BEVERLY HILLS, CA – JUNE 21: Kandi Burruss attends the 2018 ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Music Awards at the Beverly Wilshire Four Seasons Hotel on June 21, 2018 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic)
Kandi Burruss may be currently known for her role on the hit reality show “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” but before the show, she wrote hit songs for many big-name artists in the music industry. Kandi receives royalties and residual income from some of these tracks, contributing to her $35 million net worth.
Below are 10 hit songs many may not know Kandi wrote.
Whitney Houston (Photo by M. Caulfield/WireImage)
Whitney Houston – “Tell Me No”
In 2002, the late great Whitney Houston released the album “Just Whitney.” The singer’s fifth studio album featured the single “Tell Me No,” which Kandi wrote alongside Babyface, Annie Roboff and Holly Lamar. “Just Whitney” went on to become triple platinum worldwide.
SANTA MONICA, CA – AUGUST 6: Singer Pink attends the Second Annual Teen Choice Awards on August 6, 2000 at the Barker Hangar, Santa Monica Air Center in Santa Monica, California. (Photo by Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
Pink – “There You Go”
Kandi wrote singer Pink’s first hit song ‘There You Go.” In 2000, the single, which was featured on Pink’s debut album “Can’t Take Me Home” became a commercial success, becoming her first Top 10 entry on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, where it peaked at #7. “I wanted to give her something that was dope. It was kind of easy. I just had to give her a hit,” Burruss told The Undefeated of the tune.
Destiny’s Child (Photo by SGranitz/WireImage)
Destiny’s Child’s second album “The Writing’s On The Wall,”
Kandi wrote and produced several songs on Destiny’s Child’s second album “The Writing’s On The Wall,” including “Bug-A-Boo,” “Bills, Bills, Bills,” “So Good,” “Hey Ladies” and “She Can’t Love You,” which was released in 1999. In an interview, Kandi was asked if she was responsible for the “women’s empowerment” movement in the music industry after writing hits like “Bills, Bills, Bills.” She said she can’t take all the credit but that she contributed.
N’SYNC on MTV Total Request Live in MTV’s Times Square studios in New York City. (Photo by Scott Gries/ImageDirect)
*NSYNC – “It Makes Me Ill”
Kandi is responsible for the lyrics of *NSYNC’s song “It Makes Me Ill” which she wrote along with Kevin “She’kspere” Briggs. The single was featured on ‘N Sync’s 2000 hit album “No Strings Attached.” “It gave me a chance to show that I can write dope records for men as well. It doesn’t have to be just women,” Burruss said of the song to Rolling Stone.
Mariah Carey (Photo by Ke.Mazur/WireImage)
Mariah Carey – “Rainbow”
In 1999, Kandi worked with Mariah Carey on her “Rainbow” album. She collaborated with Carey and Briggs, to write and produce the single “X- Girlfriend” for the project. “Rainbow” was certified triple-platinum. “We came up with something pretty good, [but] I still would have rather been able to be in the studio with her,” Burruss recalled to The Undefeated of the making of the tune.
NEW YORK, NY – AUGUST 28: Singer Ariana Grande attends the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards at Madison Square Garden on August 28, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by C Flanigan/FilmMagic)
Ariana Grande – “Break Up with Your Girlfriend, I’m Bored”
Ariana Grande helped an *NSYNC deep cut resurface thanks to her 2019 single, “Break Up with Your Girlfriend, I’m Bored.” The song samples the boy band’s album track “Makes Me Ill,” which Burrus had a hand in writing. “I loved the song and thought it was dope how they flipped it because it wasn’t expected,” Burruss told Rolling Stone of Grande’s hit. “I was just really happy to be a part of the song.”
Alicia Keys (Photo by Jeffrey Mayer/WireImage)
Alicia Keys – “Jane Doe”
On Alicia Keys’ 2001 debut album “Songs in A Minor,” she uttered the words “Kan-di collabo”on the song “Jane Doe.” She said those words to give Kandi recognition for writing the song and singing with her in the background. “Songs in A Minor” went 12x platinum worldwide but Keys was a burgeoning artist when it was released. “I really like new artists. I loved the fact that she was a musician and that she produced a lot of her own stuff,” Burruss said to The Undefeated of Keys.
Boyz II Men (left to right) Shawn Stockman, Wanya Morris, Michael McCary and Nathan Morris, pose for a portrait in the NBC Studios dressing room in New York City on Wednesday, September 6, 2000. Todd Plitt/Imagedirect*** SPECIAL RATES APPLY ***
Boyz II Men – “Good Guy”
In 2000, Kandi wrote “Good Guy” for hit R&B group Boyz II Men’s album “Nathan Michael Shawn Wanya.” The album was given that name because it was the first LP in which the group had more creative control. The project went gold, selling 500,000 units in the United States.
E368757 01: Musical group TLC pose with their award backstage at the MTV Video Music Awards in New York City on September 9, 1999. TLC won their award for Best Group Video for “No Scrubs”. (Photo by Trevor Gillespie)
TLC – “No Scrubs”
Kandi wrote TLC’s Grammy Award-winning song, “No Scrubs.” Co-written by Chilli, T-Boz, Debra Killings, Kandu and Tameka “Tiny” Harris, it spent 15 weeks at the top of Rhythmic Top 40. It ultimately sold 6 million copies upon its release as the first single from “FanMail” in 1999. “We were talking trash about these two guys that we were dating and I started freestyling over the track,” Burruss told NPR music of how the song came to be. “It just made women be a little bit more outspoken.”
INGLEWOOD, CA – AUGUST 27: Ed Sheeran performs onstage during the 2017 MTV Video Music Awards at The Forum on August 27, 2017 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Randy Shropshire/MTV1617/Getty Images for MTV)
Ed Sheeran – “Shape of You”
English singer Ed Sheeran’s 2017 hit did not initially list Burruss and her Xscape bandmember Tiny Harris as songwriters. But once fans noticed the glaring similarities between it and “No Scrubs”, Burrus, Harris and Kevin “She’kspere” Briggs recieved writing credits. “Congrats #edsheeran @teddysphotos for having the #1 album! & thank you for allowing @majorgirl & I to share in the success of #ShapeOfYou! #1 for 7 weeks!” Burruss captioned an Instagram post at the time.
