Kontrol Exclusive (@kontrolmag): Discover The Life Behind The Music of Normani Kordei (@NormaniKordei)!

normani kordei in kontrol magazine's women in music issue

Written By: Tanisha D. Davis

Normani Kordei is a singer originally from Atlanta, Georgia who is a member of the girl group, Fifth Harmony.

Her sweet and humble personality adds to why she has remained such a successful performer in recent years. Kordei has been singing and dancing since the age of four and although she has had an early start in the field of music, she doesn’t allow that to steal away from her ability to remain humble in the midst of all the excitement and success. Kontrol truly enjoyed discovering more about the life of the young singer and was excited to find out that she will be appearing on the hit TV series, ‘Dancing With the Stars.’

“Dancing with the Stars has been an incredible experience. Honestly I feel like I have grown in the last three weeks. I really have the best partner and he has been really encouraging me, and allowing me to see the beauty in me and what I have to offer. Growing up, I didn’t really believe in myself the most, especially since I started out at such a young age. Having people judge you in every little thing you do, even as a teenager and experiencing life for itself can be tough. He’s helping me to realize that it’s okay to be vulnerable, like don’t keep it all to yourself, so I really thank him for that, and I can’t wait to spend the rest of the season with him. The cast has really become a family and learning all of the dances and genres has really been cool.”

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Kontrol Exclusive (@kontrolmag): From The Street to The Throne—It’s Dreezy’s (@dreezydreezy) World!

dreezy in kontrol magazine's women in music issue

The rise and reign of rap is perhaps the biggest and most inspiring aspect of modern music. From simple “Get Downs” in basements and dance offs on street corners, rap has become the most popular genre on the face of the planet! The sheer number of rap stars the genre has generated is immense, forever evolving, and revolving. The rap game is fierce and “competitive” just does not sum up the nature of the business when it comes to being a star or wannabe. When you add being a woman on top of that the stakes become astronomical.

Enter 2017 and the rap world of Dreezy!

Strong, independent, and determined Dreezy is the future of female rap in an industry determined to overlook, undermine, and underestimate her every step of the way.

It seems like forever ago when we first bobbed our heads to Dreezy’s hit single, Body, and now the stars are within her reach. In a candid conversation with Kontrol Magazine she goes on to discuss her goals for 2017, hopes, dreams, and what it means to be a female rapper. “It [2017] has started off great…I messed up with my resolution, it was to stop smoking, but I did slow down, shout out to that [she laughs]. I have been working out. The year came in and I said I wanted to work out and have been doing that like every day and I’m seeing the results from that. I said I’m just gonna take care of my hair and hygiene and focus more on me and my music…” Interestingly she described 2016, on a scale of one to ten as a four or five! “Last year was so bittersweet for me. I dropped my first album and that was good. I had like four singles on the radio and that was good, but I lost my best friend last year and that was one of the worst times. So yeah it was real bittersweet, a lot of ups and downs—real weird. [In 2017] I feel rejuvenated, I lost my friend at the beginning of last year so we had our plans and resolutions and it was New Years and we were celebrating. It all happened the day after and I feel like I got set back. This year I feel like it’s my second shot to make everything good I just had to recoup. No excuses.”

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Kontrol Exclusive (@kontrolmag): “The Real Housewives of Potomac Star,” Charrisse Jackson Jordan (@CharrisseJordan), Break Out Star of Season 2!

The Real Housewives of Potomac is back for a second season and the cast is bigger and better. All the original ladies return with a newbie in the mix, but so far this season it is all about Charrisse Jackson Jordan.

She has broken out of her shell, and is showing a different more authentic side of herself. Jackson is shaping up to be the breakout star this season.

“Looking at season one it made me be myself from a different perspective. I saw a sad person. I was going through things in my marriage. I was reserve with a lot of my actions last season. I wanted the audience to see the real Charrisse. I needed to do it again to show a different side of me, and I have a different mindset,” said Jackson-Jordan.

This season you see Charrisse show a more light hearted side of herself. The mother of two is seen dancing around with her daughter, and enjoying life more this season. She even shows the more assertive side, going head-to-head with standout cast mate, Gizelle Bryant.

I’m a lot lighter, trying to have a great time and being a good mom. I will go through a lot of arguments with my cast mates this season. I hope people see a positive side this season. Last season, they saw a bougie side. They saw a character, and I didn’t like anything about that,” said the reality star.

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Kontrol Homme Exclusive (@kontrolmag): Breaking “Underground!” Alano Miller (@AlanoMiller) On Cato, Justice, & Inclusion!

What does it take to be a leading man? Is it the look? The swagger? Or maybe it’s the unyielding desire to be the best of the best. If that is the case then this actor and rising star has the lion’s share! We love him as the former overseer turned runaway on WGN’s hit series, Underground. Still, there is so much more to the man that dominates our Wednesday night television screens—there’s wit, charm, poise, and let’s not forget an inferno of talent just waiting to set Hollywood on fire!

He is Alano Miller, and you are going to love him!

Underground is a runaway hit about runaways (pun intended) earning high ratings and rave reviews from viewers nationwide. When we left off in the first season Cato had surprisingly and bravely survived a shootout while seemingly sacrificing himself to save Noah (Aldis Hodge) and Rosalee (Jurnee Smollett-Bell) and discovering a chest of money. Alano reveals we can expect a lot more from Cato this season. “This a Cato you’ve never seen before. This is a brand new Cato. I’ve dubbed him as ‘Cato 2.0’ [he laughs] You know he’s well-traveled, well-versed. His chess game is way more strategic now. That money adds weight to him so he is definitely looking for his respect and it’s going to take up his space. It’s going to be more emotional with him—a physical and emotional transition with him this year…” He goes onto reveal his character reaches a crossroads later in the season. “…there’s going to be a decision made at the end of the season about who he wants to be. Is he good? Is he bad? By the end of this season we will define who Cato is.”

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[VIDEO] Your “About Him” BAE is Back! A #HeyMikeyATL Exclusive w/ Brandon Karson (@mrbrandonkarson)!

Brandon Karson

It is hard to believe it has been almost a year since About Him took the internet by storm. Since then the hit web series has experienced a few “growing pains,” but it has managed to stick around the for the fans that made it a runaway hit last summer. Even more exciting is Brandon Karson reprising his role of “Damien” in the series! However, just because Brandon is back that does not mean things are the same for Damien. Our boy has grown up and he is headed to his first year of college in Tyson Anthony’s About Him: Freshman Year!

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Kontrol Exclusive: Fit Mom & Superwoman—Laura Govan (@LauraMGovan) Won’t Be Stopped!

Whoever said a woman’s life as she knows it ends when she becomes a mother must have been born in the fifties. Gone are the days when being a mother is a woman’s “be all and end all.” Do not get us wrong; any good mother should be there for her kids, but modern moms know their own well-being is intricately tied in with their children’s.

Enter the world of Laura Govan, reality television star, businesswoman, and “Fit Mom.”

This astonishing woman is still taking the world by storm. “…so much [is going on], so much! I’ve been working on my fitness line, my clothing line, my accessory line is booming and doing amazing…I’ve gotten crazy support from a lot of people—Amber Rose, [Blac] Chyna, Neicey Nash, Karreueche [Tran], Christina—so a lot of women are wearing it and loving it…It’s so funny because I had no intention of starting a business or doing anything…I didn’t realize the passion that I had for it…it’s such a blessing…”

We all know and love Laura from her appearances on shows like VH-1’s Basketball Wives LA and TV One’s The Next 15, but honestly as you can tell there is much more to her than just reality television. Ms. Govan is now a “Fit Mom.” A fit mom is a term used to describe mothers who have not allowed childbirth and motherhood to keep them from being healthy and fit. When asked would she define herself as a fit mom she replies; “You know I most definitely feel like anyone who works out is definitely fit…it’s hard to wanna get up and do something. It takes a lot, just the will to want to be motivated, especially when you’re not in the right frame of mind…” Many people might argue that because Laura does not have a typical “nine to five” job she has the time to work out and develop her body. “Not necessarily. I beg to differ. Because my job is twenty four hours, not only do I have my children all day, every day; even when they’re at school I’m on call [she laughs]…I make time to work out. Even if that means I have to get up at five AM to get ahead of my children to do that then that’s what I’ll do. Also, working out does not mean you have to go to the gym. I hate that people think that. It’s such a stereotypical thing, I feel like it’s an excuse. ‘People are like oh I can’t get to them.’ I’m like shit I can’t either! Do things in the house, you have to figure it out. There are so many things you can do…”

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Kontrol Exclusive (@kontrolmag): Dancing w/ Dnay B. (@DnayBisMe) As Beyonce’s (@beyonce) Primary Tour Dancer

A self-thought dancer from West Harlem, New York Dnay B. learned how to dance by hanging out in the neighborhood and watching television. Fast forward to current times Dnay B. is one of the most sought-after dancers in the United States. To date, Dnay B.has worked with huge celebrities such as Chris Brown, Jennifer Lopez, and Alicia Keys.

Dnay B. Backstage at the 2017 Grammy’s. Photo: @dnaybisme

Her professional dancing career started after she played the role of Kelly Rowland for then creative director for both Kelly and Beyonce for Kelly’s “Motivation” video. Not being aware of her tasks within the payment process, some time had passed since the live video submission and Dnay contacted the director about not receiving her payment. He then advised her to stop by Alvin Ailey. At the meeting, he asked if she wanted to dance for Beyonce as a makeup for her troubles. That was in 2011, Dnay’s first experience dancing for Beyonce was during Oprah’s Finale Show and then the BillBoard Awards. However, she did not become an official Beyonce dancer until 2013 after filling in for a dancer on the set of Beyonce’s “Grown Woman” video. The following day she was called upon to go on tour for the Mrs. Carter Would Tour and the rest is history.

When Dnay is touring she tries to maintain her internal clock on Eastern time by taking naps so that when she returns to NY the transition is smoother. Her tour days start each morning with breakfast then an hour of praise and worship, then checking social media, then it’s tour rehearsals. Once back on the tour bus the dancers will wind down; this is the time Dnay would usually color. She also finds time to speak to her parents several times a day as they share a close-knit relationship.

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