NEW MUSIC: Kelly Rowland - 'Dirty Laundry'

It’s finally here! Kelly Rowland has unveiled the long-awaited “Dirty Laundry,” off her forthcoming album Talk a Good Game. And, wow! It is exactly the heavy, soul-baring stunner she said it would be. 

Produced by The-Dream, the song finds Rowland opening up more than ever before, though it’s not just about past romantic relationships, as most people were expecting. 

No, there’s also a significant dose of Beyonce here, with Kelly revealing the complex dynamic between the two (“Bittersweet / She was up, I was down…Post-Survivor, she on fire…Kinda lucky I was in her shadow”).

Over a spare, piano-based beat, Rowland also recounts an abusive relationship 

(“Meanwhile this nigga puttin’ his hands on me…I was battered / He hit the window like it was me, until it shattered”). Eventually, as dramatic strings are added to the mix, Rowland admits this man turned her against her Bey, whom she misses. Whew! There’s a lot to unpack here, so give it a listen below.

After the song was released, Billboard released an exclusive interview they did with the singer. 

Speaking on the track, Kelly says: "It was very emotional. It took me days to record. I had to get past being so upset and actually sing the song, not sob through it. I always hope that my music can inspire someone, the same way other artists inspire me. 

 Dream said, 'I want to write you a record so that people will know exactly who you are, underneath it all.'" The-Dream wrote the song, but it was Kelly's stories he was telling; he tells Billboard: 

 "What unfolds on TV or on the Internet, it’s never really that. You think it is but it’s just not. When you have a stage like Kelly has, you should talk about that part of your life. I think Kelly’s way deeper than that." 

 "Dirty Laundry" is the latest single from Kelly's upcoming Talk a Good Game album, which drops on June 18th.