Ashanti Covers Hello Beautiful

A sizzling songstress is detailing her storied career and forever fineness with our sister site.

HelloBeautiful has revealed Ashanti as its InterludesLIVE June/July cover star.

Ashanti HelloBeautiful Cover InterludesLive Edition

Source: JD Barnes / for HelloBeautiful

Ahead of reviving the brand’s InterludesLIVE concert series with a performance in Atlanta, Ashanti’s opening up about her fans, her private life, her all-natural, all amazing body, and the well-deserved flowers she received for recording those J.Lo background vocals.

Source: JD Barnes / for HelloBeautiful

On Her Fans

The undisputed Queen of vacays knows that fans enjoy seeing her jet setting across the globe and she tells HelloBeautiful’s Managing Editor Shamika Sanders that she enjoys connecting with them via social media, although the rise of double-tap platforms has its pitfalls.

“I think it’s beautiful to be able to communicate with your fans, be direct and allow them to peek and see your journey and your personal space,” says Ashanti. “From hosting and posting from different islands and being able to speak directly to them about what’s going on with you and tell them to thank you for the love and support and show them your appreciation. But there are also people who are not gonna like you and have things to say and kind of felt facing, create viral moments for themselves — rumors or negative things. And that’s just facts.”

Ashanti tells HelloBeautiful that her fanbase is unmatched despite the looming negativity of Twitter trolls and Instagram detractors.

“My fans are very smart,” says Ashanti who confessed she didn’t anticipate this level of fame 20 years ago. “They get it, they get me.”

On Keeping Her Private Life, Private

One thing fans won’t be getting, however, is deets on who she’s dating. So while we all might speculate on who Ashanti’s seeing, we truly may never know.

“I just feel like it’s really important to keep certain things private, to yourself for yourself,” Ashanti tells HelloBeautiful. “As an artist, we give so much to the public and so much to the world, there have to be some things that are just for you. I just find that it’s better that way to take a lot of people out of your business because sometimes people want to infiltrate for the wrong reasons.”

On Her Natural Body

Source: JD Barnes / for HelloBeautiful

In addition to speaking on her fans and her personal life, Ashanti opened up about her ogle-worthy all-natural baaaawdy. Time and time again, we’ve written about her “yammmazing glory” that she flaunts while looking sun-kissed in exotic locales, and apparently, Ashanti appreciates compliments about her surgery-free figure because she works hard for it.

“I’ve always been a person to take care of myself inside and out,” Ashanti tells HelloBeautiful. “I think it’s important that we show it’s okay to not be perfect, and to still embrace being natural. And maybe you don’t have the biggest booty or the biggest boobs, but it’s yours. And it’s natural. And when you are natural, you’re proud because you, you work for it. You work out, you eat right, you diet, or not even diet, you try to be healthy.”

“When I moved to Atlanta, I was considered super skinny,” she adds. I’m sure every woman has gone through being different or looking different or being compared. For me, I’ve always been happy and proud.”

Source: JD Barnes / for HelloBeautiful

On Finally Being Recognized For Her J.Lo Background Vocals

Elsewhere in the cover story, Ashanti gave a rare quote about her contributions to Jennifer Lopez’ songs “I’m Real” and “Ain’t It Funny” (Murder Remix). The songstress was never credited for her contributions to the tracks and she opened up about it after a demo of her singing “I’m Real” surfaced.

Now finally credited years later, Ashanti told HelloBeautiful that it feels good to be recognized for her work.

“It always feels good to get recognition,” says Ashanti whose vocals can still be heard in the background of “I’m Real.” I was always really proud that I had the opportunity to do what I did. And have people recognize it and look at how I handled the situation. It’s always good to get love from the people, regardless of whatever the situation is.”

You can say that again, Ashanti!