Kelly Rowland keeps it real

Yes, she looks stunning on camera and even better on stage. But try sitting right next to Kelly Rowland and you'll see that it isn't all camera tricks — she's inexplicably perfect.

I caught up with Rowland at her hotel before her show at the Gulf News Radio 1 LIVE event at the Dubai Tennis Stadium on Saturday. This is the third trip to Dubai for the singer who remembers the last time Destiny's Child played in the emirate.

“We still talk about it today," she said in her charming American drawl. “Actually we were trying to survive on the stage because of the condensation on the stage — it was just water. And we had heels on, so I'm hoping that I won't have to use extra leg muscles [tonight]. I love my heels, I must say. It just makes you look taller, leaner and just cooler on stage."

Which is exactly how the 27-year-old r 'n' b singer looked — tall, lean and just plain cool. She was wearing a deep green dress that hugged her slim figure and showed off various newly acquired assets.

And how does she stay so fit? “I'm working out now, a little bit on the treadmill. I walk at a slow pace at a high incline to keep everything lifted," she said.

Speaking of lifted, Rowland has recently had a breast enhancement, something, which she's not shy to talk about and in fact, is very proud of. “Oh they're doing good," she laughed.

Rowland shot to fame with the female group Destiny's Child with her Texas buddies Beyoncé Knowles and Michelle Williams. The trio released countless hit singles including Say My Name, Survivor, Bootylicious and Independent Women Part 1 and have been hailed as the world's best-selling girl group of all time.

In 2005 the group disbanded to embark on solo careers. Rowland released her first album, Simply Deep, in 2002 following the success of her duet with rapper Nelly on the hit single Dilemma. She admits that she was surprised at how popular the track became.

“To be honest with you, I did not know that it would be a hit at all. Do you know how hard it is to make a track? There are only so many songs that get that much success. Dilemma broke records. I pray that I get another one of those. Heck, I want all 10 of them," she said laughing.

She has recently released her second solo album Ms Kelly, which has spawned the two hit singles Like This and Work, which are enjoying huge airplay on the UAE radio stations. But she said a regrouping of Destiny's Child is definitely possible.

“Anything could happen. B [Beyoncé] is recording her album. Michelle has an amazing record that is being released and I'm working on a third one," she said. “You gotta stay on the ball. Right now I'm just putting everything together."

Knowles and rapper Jay-Z were married recently at a secret wedding in New York. Asked about the wedding Rowland smiled and said mysteriously: “I don't know what you're talking about. This is the moment when I put the water in the glass," she said as she grabbed her water bottle and filled her glass.

She might not want to talk about Beyoncé's wedding, but she's adamant about the fact that they are still best of friends. “I just talked to the ladies [Williams and Knowles] before I left. It's so funny, 'cause I guess that when people don't see us together they figure we don't talk. But we hook up just 'cause. We're still very close," she said.

Kelly's Heroes

On collaborations

"I really wanna hook up with will.i.am and Wyclef Jean. I want to find an international producer, someone who can give me some new flavour,"she said.

Say my name

Kelly was evasive when asked about her love life. "I just like something, nice and simple. I don't like to talk about that. I don't think it's anyone's business. I think if you have something special it's just for you and that person, nobody else has to know," she said.

Independence

" I must admit that I like TV," said Rowland, who has appeared in a couple of movies and TV series. "I wanna do an action role. I want to be some fly chick in a fierce. You know, when you got to get super duper fit," she said laughing.