How Kandi Burruss Made Nearly $3 Million After Leaving 'The Real Housewives' Franchise

Kandi Burruss made a pretty coin during her time on "The Real Housewives of Atlanta." But after her latest accomplishment, it's clear her success isn't only tied to the longstanding reality program.

In 2024, Kandi Burruss revealed she was leaving "RHOA" after 15 years to pursue other projects. In March 2025, it was revealed that one of her endeavors earned her nearly $3 million.

In August 2024, it was revealed that Burruss, who rose to fame in the '90s as part of the girl group XSCAPE, would join the producing team for Broadway's "Othello."

The Shakespearean tragedy, which stars legends like Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal, has become the highest-grossing play in Broadway history after bringing in $2.8 million for eight performances, per The Hollywood Reporter.

"Othello" opened at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre in New York City on March 23 and will continue its limited engagement run through early June 2025.

The production tells the story of Othello, a general in the Venetian army whose marriage is turned upside down when his supposedly trustworthy ensign suggests the former's wife could be cheating on him. According to the show's official synopsis, it's a story of "tragedy of revenge, jealousy, and intrigue."

While chatting with Waymaker Journal about her expansive career, Burruss opened up about how "Othello" differs from shows with a similar theme.

According to her, the 2025 production of the story isn't like the others. "It's starring Denzel Washington. It's set in 2028. The clothes are modern. The delivery feels real and passionate. You can see yourself in it — even though they're still using Shakespeare's words," she said.

Burruss also explained why producing such a show means so much to her as a businesswoman of color.

"In the opportunities that I get, I'm always trying to elevate and make way for more opportunity for people like myself. For Black people, people of color, and women," she said. "We had people coming to New York to see a show [who'd never been to Broadway before]... We're not just waiting for the people who already go to shows. We're making our shows the destination."

Burruss' producing credit for "Othello" isn't the first time the entertainment juggernaut has had her name tied to a Broadway production.

While appearing on later seasons of "RHOA," the "Understanding" singer shared behind-the-scenes glimpses into what went into producing her first show, "Thoughts of a Colored Man."

Later, she added another producing credit to her resume by working on the revival of "The Wiz," which first starred big names like Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.

However, it doesn't end there. Before taking on backstage work, she starred in "Chicago" as Mama Matron Morton, a musical other "Real Housewives" and Bravo stars have been in, including NeNe Leakes, Lisa Rinna, Erika Jayne, and "Vanderpump Rules'" Ariana Madix.

In a previous interview, Burruss reflected on her stint on the hit reality show "RHOA." After joining the cast during its second season in 2009, the Grammy-winning singer and songwriter became a mainstay, holding a peach until the end of season 15.

While chatting with Sherri Shepherd on her show "Sherri," the reality star, who also appeared in "Celebrity Big Brother" and "The Masked Singer," seemingly didn't have any regrets about leaving her role on the show in her rearview.

In fact, she admitted she was "more than excited" to move on to other things.

Could Burruss ever return to the series in the future? Possibly. But as of right now, she's focused on her goals. "I have big dreams, y'all," she said. "Y'all know I want to win a Tony [Award]."

In addition to her work on Broadway, Burruss has remained booked and busy.

Recently, the mother of three wrapped up a role on the scripted television series "The Chi," where she played Roselyn Perry, a sharp political strategist. She also appeared in season 2 of Hulu's legal drama "Reasonable Doubt."

Amid all of that, the powerhouse star has continued pitching and creating reality shows, like "Kandi & The Gang" and "SWV & Xscape: The Queens of R&B."