kandi Burruss:

He's extremely talented. He's a producer. Before I even met him, you know, he's been a line producer. So the line producer deals with budgets and stuff like that. Money, I don't understand. And with that, he was an asset in business, you know, because he thinks outside the box. And as a producer of filming, of television, he thinks, you know, he knows how to make big things, things happen. But within budget, you know, of course, is important.

Kim:

Is he cheap?

Kandi Burruss:

Is he extremely cheap? He's very, extremely, like, give us an.

Kim:

Example of cheap, because you're frugal. You're not going to be, I mean, just from your Persona now, I don't know, maybe you, you know, maybe you go, you know, five deep in diamonds.

Kandi Burruss:

But I'm just saying he, okay, first of all, he's not cheap on me. And, like, what he does for me as his wife, okay? But anything business wise, he's very cheap. Like, he drives our team crazy because he's like, like, anytime they tell him, oh, yeah, well, this person is going to charge. Oh, no, no, no. You can get it more than that. No, no, no. You need to check out. Go back and tell him this.

Kandi Burruss:

Go back and tell him that he's always, and then he'll have you go back and say some crazy number that you're almost embarrassed to say out loud. And the people be like, I don't want to do this. And he's like, come on, just go do it. But he's a master negotiator.

Kim:

Right?

Kandi Burruss:

And it's. And one thing that I've learned in working with him is a lot of us don't really know how to negotiate for ourselves.

Kim:

No, right. I agree, I agree.

Kandi Burruss:

A lot of us don't.

Kim:

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Kandi Burruss:

We, you know, somebody tells us the number and we like, okay, well, that's what it is. You know what I mean? But realistically, there's always room in that number. And that's why some people really know how to get things at, you know, a lower cost or at a better budget than others because they're not afraid to be like, yeah, no, I'm not paying that. This is what I'm going to give me for it. And then the other person is almost appalled, but they'll come back with a number and they end up going lower than they expected. They will go, you know what I mean? And it's really interesting, the negotiation people who are great negotiators, that is a skill.

Kim:

But you know what, Katie? That's not just relevant to, like, business, but in relationships, too, wouldn't you say? Like, I know, for me, I've been married 20 something years, and it is always a negotiation. I mean, still to this day, yeah.

Kandi Burruss:

I just made ten years. So this is how I do it with my husband. Cause he's, oh, do tell.

Kim:

Do tell, girl, do tell.

Kandi Burruss:

So he's a Leo. I'm a Taurus. We both have. I'm a Leo, too. Oh, Lord. So basically, I am decided that I pretty much allow most things him to have his way. Unless it's something that I feel extremely strong about anything else, it's not worth arguing over. If it's something I feel strongly about, then I'll, you know, pitch a fuss or whatever, whatever.

Kandi Burruss:

But most of the time, I'm pretty laid back and I'm pretty easy going, so I'm not gonna really trip about something unless it's extremely important to me.

Kim:

Well, there's that negotiation. There is that compromise that we gotta do. Like, tell me why your mother did not like Todd at first. Because I. Was that for the tv or was that for real?

Kandi Burruss:

No, that was real. That's real. Okay. My mother is old school, right. And, you know, unfortunately, you know, with the old school women is all about money, finance, whatever, whatever.

Kim:

What does he bring to the table?

Kandi Burruss:

Right. Now, realistically, my husband made. He made good money, but in comparison to what I made, you know, I made way more than him. Right. Financially, in her mind, you know, she would just want me to be with somebody who made way more money than me or somebody that she, in her mind, can calculate what they're making. So. No, no, this. No, seriously, what I'm saying is.

Kim:

No, I get it. I get it.

Kandi Burruss:

Old school women, they think, oh, what I mean, like our mother's generation, you know?

Kim:

Correct. Yes.

Kandi Burruss:

Okay. The fireman, he's got good benefits. He's got, you know, great. He's making a good salary, a good career, right. Which not. I'm not saying they don't. But she doesn't know how to calculate what a television producer makes, correct. You get what I'm saying? So most times, they're contracted workers, whatever, but they could be making way more than the men, the man who, you know, the fireman or the person that she's thinking about.

Kandi Burruss:

But in her mind, she doesn't know how to calculate that. So in her mind, he ain't got no money. You get what I'm saying?

Kim:

I love it, Kandi. But you know what? I just. I totally understand what you're saying. And that's why I love your mother, because she doesn't hold back. She is old school. And you know what I love? How you with the old lady Yang? Cause that's your aunties and your mom, correct?

Kandi Burruss:

Yes. Mm hmm. The old lady gang.

Kim:

I know. But let me just say what an inspiration that was to watch that unfold on tv, because don't you think. But don't you think the generation, it's important, like, you have daughters? You know, I'm very close to my mother, my sister, my grandmother. It's so important to see that played out. What. Oh, how do I put this? Kandi. What have they done for you that makes you who you are today?

Kandi Burruss:

Oh, well, definitely. I feel like that's why I am so strong and so independent because of my mother and the example that she set, you know? You know, raising me as a single mom. You know what I mean? Her support, her support has made everything in my life and in my career and my family support, because I had that family, that type of family, like, they. Anytime I did anything, they all were there.

Kim:

They were.

Kandi Burruss:

They all showed up. The whole family showed up. That's why all I always tell people, all my events are lit, okay? Because if enough in that I know my family's gonna be there and everybody, it's gonna be a party. Okay. Like everything I do, I always have had a whole bunch of people there, a whole bunch of crowd. But it's always been like that my whole life, because I have a big family, I have a lot of support, and my friends are supportive as well. But as far as, like, with my mom, a prime example I can give is to be a teenager in going after your dream of music in high school. And my mother to support that dream meant everything because a lot of parents would not have allowed their kids to go off and do world tours and stuff as a kid who hasn't even graduated, because, you know, a lot of parents like, oh, you need to wait till you graduate or wait till you get your college.

Kandi Burruss:

Yeah. So for my mom to support me in my dream at such an early age, that is really the change of my life. That is really. That set me on the course to become who I am, you know?

Kim:

Well, when we come back, we gotta take a quick break. We're gonna talk about the EGOT, your new goal. We're gonna talk about Broadway. And I want you to speak to this when we get back, how you said art can heal and art can change you. Let's talk about it right after this. We're back with Kandi Burris. We have talked. I mean, Lord, you have dropped so many nuggets, girl.

Kim:

I mean, people probably got their pad out taking notes, because this is the thing you were talking about before the break, how your mother, like, supported you and encouraged you.

Kandi Burruss:

Kandi.

Kim:

What do you feel about young people chasing their dream? Because you said something that I thought it just touched me. You said, art can heal and art can change. And I completely. Look, I love AI, I love business. I love college. I love. I love sports. Good Lord, I'm knee deep in sports with my teenage boys.

Kim:

But there's something about the arts that does heal and does change you. What did you mean by that? Because I think it's not talked about enough.

Kandi Burruss:

Well, I mean, I definitely feel like art can heal and art can change you. I mean, for me, and I can't speak to everybody else at the hardest time in my life, I lost my brother when I was going to the 10th grade, and that was when I was in my. I was in my group, xscape. We had. Didn't have a deal at the time. We were trying to get a deal. And I also was in the performing arts at my high school. And I remember that summer I went to school the next day to the summer program after my brother passed.

Kandi Burruss:

And people were like, what are you doing here? And I was like, I don't want to just be home and cry. I don't want to just sit here and cry all day. And so, for me, I poured myself into my music, you know, all of my emotions. I really speak through my songs, and I think for a lot of people who are creative people, that's where we pour all of our feelings. Even when somebody is a painter or an artist, you can see the passion in their work, you know? And I just feel like for somebody who's, you know, taking that passion in, if they're taking in, you know, you know how a certain song can get you through something even if you aren't the one to write it, if you're listening to those words, can really.

Kim:

That's still art. Yeah.

Kandi Burruss:

Yeah. It can help you to heal. So I do believe that.

Kim:

Is that how you grieved? Is that how you mourned your brother's love? Because that 10th grade. Gosh, how did your mother get the girl? Can you imagine burying a child? Yeah.

Kandi Burruss:

No, I can't. My mom still deals with it till this day. She has her moments, and I just feel like that was just the toughest thing for me, personally, to deal with because my brother and I, we were really close, and I always felt like he was my guardian angel after that, because there's all these great things that I couldn't even explain started happening in my life. So I just, like, you know, I feel like I did get a guardian. Guardian angel. But with that being said, I still had, like, a sadness as well, you know what I mean? Whereas, you know, people couldn't see it because they're seeing us performing on stage. But every time I won an award or every time something great, what happened? I used to be like, dang, I wish my brother was here to see this, you know? And, you know, so I just feel like, you know, with anybody who's dealt with a loss for somebody that's really, really close to you, it's tough. It's tough, you know, it lasts long.

Kandi Burruss:

I wrote a song about it, actually. It's called easier. And it's just saying, you know, it gets easier without you. I don't feel right, and I can't feel right, but it does get easier. Meaning. The meaning is, though, like, I'm nothing, crying every day, which is. I still think about you every day. You know what I mean?

Kim:

Yeah. The distance. The distance, you know, from when it happened.

Kandi Burruss:

Yeah.

Kim:

And, you know, I think it. I think it comes through, and even. Even the party songs, even the fun songs, it comes through because it's. I will tell you, there's. Sometimes you can't. You can't get to the good stuff unless you go through the hard stuff, right?

Kandi Burruss:

Oh, for sure. It's a learning experience. Like, you have to have those moments in life that are really, really tough in order for you to have this huge breakthrough of, you know, something wonderful. You know what I mean?

Kim:

Well, and, you know, you're producing the Wiz on Broadway, which is. I can't wait to go see it. Cause it's already out, right? It's already on Broadway, right?

Kandi Burruss:

Yes, it's on Broadway. We have it out opening night this week. But they've already been showing. Yeah.

Kim:

Oh, I can't. I'm going. So I'm gonna be getting my tickets. But, please. The thing about it is that in the Wiz, it says everything you needed to succeed was already within you. Right. So how are you taking that message and making it relevant to a new audience? You know what I'm saying? Cause there'll be so many people to see the Wiz that probably has never seen the movie.

Kandi Burruss:

Right. Well, first of all, this show is phenomenal. I'm super excited about even being a part of it because the whiz was, like, my favorite musical of all time. Going to bring it. Yeah. So bringing it back to Broadway is like, wow. You know, what I will say is it's a new message because, like, our writer, Amber Ruffin, she did a revamp of the script, and she made it up to date and current and hilarious. I mean, she's so funny.

Kandi Burruss:

I mean, the script is just funnier than any other version of the wizard you've ever could have possibly seen. It's hilarious all the way through. And our cast is amazing. Like, everybody. He's like. It was, like, the best singer of all time. We put him in this show. You know what I mean? Wayne Brady is our witch.

Kim:

Oh, I love Wayne.

Kandi Burruss:

Yeah. Deborah Cox is Glinda, the good witch. We have a new young lady, Nichelle, who's our Dorothy, and her voice is phenomenal. Phenomenal.

Kim:

We gotta go see. I can't either, because the story is fantastic and the meaning. And it really is true to who you are. Right. Because you've always believed in yourself, and that's the key. And, you know, and I'm so glad it's funny because humor really gets the message across sometimes when nothing else will, you know what I mean?

Kandi Burruss:

I always say that. I always say, like, I love to find the funny in everything.

Kim:

Me too.

Kandi Burruss:

Like, really, you gotta find the funny in everything. The worst situation. Find the funny in it, and it helps you get through it.

Kim:

Okay. You're also on a tv show. I mean, you've done so much. We can be here for 2 hours, so I don't wanna keep you too much longer. But you're also in the tv show the shy. What has that, like, been like? You're on reality. That's great. But what has it been like being an actress, you know, on this? Is it different?

Kandi Burruss:

It is different. Well, doing scripted is totally different than being on a reality show. But I love it because I get to be a totally different person. Like, you know, I get to show different sides of me. So it's like if you're used to Kandi with the country twang and southern style, it's nothing like that. Is nothing like my character on the shy. She's all about business. She's kind of like one of the villains on the show.

Kandi Burruss:

You know what I mean? And I love it. Oh, that's fun. Yeah, I love playing that. And so it's really cool. But the. See, we're on our 6th season and it's coming back May 10. So yes, on Showtime. I'm super excited about it.

Kim:

Oh, I love it. You're so good in it. Again, you're always not reinventing, but just leveling up. Okay.

Kandi Burruss:

Leveling up.

Kim:

Leveling up.

Kandi Burruss:

Reinventing. I do believe it's reinventing yourself. Yeah, I do. I feel like it's important to consistently, really reinvent yourself. Like, you know, bring out something new. Like, constantly. Because over the years, you know, people feel like they already know you. You know what I mean? And so it's like when they find something new or something else that they can connect to, I think just continues to make them love you or love things about you, you know?

Kim:

Well, and that's what, I don't know if you intended this with your life or your career, Kandi, but I definitely. The one, like, adjective I would use to describe you would be aspirational. I mean, looking at your life and how you operate in this world coming from what you've. What you've come from. I mean, basically, you know, you started from ground zero, right? You mean, you were just a young kid. Had a dream to me to now be, like, going back on tour with escape where you started with the queens of r and B. I mean, girl, that is going to be a lit tour. I mean, the audience, y'all not gonna be able to get rid of the audience.

Kim:

They gonna stay all night.

Kandi Burruss:

But it'll be hit after hit after hit. I mean, the cool thing. I mean, it's gonna be okay. So, SWB and xscape, you know, we did the show on Bravo last year.

Kim:

I did. I watched.

Kandi Burruss:

Yeah, it was crazy, but, yeah. So we finally worked out our issues and we coming together to do this show, and it's so dope because it's almost like when we did verses. Remember when everybody was stuck in the house, they was watching verses online, Robert, we did our verses together, and it was like they played a hit. We played a hit. And he goes back and forth. So that's how the show is gonna be intertwined together. We're gonna be. This is the only time people gonna be able to see us do this performance where all of our hits are intertwined.

Kandi Burruss:

And so I love that. But then before we even come on stage, you gonna have 702s performing. You know, where are my girls at? They're playing that. You got total. They're gonna be performing their kids. You gotta see Maya. She's performing.

Kim:

Oh, my gosh, she's back.

Kandi Burruss:

Okay. I love her. She dances.

Kim:

I do, too.

Kandi Burruss:

Dope. So, yeah, so it's really cool to.

Kim:

It's girl power.

Kandi Burruss:

All of us. It's girl power. It's for sure.

Kim:

And that's you, baby. Aspirational girl power all day long. Okay, before you go, I gotta use this one quick thing. We do it with everybody that's on the show. It's called rapid fire. And I know you'll be fantastic Kandi. Cause everybody. I say rapid fire, and they're like, well, I.

Kim:

No, just. First thing that comes up, comes out your mouth.

Kandi Burruss:

Oh, lord. Okay.

Kim:

All right, all right. Gird your loins, honey. We get a little frisky. Here we go.

Kandi Burruss:

Rapid fire questions.

Kim:

What historical figure do you wish you could perform with today? I know, right?

Kandi Burruss:

That's a good one that I wish I could perform with.

Kim:

Yeah.

Kandi Burruss:

I mean, I guess everybody would love to perform. Like Michael Jackson.

Kim:

Why not? Why not?

Kandi Burruss:

You're like, why would.

Kim:

That would be fantastic. Fantastic, right? I mean, hello.

Kandi Burruss:

He would make people faint.

Kim:

Did you ever get to meet him?

Kandi Burruss:

Once. I remember our group, we performed at the Essence awards, and he was, like, in the first couple of rows, and something happened with our music, so they had to stop it and start over, which made us extremely nervous. But we, you know, we started singing, and I remember he got up on his feet and he was doing this, like, while we were singing and singing along with us, and I was like, oh, my God, Michael Jackson was singing.

Kim:

With us, so he was the king of pop. Now you're the queens of r and b. I mean, you know, it happens. Who or what is your creative muse?

Kandi Burruss:

Creative muse. Okay. This. I have to give it to her, but I would have to say queen latifah. Okay. I kind of mimic my career behind her when I was 19 years old. I love it. I saw her win the sammy Davis junior award at this award show.

Kandi Burruss:

And it was because at the time, she had a successful management company, entertainment management company. She had a production company. She was acting in her own tv show, living single. Remember that? She was. She was also a music artist. So she had all these things that she was doing at the same time that were all successful, and that's how she won the award. So I turned to my group member, tanya. I said, I'm gonna go in that award one day.

Kandi Burruss:

And the very next day, I went home and I called one of my friends. His name was Richard Wingo. We went to high school together. He was in a group called Jagged Edge, but they had and become jagged ear Jack. I said, hey, you still in that group that you had? And he was like, yeah. I said, okay, come over to my house. I'm gonna manage y'all. And so I got them their record deal, and they went on to score millions of records.

Kandi Burruss:

But my point is, she jump started the thing for me to say, I'm gonna do multiple things in this industry and have multiple successful things happening at the same time. And by watching her do it, it inspired me to do it. And even still to this day, like, I love what she's doing, you know, as an actress. And she went from a talk shopper, she do jazz music. She does everything. So, like, I will forever look up to her and her move. And then to be able to transition, because it's not always hard. If you start off as a rapper, it's not always easy to transition into what she's done, you know what I mean? And so I feel the same way from being a girl that was in an r and B group, you know, to be able to take my life and to become so many other things in the entertainment business, it's not easy to do.

Kandi Burruss:

So he inspired it.

Kim:

Well, that's why you're. I mean, she was aspirational to you. You are the same with her. I'm telling you, that's. I mean, that makes complete sense. Complete. Okay, what song do you always sing to yourself in the shower? It doesn't have to be yours.

Kandi Burruss:

Any song in the shower?

Kim:

Mm hmm.

Kandi Burruss:

I don't really be singing in the shower. I'm not one of those people I know sounds crazy. I'm not.

Kim:

That's an answer.

Kandi Burruss:

That is an answer. Yeah.

Kim:

You're just shaving your legs. You ain't trying to sing. Okay, here we go.

Kandi Burruss:

I'm trying to get clean and get out of there.

Kim:

Get in, get out. What is the moment when you felt you had a. Made it?

Kandi Burruss:

Oh, the moment I felt I made it. Okay. I think it was probably when our group, we. Our song had just come out. And at first we heard it in the radio in New York. That was where we heard it first. We were all excited, but then on our flight, when we came right back home to Atlanta, and when we were in the car, got. Made it back into the car in Atlanta, we were on the top eight.

Kandi Burruss:

At eight. We were number one. And we were shocked. You know how the radio has its top eight? Well, I don't know. In Atlanta, they at the top eight. At eight, they will play.

Kim:

Yeah.

Kandi Burruss:

And we were like, screaming and hollering. We were so excited. Like, you know, we thought we made it. The child we had made nothing yet, but to us, we had made it.

Kim:

You know, like, whoa, listen, you have to start somewhere. Okay. Okay. This is gonna get a little risky, but I believe. I believe. What cast member will you miss the most from Real Housewives.

Kandi Burruss:

That'S still there? I would have to say Kenya. Kenya.

Kim:

Kenya. Okay.

Kandi Burruss:

Because, you know, she's still there, so. But before. Before that, I would have to send Cynthia when she left. I really missed her.

Kim:

Yeah. Who will you miss the least?

Kandi Burruss:

Most of them is gone. The ones I missed the least already left, child. They already gone.

Kim:

Who is that?

Kandi Burruss:

We don't even need to say our names.

Kim:

All right, got it, got it. Fill in the blank yourself. Fill in the blank yourself, people. Okay. Who is your celebrity crushed?

Kandi Burruss:

I mean, Todd Tucker, my husband.

Kim:

TNT, baby. TNT.

Kandi Burruss:

TNT.

Kim:

That's a safe answer, right? Who is the most, like, famous person you've met that you were shocked how amazing they were?

Kandi Burruss:

Oh, okay. Stevie Wonder. Stevie Wonderland. He's like, super funny. Jokes. Yes. He makes jokes all the time. Like, really jokes that are kind of, like, about his vision.

Kandi Burruss:

Like, he'll be like, oh, I didn't see it. Like, you know, something like that. And you. And we don't you feel almost bad laughing? You know what I mean?

Kim:

No, but that's how he does it. Yeah, he just does that.

Kandi Burruss:

He's hilarious. He's really nice, and he's a Taurus like me. So I remember one year, Todd, we went out to LA and was celebrating my birthday. And the club that he had took me to was like a little lounge. And it just so happened that Stevie Wonder was there celebrating his birthday at the same time. And it was like playing and performing. And Ty was like, see, I had Stevie wonder to perform.

Kim:

You he took as a Leo. He took complete credit. He took complete credit.

Kandi Burruss:

Complete credit.

Zac:

That's a good producer. That's called producing Kandi.

Kim:

Right.

Kandi Burruss:

It was really just a great coincidence, but it was great.

Kim:

All right. What's one random thing about you that people don't know?

Kandi Burruss:

Random thing?

Kim:

Just some kind of, like, do you like to sew or knit or, you know, like for me, I'm obsessed with flossing. Like, I love to floss my teeth.

Kandi Burruss:

You're obsessed with flossy?

Kim:

Uh huh. That's weird. And random.

Kandi Burruss:

That's weird.

Kim:

I'm trying to keep my teeth, people. I'm trying to keep them.

Kandi Burruss:

I would say I'm kind of joggy. I hate Joey.

Kim:

Okay, what does that mean? What does that mean? Juggling.

Kandi Burruss:

Meaning, like, my room looks like a hurricane hit right now. Like, I really need help.

Kim:

Organization.

Kandi Burruss:

What? My organization skills are terrible. Okay.

Kim:

Okay.

Kandi Burruss:

I need help.

Kim:

You need help? Cause every time we saw your bedroom or your house on the tv show, it was pristine.

Kandi Burruss:

Because on tv you got some. I'm like, okay, somebody gotta come over here and clean this up.

Kim:

Okay? Play $7,000. Somebody come organize. Okay, here we go. What is your favorite junk food?

Kandi Burruss:

I love junk food. So it's hard to narrow it down.

Kim:

Just give me, give me three. Give me top three.

Kandi Burruss:

I love those little brownie bites, you know, that are in the stores. I love oreos.

Kim:

Yeah. Doritos.

Kandi Burruss:

No, I'm more of a Pringles type of girl.

Kim:

Ooh. Oh, I love the Pringles. Plain.

Kandi Burruss:

I like plain. Or like the sour cream or salt and vinegar?

Kim:

Oh, salt and vinegar. Rock with a turkey sandwich. I'm starving. Here we go. Last question. Last question. What do you hope, what your legacy to be? When people say Kandi burris, what do you hope they say next to that name?

Kandi Burruss:

I hope they say, I open the doors for a lot of people.

Kim:

Oh, man. That's what I'm talking about. That I. That's what I'm talking. That's who you are. I'm telling you, Kandi, as an outsider looking in, that is what you give off, babe.

Kandi Burruss:

Oh, thank you. Thank you.

Kim:

All right.

Kandi Burruss:

That is my goal.

Kim:

You're doing it. You don't even have to be a goal. It's done. Okay.

Kandi Burruss:

Thank you.

Kim:

It's done.

Kandi Burruss:

All right.

Kim:

Every week, Kandi, we ask our audience to answer a rapid fire question. I'm gonna ask you this question, too, but I want our listeners to answer this question in the comments. Or you can go to kimgravelshow.com and send me a message with your answer. And while you're there, make sure you subscribe to the mailing list, because I've got bonus segments for just the mailing list. Subscribers only. And this week, I have a voicemail from a Texan named Sherry. So go to Kim Gravel and sign up. Okay, so here's the audience question.

Kim:

I want Kandi to answer it, and then I want you to go and answer it as well. What is one thing your mom or grandmother could cook better than anyone else on the planet?

Kandi Burruss:

What's your take? Oh, well, my grandma could cook everything, so both of my grandmothers could really cook. Okay. But, um, my mom, what was my favorite thing? She. Ooh, pork chops were bomb.

Kim:

How was she cooking? Were they thin or thick? Bone in, bone out.

Kandi Burruss:

Me too thin. I like the thin fried ones, like.

Kim:

The wafer one still.

Kandi Burruss:

Yeah.

Kim:

So she just, like, coat them and then defry them.

Kandi Burruss:

Just homemade mashed potatoes? Yeah. Yeah. My mother can cook really good right now. She has this bomb chocolate cake that she makes from scratch. And, oh, her better than sex cake. I got all that hands down her better than sex cake. It's like.

Kim:

We need that recipe.

Kandi Burruss:

It's some cream. Sometimes she put coconut. I don't like coconut. So she don't put it on there for me with nuts. And then it's like some cream and strawberries. Come on. So good. And it's like, moisten is.

Kandi Burruss:

Yeah, it's so good.

Kim:

I was like, Kandi's sitting there eating it in her mind right now. She's telling us. All right, y'all, thank you, Katie, for coming on. And you can follow kandy burst across all social media. It's just one name, Kandi, y'all. Kandi has almost 11 million Instagram followers. So follow her and make it 12 million and see what all the fuss. Check her out on the Kandi shop on Amazon Live and go see the whiz on Broadway.

Kim:

Tickets are available now, and the new episodes of the chi are on Paramount. Plus, starting May 10, get your tickets to escape's massive us tour. It's called the queens of R and D tour. I know. I'll be there. Kandi, I love you, and thanks for being here back.

Kandi Burruss:

Love you too. Thanks for having me.

Kim:

Be blessed, sis. I'll see you on tour. Hey, y'all. This is Kim here, and you are part of the bonus. What are we calling it?

Zac:

Zack, you're a newsletter subscriber, so you get these bonus segments.

Kim:

That's right. That's exactly what he said. Thank you. And let everybody know. Tell everybody else to subscribe, too. Zac, do we need to do that? Over.

Zac:

This is the behind the scenes stuff. If you're a newsletter subscriber, you get to see Kim flub the lines.

Kim:

I don't even have lines. There's no lines. I'm just making it up. And when you subscribe, you get extra stuff. And you get to see me act a fool. The Kim Gravel show is produced and edited by Zac Miller at Uncommon Audio. Our associate producer is Kathleen Grant from the Brunette Exec, production help from Emily Bredin and Sarah Noto. Our cover art is designed by Sanaz Huber at Memarian Creative.

Kim:

Our show is edited by Mike Kligerman. Our guest intros are performed by Roxy Reese. Our guest booking is done by central Talent Booking. And I want to give a special thank you to the entire team at QVC, and thanks to you for making this community so strong. Listen, tell somebody about the show and leave us a five star review. And make sure you're following the Kim Gravel Show on your podcast app so we can keep growing this love who you are message together. I can't do this without you. So thank you so much for listening.

Kim:

And y'all, I love you with everything I got.