Kandi Burruss was born on May 17, 1976 in East Point, Georgia. While you probably know her from her time on “The Real Housewives of Atlanta,” you might not know that she is a highly-successful musician and entrepreneur. This reality star’s career has seen her rise to fame with girl group Xscape, win several awards for singing and songwriting, the opening of her very own restaurant, and so much more. Find out everything there is to know about Burruss here, and discover the many reasons there are to fall in love with this talented business woman and entertainer.
Fast Facts
Birth date:
May 17, 1976
Age:
47 years, 11 months
Zodiac Sign:
Taurus
Background
Kandi Burruss’s father was a Reverend, and she had an older brother, Patrick Riley, who sadly passed away in a car accident when Burruss was only 15 years old. Burruss went to Tri-Cities High School and graduated in 1994. Her first appearance on television was on the B.E.T. series “Teen Summit” when she was 15.Burruss is multi-talented. She hit it big when she joined the successful girl group Xscape. The group released their first album “Hummin’ Comin’ at ‘Cha” in 1993, which peaked at number 17 on the Billboard 200 and number three on the Top R&B Albums chart. It was a huge success, launching Burruss and her group into the limelight. The album was certified platinum and had two top 10 singles. The group soared to new heights when they released their second album “Off The Hook” in 1995 which, to no one’s surprise, also hit platinum within the year. Their final album “Traces of My Lipstick” was a huge success, and hit number 28 on the Billboard 200 and number six on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop album chart. The album was widely popular and sold over a million copies in the U.S. They regrouped and made song appearances on “Momma’s House” and “Hardball,” and eventually parted ways in 2005.Burruss released her own debut album in 2000, called “Hey Kandi,” which included the popular songs ‘Don’t Think I’m Not,’ and ‘Cheatin’ on Me.’ The singles reached number 24 on the Billboard Hot 100 and the album reached number 72 on the Billboard 200. Burruss started to create a name for herself outside the group, not only from her own albums but as a songwriter. She wrote and co-wrote many popular songs, including ‘No Scrubs’ for which she won a Grammy Award. She would go on to win the “American Society of Composers” and “Authors and Publishers Songwriter of the Year” Awards in 2000 as well.Burruss entered the world of reality television and joined the second season of “The Real Housewives of Atlanta,” which aired in July 2009. She continued with the show in every season, making her the longest-serving member. Fans loved her so much that she did a spinoff from “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” called “The Kandi Factory.” This was such a success that, although the show was originally going to be a one-time television special, it ran for a full season. She and her husband ventured into another spin-off called “Kandi’s Wedding,” which aired in 2014, and then another series called “Kandi’s Ski Trip,” which aired in 2015. The reality star didn’t stop there. She went on to be a contestant in “Celebrity Big Brother” and came in fifth. She has also guest starred in “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” In 2020, she participated in the competition show “The Masked Singer” and was the first female winner. There is no limit to what Burruss can do, and we are all waiting with bated breath for her next venture.
Career timeline
Burruss, at age 15, makes her first appearance on television in the B.E.T. series “Teen Summit.”
Burruss launches her singing career when she joins Xscape, and they release their first album “Hummin’ Comin’ at ‘Cha,” which goes platinum.
Xscape soars to new heights of fame with their second album “Off The Hook,” which also goes platinum within the year.
The girl group goes their separate ways, Burruss releases her very own album “Hey Kandi,” and delves into songwriting, winning a Grammy Award for co-writing the hit song ‘No Scrubs.’
Burruss wins fans worldwide by joining the reality series “The Real Housewives of Atlanta,” staying on until the last season, making her the longest-running member of the series.
Shortly after “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” ends, fans call for more of Kandi, and so, she does the spin-off show “The Kandi Factory,” which garners so much traction that it is made into a full season, rather than just a few episodes.
Burruss’s spin-off show is such a success that it encourages her to continue making spin-offs like “Kandi’s Wedding,” which documents Burruss’s wedding to Todd Tucker.
Fans are delighted when Burruss appears on “Celebrity Big Brother,” guest stars in “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” and participates in the competition show “The Masked Singer.”
Kandi Burruss FAQs
Is Burruss married?
Yes, Kandi Burruss is married to Todd Tucker.
What is Burruss’s next business venture?
Burruss announced earlier this year that she is one of the producers for a play called “Thoughts of a Colored Man.” She announced that it would come to Broadway in October 2022, and it is the “first-ever play starring all Black men, written, directed, and produced by all African-Americans that will be on Broadway!” There is no stopping Burruss, and we love her for it.
Was Burruss famous before “Housewives?”
Yes, Burruss was known for her singing career. She was part of the hit girl group Xscape.
5 Surprising Facts
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Burruss is a huge car fanatic
Burruss is a huge fan of cars and has at least eight of them, one for every occasion.
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She owns a sex toy company
Burruss wasn’t afraid to venture into the dark desires business, creating her own pleasure toy company called “Bedroom Kandi.”
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She loves the “Real Housewives” franchise
Burruss has said that she loves the franchise and even has a favorite character from another series: Erika Jayne from the “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.”
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She is a Grammy Awardwinner
Burruss won a Grammy Award for “Best Rhythm & Blues Song,” co-writing the hit song ‘No Scrubs.’
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She starred on Broadway’s “Chicago”
The multi-talented star took to the stage in 2019 for an eight-week stint on Broadway, playing Matron Mama Morton in “Chicago.”
Why We Love Kandi Burruss
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She is an empowered female entrepreneur
Burruss is a hugely successful business woman and is one of the most successful ‘housewives’ ever as she has conquered several areas, such as taking on the restaurant business with her Old Lady Gang, launching her kid’s clothing line ‘Raising Ace,’ and boutique ‘TAGS.’ The star told “Essence,” “Never get too comfortable, and do not get settled in the success of today. What's poppin' today is what you worked on yesterday, it's what you worked on last year, it's what you worked on last month.”
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She’s big on family
Burruss is very vocal about how important family is, and this is well documented on the show “Real Housewives of Atlanta.” The “Housewives” star has four children, the first of which is her daughter Riley who she had with her ex-boyfriend Russel Spencer. She is also a stepmother to Todd Tucker’s daughter Kaela, and has had two more children with him via surrogacy.
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She is still working
You would think Burruss has enough on her plate with a variety of businesses and television shows, but she is still making music. She released a solo track ‘Don’t Think I’m Not’ and was sampled on Billen Ted and Mae Muller’s ‘When You’re Out.’
Kandi Burruss’s birthday dates
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | May 17 | Wednesday |
| 2024 | May 17 | Friday |
| 2025 | May 17 | Saturday |
| 2026 | May 17 | Sunday |
| 2027 | May 17 | Monday |
