Today, the Grammy Award-winning singer, actress, and entrepreneur LeToya Luckett is premiering her new series Leave It To LeToya, in collaboration with the Kin Community. This show gives audiences an in-depth look at the daily life of one of the founding members of Destiny’s Child and follows her pursuit of happiness post-divorce and facing the everyday challenges of balancing her career and motherhood.
Luckett spoke to ESSENCE about the show, how it explores the details of this next chapter of her life, the music industry, her love for fashion, and so much more.
“I am so excited about the show,” the mother of two said. “I’ve been wanting this to happen for so long, and it finally happened! I just love the Kin community and our partnership, and I think it is a great, fun show.”
This multi-hyphenate entertainer isn’t new to unscripted programming. She previously appeared in T.I. & Tiny: Friends & Family Hustle on VH1, as well as two web series entitled H-Town Chick, and Life, Love & Music, so she has an idea of what to expect. For some, reality TV can be detrimental to one’s career due to the high level of exposure and access to their lives – flaws and all. Luckett, however, believes that this type of vulnerability will help audiences to cope with whatever they may be going through, one episode at a time.
“You know, I’ve had a taste of reality TV; and I didn’t mind it. It was a good thing, although it had its downfalls,” Luckett stated. “But at the same time, part of my purpose is to heal people, to love on people, to be transparent, to be relatable; and I think this show gives me the platform to do that.”
As far as the right platform for Leave It To LeToya goes, the Kin perfectly fit the bill. This network produces shows for diverse women’s audiences 25+, who are building their careers, homes, and family. How did Luckett and Kin get together? – it was a bit of coincidence, along with some divine timing. The Houston native had been searching for a vertical to get her story out there, so she sent up a prayer for something to formulate, and it eventually did.
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“I was a big fan of the Kin community, and I would actually watch a lot of their content, and I loved the production. I really wanted my show out there, so I asked God to just make it happen – and he did,” she said. “I randomly went into my DMs one day, and it’s crazy because Kin had already reached out to me months before. So, I hit up my agent hoping that I hadn’t missed this window, and ironically my agent had a meeting with Kin the following day regarding someone else but said that she would bring up my name and see what happens. Fast forward – we were on a call the very next week.”
Now, here we are – but of course, this isn’t where her story begins. Born in Houston, the 41-year-old singer rose to fame in the 1990s as one of the founding members of the iconic R&B group Destiny’s Child. After achieving several Top 10 singles and winning two Grammy Awards, Luckett left the group and embarked on her solo career in 2006 with her self-titled debut album. Since then, she has released two more albums: Lady Love (2009), and Back 2 Life (2017). She also caught the acting bug, appearing in films such as Preacher’s Kid, Killers, Treme, Single Ladies, Rosewood, and Greenleaf, just to name a few.
Although it’s been over five years since her last studio release, LeToya hasn’t lost her passion for music. She’s been very reflective about how the industry has changed in the streaming era, as well as accessing her plans for a possible upcoming release.
“The music industry changes minute to minute it feels like,” Luckett said. “I think with social media, YouTube, and things like that, people are able to put their music out and they’re able to be more hands on with their music, and how they reach people – and I’m definitely going to take advantage of that with my next album.”
Outside of music, Luckett also has a love for fashion and design. In 2003, Luckett became the owner of Lady Elle Boutique, an upscale women’s boutique. In 2008, the singer opened the store’s second location in The Galleria in Houston. Today, she frequently collaborates with J Bolin; in fact, they released something together as recently as last month. Her passion for clothing and accessories came from two special women in her life, who also taught her about certain aspects of womanhood by instilling the lesson of taking pride in one’s appearance.
“I think my mom and my grandmother are why I gravitated towards fashion. My grandmother loved her shoes and handbags, and mother always taught me to carry myself like a lady,” she said glowingly. “The way that I walk out of my house everyday is the way people are going to perceive me, unfortunately. But fashion has just always been intriguing to me – the way that a dress compliments a bag and the rest of its accessories; I have always been into that. It’s just something that I think has been tucked away, but I’m living it out loud right now.”
For LeToya, furthering her career has always been a priority. But that pales in comparison to her top priorities, which is her two children, Gianna, and Tysun. Being a mother and a successful entrepreneur may be a difficult dynamic, but it’s something that Luckett welcomes with open arms.
“I’m still figuring that out,” Luckett said of her work/life balance. “It’s a day to day, minute to minute thing. Doing press for this new show, I check in with my kids before every interview and make sure they’re getting their naps, and all the different things that a child needs. There’s no taking a break between work or shutting it down – it’s back to mommy mode.” “It can be complicated at times, but to me it’s the best blessing in the world,” she added. “I love being a mother, and to be a part of their amazing little lives.” As far as her show, the seasoned actress plans to use her platform as an inspiration to others. When asked about what she wanted viewers to take from the upcoming series, LeToya spoke about embracing her flaws, and letting the world see her for who she truly is. “I’m LeToya. I’m a human being, and I make mistakes,” she told ESSENCE. “I don’t get it right all the time. But I’m doing my best to maneuver through this life with good intentions, a grateful heart, integrity, and strength. This show is as real as it gets – unscripted, uncensored, and it is letting people in. It’s going to create conversations for people that are going through similar situations, and I just feel that a lot of people will be able to relate to the show and to some of the things that they see.” Leave It To LeToya premieres Tuesday, June 14 at 1pm EST/PST on Kin. Source: Read Full Article
