LaTavia Roberson

LaTavia Marie Roberson (born November 1, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Roberson rose to fame in the late 1990s as an original member of the R&B group Destiny's Child, one of the world's best-selling girl groups of all time.

Following her departure from the group, Roberson formed Anjel along with former Destiny's Child member LeToya Luckett. After their album was shelved, Roberson went on hiatus and returned to Houston. Roberson also starred in various stage plays including Those Jeans, How to Love, and Not My Family.^[1] Roberson also became a main cast-member for R&B Divas: Atlanta alongside singers such as Angie Stone, Keke Wyatt and long-time friend Meelah of 702. ^[2]

Roberson has sold over 25 million records with Destiny's Child. Her work has earned her several awards and nominations, including two Grammy Awards and three Soul Train Music Awards.^[3]

Early Life

LaTavia Roberson was born on November 1, 1981, she is of African American and Louisiana Creole (African, Native American, and French) descent. In the 1980s, Prior to joining Destiny's Child, LaTavia was a child model, appearing in commercials such as Soft and Beautiful's Just for Me Hair Care relaxer for kids. ^[4]

Career

1990–2000: Girl's Tyme and Destiny's Child

When LaTavia was nine years old, she auditioned for a girl group to become a rapper and dancer, and was one of the many girls who got through. She met Beyoncé Knowles on the same day of the audition for the group and became best friends, singing and dancing with other local girls in which LaTavia and Beyoncé made a video for the song "One Time". She then met Kelly Rowland in elementary school, after hearing her sing she told her to try out for the group which she did. Initially LaTavia was a rapper and dancer at the time and did not sing; subsequently she had vocal lessons and, after singing at local events, LaTavia got her break when she entered the singing competition TV show Star Search with Beyoncé, Kelly Rowland, Tamar Davis also LaTavia's cousins, sisters Nikki and Nina Taylor. The group, then named "Girl's Tyme" were heartbroken after losing the competition. Beyonce's father, Mathew Knowles began to manage the group whom changed the line-up as the group was then reduced to a quartet, with best-friend Beyoncé, Rowland, and Beyoncé's elementary school friend LeToya Luckett. The group underwent several name changes: The Dolls, Something Fresh, and Cliché. They were shortly signed to Elektra Records. However the group were dropped by the label. After plenty of training done by the manager to become prepared and ready for the music industry they were then signed by Columbia Records in 1997 by the name of Destiny's Child with Knowles as lead vocalist, Rowland as second-lead vocalist plus alongside Roberson and Luckett as background vocalists with Roberson as alto adding the low notes and Luckett as the soprano adding the high notes to the group's harmony,^[5] however also occasional leads. Roberson was also designated as the group's spokesperson. In 1998, Destiny's Child released their self-titled debut album Destiny's Child. The singles were "No, No, No" featuring Wyclef Jean and "With Me".^[6] Roberson can be heard rapping in the song "Illusions". Later in 1998 their song "Get on the Bus" featuring Timbaland (which was released as a single in Europe) was featured on the Why Do Fools Fall in Love soundtrack. The song would later service as the lead single for their second album. Destiny's Child toured as an opening act on TLC's FanMail Tour and Christina Aguilera's debut tour.

In 1999, Destiny's Child released their second album, The Writing's on the Wall. It became one of the biggest selling albums released by a female group and was certified eight-times platinum in the U.S. The album includes four hit singles, "Bills, Bills, Bills", "Bug a Boo", "Say My Name", and "Jumpin', Jumpin'".^[7] LaTavia also gained co-writing contribution more on this album than their first. Roberson performed lead on two songs: "Sweet Sixteen" and "Where'd You Go". Additionally LaTavia sang lead on the song "Can't Help Myself" but this song was only released on the albums Houston Edition. In late 1999 in the midst of the success of The Writing's on the Wall, Roberson and LeToya Luckett attempted to bring in a third-party mediator to work alongside their manager Mathew Knowles; however, the pair soon found themselves on the outs with Knowles.^[8] When the "Say My Name" video debuted in February 2000, they were replaced by two new members, Michelle Williams and Farrah Franklin which led to several lawsuits with the outcome of Roberson and Luckett being entitled to royalty checks from the previous albums they had made with the group.

Whilst being in Destiny's Child, with the other members, LaTavia had appeared in artists music videos such as Jagged Edge. Roberson had also performed with Destiny's Child in live shows and had won awards such as Soul Train Awards. She had also starred in TV roles such as Smart Guy and the movie Beverly Hills along with the other members of the group.

2001–2010: Post-Destiny's Child

In 2001, LaTavia and ex-destiny's child group member LeToya had achieved two Grammys for their contribution to Say My Name. They had also created a group called Anjel with two other girls, Naty Quinones and Tiffany Beaudon (whom then was replaced by Natasha Ramos). They recorded over 22 tracks but did not release an album. The tracks, however, were leaked on the internet. The band appeared in Jagged Edge's music video "Where the Party At" Remix. The record company was having difficulty so the group then parted ways for solo careers in 2003.^[9]

In 2005, LaTavia got invited to replace Kandi in the group Xscape, but passed on the opportunity due to her priority to take care of her family at home in Houston.^[10]

In 2007, LaTavia along with other Destiny's Child past members LeToya Luckett and Farrah Franklin appeared in the TV series Boulevard of Broken Dreams telling their side of the story about what happened during their time with Destiny's Child.^[11] In 2008, LaTavia was in a stage play titled Those Jeans. It was described as "a truly well written love story, about a fashion designer and a high fashion photographer, looking for love in all the wrong places". It ran from April 18, 2008 to July 12, 2008. In 2009, LaTavia featured in the song "Swagga Check" by Young Sween on his album The Goodie Room, released by Fleet Street Records; the song was mistakenly named "Holdin On to You" on iTunes.^[12]

In 2010, LaTavia appeared in The Real Housewives of Atlanta speaking to her then-lawyer Phaedra Parks.^[13] talking about how she dealt with alcoholic problems and getting in trouble with the law for a DWI.

2013–2015: R&B Divas, stage plays and motherhood

In 2013, LaTavia starred in J. F. Bailey's stage plays How to Love and Not My Family.^[14] On August 21, 2013, LaTavia welcomed her first child, a girl named Lyric Richard, with record producer Don Vito.^[15] In 2014, LaTavia was added to the main cast of R&B Divas: Atlanta season 3, which her main storyline included being afraid to sing on the show, as she felt as if she wasn't ready to do so, despite the show being called R&B Divas. Season 3 of R&B Divas consisted of eleven episodes which LaTavia had starred in. (including the reunion shows).^[16] She has also appeared on the Wendy Williams Show. In 2015, she had gotten into the hair business with Luxury Hair Direct which specialises in hair extensions.^[17] LaTavia was also involved with the charity 'Saving Our Daughters'.^[18]

2016–present: Web-series and upcoming films

In 2016, Roberson has started an online YouTube-based series called 'The Online Diary of LaTavia Roberson.' ^[19]

In 2017, she will make her film debut as actress in the horror movie "But Deliver Us From Evil", starring Eric Roberts.^[20] Later that year, she will appears in two movies "Dirty South House Arrest"^[21] and "The Hills".^[22]

Survivor Lawsuit

In March 2000, Roberson and Luckett filed a lawsuit against Mathew Knowles and the group. This began a media battle in which the two sides exchanged barbs in magazine and newspaper interviews. Roberson and Luckett agreed to a settlement that required them to drop the part of their lawsuit that targeted their former group members (though they retained the suit against Mathew Knowles) and required both sides to stop disparaging each other in public.^[23] Roberson and Luckett filed another suit against Destiny's Child. They claimed that the first single, "Survivor", from Destiny's Child's 2001 album of the same name violated their previous settlement due to its lyrics which they believed referenced the ugly split with lyrics such as 'thought I couldn't sell without you, sold nine million' . The lawsuit however, was dropped.

Personal life

Roberson has revealed that she had suffered with an alcohol problem after Destiny's Child to self soothe early childhood trauma. This led to being arrested with a DWI, however after Roberson went through counselling and is using her experience to help others going through the same thing. ^[24] Roberson had given birth to daughter Lyric Richard in August 2013 with producer Don Vito. ^[25] In June 2016, she suffered a late pregnancy loss.

Discography

With Destiny's Child

• 1998 - Destiny's Child
• 1999 - The Writing's on the Wall

Other appearances

• 2001-2003 - Unreleased tracks for group Anjel (alongside ex-destiny's child group member LeToya Luckett)
• 2009 - "Swagga Check" (Young Sween featuring LaTavia Roberson) (mistaken on itunes for 'Holdin On To You)

Filmography

Plays

• Those Jeans (2008)
• How to Love (2013)
• Not My Family (2013)

Grammy Awards

• 2001, Best R&B Song ("Say My Name")
• 2001, Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals ("Say My Name")

References

http://m.essence.com/2016/06/02/rb-songstress-latavia-roberson-expecting-baby-number-2

External links

• Official website
• LaTavia Roberson on Twitter
  
• LaTavia Roberson on Facebook
• LaTavia Roberson discography at Discogs
• LaTavia Roberson at the Internet Movie Database