Kimberly Michelle Pate, best known as K. Michelle, believes the biggest misconception about her in 2023 is that she gives a f**k.
She’s been as transparent as she can be about her musical growing pains, her physical and mental health, and has even shown us her life, under the microscope of reality TV. Currently, she describes her life as: “I’m doing what I’m supposed to do, singing what I’m supposed to sing and being where I’m supposed to be at.”
She’s riding backseat to her next scheduled endeavor, wearing oversized shades, her signature red hair, and a snatched face. She looks good. Her hustling demeanor is telling; she’s clearly had a busy day. Still, she sees the importance in showing up to promote her I’m The Problem Tour.
Amid the 23-date trek, the R&B songstress acknowledges that it’s been a long journey, but assures that mentally, she’s strong.
“I am at a great place and it’s been a long journey so I’m excited about that,” she proclaims before mentioning that she doesn’t wake up happy every day, nor is every day a turn up. “No matter what I say, it’s going to be taken a certain kind of way. You know what they say, ‘they could do it, I can’t do it.’ It’s always been, always will be there — nothing will change.”
“We are usually our own biggest enemy,” she notes when asked if the concept behind her tour is based on self-accountability or what others think of her. “So you have to take accountability for the things that you do that might be emotional or might not be right. But even in those things, you can be accepting of who you are.”
K. Michelle is going to get deeper than we’ve seen her go on the I’m The Problem album, set to drop this year. In 2022, the Memphis crooner revealed that not only would this album see her country music passions through — she’ll channel her childhood nickname “Puddin” — but that it would also chronicle her relationship woes with her son, and how she’s healed through it all.
“I think the beginning tracks just represent how I started and where I’m at now and where I’m going,” she says about the flow of the album, before sharing her plans to dominate country music as a Black woman. “I am definitely doing country music and I’m getting this R&B album out. We are gearing up for that. And country is something that I think is a lifestyle and it’s something that I do. So that’s always in me and it’s something that’s going to be presented.”
Although the early days of K. Michelle being a reality star on shows like are far gone, the award-winning entertainer remains among the few successful music careers to follow the hit series. Now, she says being in front of the camera is no longer her desire.
“I’m producing some shows right now with Mona Scott,” the My Killer Body creator says. “And I’ll probably pop up on some TV within those shows, but not as a main character or anything. I think it’s kind of for me to be producing and behind the cameras.” However, she does make it clear that LHH is not on her list of upcoming cameos.
As one of the very first celebrities to come forward about the dangers of getting plastic surgery (specifically a Brazilian Butt Lift), K. Michelle has been transparent about her journey back to great health. In fact she says that she’s as healthy as she’s ever been. Along with sharing her wants and needs on her sixth studio-album, the Jack Daniels Southern Peach endorser continues to be a boss woman outside of the music.
“I have another restaurant that’s about to open in Atlanta so I’m ready for everyone to come visit me there and see the theme and concept and see that,” the Puffs and Petals owner shares as she prepares for her next endeavor. “I look forward to seeing y’all there to listen to some music and have a great dining experience.”
K also promises to give fans more than just “pictures and snaps” amid wrapping up her current tour on April 8th. “I really do have real meet and greets,” she says. “We don’t just take pictures and snap. Like, we have a party.” While bigging up her R&B collaborator Chris Brown for setting the tone for meet and greets, she added, “He’s just awesome. I love him.”
Attesting to her own fan events, she said, “We have fun. We really talk about life. I keep everybody after the picture. We really have like, a little meet and greet party for the end.”
Maybe K. Michelle does give a f**k.
Her fans are important to her. Her family means the world to her. She cares about showing fans the dangers of altering your body, and what can happen if you go under the knife. And clearly she cares about her craft enough to fight to sing the kind of music she wants.
She may be a bit misunderstood, but one thing’s for sure: if K. Michelle is the problem, then she’s a good one.
