Kelly Rowland Credits Bonus Mom Tina Knowles For Shaping Who She Is Today

Kelly Rowland has often spoken about the immeasurable impact Beyoncé's mother, Tina Knowles, has had on her. From motherly advice when she was just 11 years old to career guidance as a bona fide popstar, Knowles has been there for it all. During an episode of the "Mama, I Made It" podcast, Rowland, who recently concluded her tour with R&B sensations Brandy and Monica, got candid about how life with Tina Knowles has shaped her into the woman she is today.

Before joining Beyoncé in the girl group Destiny's Child, Rowland moved in with her family in Houston, Texas, at an early age. Consequently, the pair became especially close, with Knowles often referring to the "Motivation" singer as her "bonus daughter." The love is clearly mutual, as Rowland calls Knowles "Mama T," and the matriarch embraces her role as a grandmother to Rowland's two kids, Titan and Noah.

On the "Mama, I Made It" podcast, Rowland opened up about their "rich" relationship, sharing that it has been nurtured over the course of decades. "You gotta remember, I've known my Mama T for that long," she said. "She knows everything about me. My mannerisms, my tone when I call her. She knows when I'm happy just by one tone," she continued.

Kelly shared further insight into her relationship with Knowles, stating that the iconic matriarch has been her "safe space" for years. "I can tell her anything, and I'm not judged," she said. "I'm heard, I'm seen by her. I see her; I hear her, and I love her with every fiber of my being."

"I can't believe that God thought the most of me to give me two moms that can give me that great amount of love, and then give me sisters as well with Bey, and Angie [Beyince], and Solange," she added. "The amount of love he's given me through people I can never repay him for." Kelly said that when she thinks about the core group of women in her life, it makes her emotional because they have been such a solid foundation for her.

Knowles feels similarly about Rowland. In 2021, she penned an open letter dedicated to her daughters in a magazine.

"I gave birth to two of you, but I have four incredible daughters," she wrote, speaking about her niece mentioned above, Angie.

"Kelly, I know without a doubt that you were a true gift from God. You came to live with us when you were only 11 years old. You were the sweetest, most kind person I had ever met, and you still are. You are also a true survivor. You never give up. Your discipline and drive always inspires me," the "Matriarch" author added.

Elsewhere in the episode, Rowland got candid about her relationship with her father, Christopher Lovett, after three decades of estrangement. As Rowland told the host, she was OK not having a relationship with her father until she considered her son's future questions about him.

"What was I going to tell him?" she said. "I could give him everything about his grandmother. But what am I going to tell him about my father?" In 2020, Rowland finally connected with Lovett, an eye-opening experience that provided her with much clarity. "... when I was able to meet him and talk to him and look at him in his eye, I realized why I sang," she said.

Today, Rowland and Lovett are closer than ever, and the "Kelly" singer could not be more excited about spending the upcoming holiday together.

"He's got grandkids now. He's got a relationship with his daughter now. He's got things that I pray just make his life just a little bit longer, so we have a little bit more time. But I just I love my time with him. It's beautiful," she said.

In a previous Instagram post, Rowland shared a similar message after reuniting with Lovett. "P.S. we are making up for lost time, and when I tell you, him telling me how smart and beautiful I am....will never get old!" she captioned the montage of photos.