Kelly Rowland Covers Essence Magazine, September Issue [PHOTO]

Kelly Rowland is all smiles on the September 2013 cover of Essence Magazine – in the interview; she opens up about being on top of her game, being in the industry, her beau and coming into her own as a singer.

On being judged:

“I didn’t want anybody to judge me. But now I don’t care,” she says. “Judge me if you want to. And as a matter of fact, it won’t even count, ‘cause the only person who can judge is God.”

On Dirty Laundry and Beyonce:

“For a long time I wasn’t happy, but that had nothing to do with Beyoncé,” Rowland says. “That had to do with me trying to get my life in order and make better decisions for myself. I’m seeing all these wonderful things happen for her and I am happy for her. But I want a path. I want things to pop off for me, too. Not on her level but whatever my level is supposed to be.”

On her fitness pastime: 

“I see the beauty in boxing,” she says. “It teaches me strength, physically but mostly mentally. I had to learn my strength, because for so long I could have been tougher than I was.”