Kandi Burruss
A powerhouse songwriter and reality TV star who moved from 90s R&B fame to building a multifaceted empire in music, television, and business.
Born 1976 (age 50)·American TV personality, singer-songwriter·Birthday: May 17·Generation X
Biography
Kandi Burruss first captured attention as the youngest member of the 1990s R&B group Xscape, whose harmonies dominated the charts. But her true influence exploded behind the scenes, where her sharp songwriting crafted anthems for a generation, from Destiny's Child's 'Bills, Bills, Bills' to TLC's definitive 'No Scrubs.' This Grammy-winning talent laid the foundation for a second act as a blunt, beloved fixture on 'The Real Housewives of Atlanta,' where she showcased her savvy as an entrepreneur. She built brands in bedding, sex toys, and Broadway, proving her creative mind was as adept at business as it was at penning a hit chorus. Burruss represents a rare blend of authentic musical talent and unapologetic commercial ambition.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Kandi was born in 1976, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Kandi Was Born
The biggest hits of 1976
#1 Movie
Rocky
Best Picture
Rocky
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Kandi's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1976Born
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1981Started school
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1989Became a teenager
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1992Could drive
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1994Could vote
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
1997Turned 21
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2006Turned 30
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 40
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 50
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won a Grammy Award for Best R&B Song for co-writing TLC's "No Scrubs" in 2000.
- Co-wrote the global hit "Shape of You" for Ed Sheeran, one of the best-selling digital singles of all time.
- Built a successful business empire including the Bedroom Kandi line and a Tony Award-winning production credit for "A Strange Loop".
- Became a long-standing central cast member on Bravo's 'The Real Housewives of Atlanta,' shaping pop culture for over a decade.
Did You Know?
She is a member of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) and has won multiple ASCAP awards.
She starred in and produced her own reality show, 'The Kandi Factory,' on Bravo.
She wrote Pink's debut single, "There You Go," which launched Pink's music career.
She is the first African-American woman to win a Grammy for Best R&B Song and a Tony Award for Best Musical.
“I don't have time to be scared. I have too much to do.”
