Bravo has picked a new peach for the next season of “The Real Housewives of Atlanta.”
Kandi Burruss, formerly of the R&B group Xscape, will be joining fellow housewives NeNe Leakes, Lisa Wu-Hartwell, Sheree Whitfield and Kim Zolciak next season. She’ll be taking over for DeShawn Snow, who was booted from the cast.
Kandi had a few reservations about being on the show because she’s only engaged.
“I had no idea that I would ever be on the show. … When they first asked me, I was like, ‘I’m not married yet,’” Kandi told S2S. She quickly got over that hesitation because there are unmarried women on the show in Atlanta (and other cities). Apparently, Bravo was looking for some single ladies because she beat out Angie Stone, Christina Johnson (Cee-Lo’s ex-wife) and Ralph Tresvant’s ex-wife for the spot on the show.
Songstress Kandi was already familiar with the show because she’s a fan of the Atlanta and Orange County versions. “I watched the [Atlanta] show last season. I thought it was a really funny show,” she said. “It was entertaining to me.” (By the way, NeNe is Kandi’s favorite housewife.)
Kandi told us that Bravo producers approached her shortly after her last reality show prospect fell through. She was going on to be on that show Tiny told us about a few months back in the first episode of “Jamie’s Kitchen.”
The new season of “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” just started taping and there are already rumors to squash: Kandi said her fiancé, A.J. Jewell (who “has some involvement in the music business”), isn’t the dangerous drug dealer other websites are reporting him to be.
“What he’s done since he and I have been in a relationship is like totally on the up and up,” Kandi said to S2S. “I don’t know whatever went on in his past prior to me.”
The singer-songwriter also took aim at Internet rumors saying A.J. doesn’t take care of his kids. “He’s not a deadbeat dad. His kids come over to our house and hang out all the time,” Kandi said. “From what I’ve seen, he’s having a relationship with his kids.”
Kandi’s talked to all the mothers of A.J.’s kids, and she said none of them seem to have a problem with how he treats his children. Don’t expect to see any baby mama drama with her this season, either. “I have much respect for all of [his children’s] mothers, and they all have been nice to me,” Kandi noted. “They never seem to have a problem when they talk to me.”
Kandi couldn’t give us the scoop on what’s going on this season, but we’ll probably see her in the studio (sounding waaay better than Kim). “I’m recording an album for myself, and I’m still writing songs for other artists,” she said. “Most recently I’ve been in the studio with Fantasia, helping her finish her project up.”
She was surprised when we told her we’d heard about her impending record deal. Kandi’s in talks with Capitol Records’ newly appointed head of urban music, Leonard "LB" Brooks, for a deal through her own label, Kandi Koated Entertainment. “I haven’t really signed any paperwork on my deal, but my attorneys are in conversation,” she confirmed to S2S.
When that deal goes through, just remember you read it here first!
– Sonya Eskridge
Here’s more:
No season two for DeShawn
Is NeNe going home?
Get the Look: NeNe Leakes
