Dawn Robinson, one of the founding members of iconic 90s music band En Vogue, has opened up on her struggles, revealing she’s been homeless and living in her car for the last three years.
On Tuesday, 58-year-old Robinson posted a YouTube video detailing how she has struggled to cope with life over the years.
Her revelation comes only a few weeks after her former band and R&B girl group announced they will be reportedly embarking on a lucrative European tour, even hinting at bringing back a different member to the group, calling her their ‘sister.’
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However, Robinson, who quit the band for the first time in 1997, has a completely different reality which she explained to fans.
‘If you guys were with me, what in 2020, I did like 105K interviews and in the interim I was living with my parents in [Las] Vegas and that was wonderful until it wasn’t. I love my mom [Barbara Alexander] but she became very angry and [she was taking] a lot of her anger out on me.’
‘I was her target all the time and I was like, “I can’t deal with this.” Like, I respect her too much. I didn’t understand it I still don’t, It hurt me.’
The eight-time Grammy nominee’s manager offered her his $1,700/month apartment to stay in Los Angeles, yet there was ‘not enough room’ for her because they both had dogs (her 16-year-old dog Max who has since passed away).
‘So it turned into, “Okay, I’m going to put you in a hotel for the night.” And that one night turned into eight months [at $3K/month]. Oh my God, you guys I was like, “No, this is unacceptable,”‘ the singer scoffed.
Robinson says she decided to look into ‘car life’ culture and opted to give it an attempt in 2022: ‘I felt free. I felt like I was on a camping trip. It just felt like it was the right thing to do.’
She went on to add that she spent her first night in her car in Malibu, most likely the Paradise Cove Mobile Home Park which she called ‘scary.’
‘But then as I got to know what to do in my car and how to do it, like, how to cover my windows and you don’t talk to certain people,’ Dawn said.
‘You’re careful of telling people that you’re alone, as a woman especially, and I’m a celebrity [so] I don’t just divulge that to people.’
Robinson stated that though it seemed tough, she enjoyed ‘the sense of freedom’ that came with it: ‘I felt like I was on a camping trip. I just felt like it was the right thing to do. I didn’t regret it. You know, a lot of celebrities have lived in their cars.’
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Multiple celebrities have faced tough times in the past, including the likes of Hilary Swank, Steve Harvey, Kelly Clarkson, and Tyler Perry.
Nonetheless, for soprano singer Dawn Robinson, living in her car was a choice and one she embraced to grow after leaving the iconic 90s band.
Robinson added that she receives support from her brother Evin, assistant Niecy, and her “forever mother-in-law.”
“You may have heard of the ‘dark night of the soul,’” Dawn explained. “It’s a period of isolation, separating yourself from family and friends. I’m in the trenches of this now, but I wouldn’t trade my experiences for anything.”
Keeping her humor, she laughed, “I have a gym membership, so I shower there. I’m a Funky Diva, but I’m not funky!” She has been documenting her journey for a future documentary, believing her story will inspire others.
“People look down on living off-grid, but it’s something more will start doing,” she said. “Would I have an apartment if I could? Yes. But am I proud of what I’ve accomplished? Absolutely.”
It was in 1989 that Robinson first joined En Vogue but the singer later departed the iconic 90s band in 1997 over contract issues, later returning for different stints in 2005, 2008-2011, and 2019.
Producer Thomas McElroy said her exit hurt the group’s momentum, but her impact on the team remains unparalleled. “The legacy is there, but so much was unfulfilled.”
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Although the band has seen changes over the years, En Vogue remains strong with 1.9M monthly Spotify listeners and will perform next on March 28 at Thunder Valley Casino Resort.
