Who Are the Members of Kelly Rowland’s Former Girl Group, June’s Diary?

At one point in music, girl groups were the “it” thing. Motown made them famous with groups like The Supremes and 90s babies had ladies anthems thanks to groups like TLC and Destiny’s Child. In the mid-2000s, girl groups faded into obscurity. 

Former Destiny’s Child member, Kelly Rowland, knew all about the power of being in a girl group. In 2016, she made it her mission to bring back unity and harmony by creating her own supergroup. She did so through a BET original docuseries, Chasing Destiny, where singers from all over the world competed for a spot to be managed by her and Destiny’s Child creative director, Frank Gatson. Five girls were selected and June’s Diary was introduced. 

Who are the vocal powerhouses who make up the quintet? 

Ashly Williams

Williams was first introduced to the world in 2013 when she auditioned for the American version of The X-Factor. Ironically, her future manager, Kelly Rowland, was one of the judges on the show. During her audition, she performed a cover Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You” as a dedication to her late mother. Her audition video has been viewed on YouTube more than 69 million times. After passing her audition, she performed Aerosmith‘s song “I Don’t Wanna Miss a Thing” during the 4 chair challenge, earning her a seat to compete in Demi Lovato‘s final 4 in her Girls Category. Williams was later replaced by another contestant when she was eliminated from the competition. Her second chance would come after competing on Chasing Destiny when she was selected for June’s Diary. Williams is an alum of the University of California Berkeley where she graduated with a degree in medicine and was on the path to becoming a doctor. She also worked in corporate America as a public relations professional but followed her first love of music instead. 

Kristal Lyndriette Smith

The Charlotte, North Carolina native is no stranger to girl groups. Smith was previously a member of the R&B group RichGirl, alongside singer and songwriter Sevyn Streeter. RichGirl was formed with the help of record executive, Rich Harrison, and signed to his label in 2007. Smith was signed to a production company at the age of 15 when she first met Harrison and continued working with the label until the group found its footing. RichGirl was an opening act for Beyoncé on her I Am … Tour. They were most known for their hit single, “He Ain’t Wit Me Now (Tho) and a cover of “Over the Rainbow.” After parting ways from the group in 2011, Smith worked on her own music until she joined Usher on his UR experience tour as one of his backup singers. She was brought onto the show Chasing Destiny in episode 3 and ultimately picked for the group.

Brienna DeVlugt

DeVlugt was born into a musical family. She’s the daughter of former Reggae boy group POV member, Lincoln ‘Link’ DeVlugt. Like Williams, she attended college and studied economics before dropping out with only three credits left to pursue her music career and try out for Chasing Destiny. After making the group, she went back to school to complete her degree, graduating in 2017. Outside of working with the group, DeVlugt has her own YouTube page where she shares tips and tutorials on maintaining healthy natural hair.

Gabrielle Carreiro

Known as “Gabby,” Carreiro grew a love for singing after her father signed her up to be part of a youth choir when she was in the seventh grade. She released an original YouTube acapella song “Bitter” in 2015, which showcased her jazz-inspired tone. The video also showed off her guitar playing skills and caught the attention of Chasing Destiny producers and earned her a spot on the show. Carreiro tours as a singer outside of June’s Diary all throughout Europe. 

Shyann Roberts

Roberts is the youngest member of the group. Originally from St. Petersburg, Florida, she began singing at the age of two and performing when she was four years old. Her talent landed her jobs as the opening act for artists such as Boyz II Men. Roberts also sang the National Anthem for a 76ers game and performed on Showtime At The Apollo when she was a child. Her performance of Beyonce’s “Listen” on the Apollo garnered her a standing ovation. 

June’s Diary is currently working on new music with a full-length album, “Take Your Time.”