Appearance, Interview, Lifestyle, News, Television

Chilli Reveals She Needs to Be Married Before Considering Having More Kids and T-Boz Has Never Seen Her So Happy Since Dating Matthew Lawrence

TLC were special guests at the iHeartRadio Music Awards 2023 last night at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, where they were there to introduce Latto to the stage to put on a phenomenal performance.

During the red carpet press before the awards ceremony, T-Boz and Chilli spoke to numerous media outlets about their excitement being at the ceremony as well as touching on details of what they are doing in their careers this year. “It’s always exciting to see your peers and the new one’s coming up”, Chilli told Billboard.

T-Boz still keeps her ears locked to the music scene for the latest talent, and she approves of the upcoming girl group FLO from the UK. “I like them, I just didn’t know that was their name”, T-Boz admits after hearing that the group recently dropped a new single, “Fly Girl” featuring Missy Elliott.

TLC with Lenny Kravitz at the iHeartRadio Music Awards 2023

When Extra asked Chilli about how her relationship is going with her boyfriend Matthew Lawrence, she gushed with a big smile, so T-Boz stepped in to answer on her behalf. “It’s been great!”, T-Boz exclaims. Chilli adds, “Amazing!” before letting T-Boz continue explaining.

“I’m living vicariously through her. It’s been great, and I’ve never seen her like this, and I’ve been there for 31 years!”, T-Boz states. “I’ve seen it all, honey. We’ve been through life together”. Chilli co-signs with her TLC sister and says, “Yes! She’s seen it all, and we’re still going through it. But I am so happy, I don’t even know what to do with myself. But he is the best — for me, anyway!”

Earlier this month, Chilli clarified her thoughts about the headlines when Matthew stated that he wanted to start a family with her one day. Speaking about the topic on the Ryan Cameron Uncensored radio show, Chilli said, “You never know. I would never say that [I’m done] — I gotta be married for sure … and I’m not married, yet”.

Matthew Lawrence and Chilli Thomas attend a dinner party to celebrate Lifetime Black Excellence March 09, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Randy Shropshire/Getty Images)

Matthew later cleared up the miscommunication with E! News. “Joe [Matthew’s brother] and I were commiserating about this plan that we had to have children together … when we were growing up. And I missed the first go around and now he’s starting a new family and I was thinking, ‘Man, it’d be great if we could do it again when I didn’t have the chance to raise a family together. So that’s what I meant by that,” he continued. “I didn’t mean to put any pressure on somebody I was dating or anything.”

Chilli set the record straight with E! News this week, saying, “First of all, we’re not currently trying to have a child,” she exclusively told E! News at the Dolby Theatre in an interview. “We’re not married yet so we’re just very happy and growing in our relationship.”

But for the record, Chilli says this relationship is not your average romance.

“I’ve dated, but this cancelled out everything,” she shared before looking at her longtime friend Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins. “She knows.”

T-Boz went on to deliver her seal of approval of Chilli’s main man and even expressed hope that her close friend and “sister” will get married one day in the future.

“Matthew’s a special one,” she explained. “I know my sister so he’s special. Trust! Matthew, you better know.”

T-Boz and Chilli explain why their upcoming Lifetime/A&E documentary, ‘TLC Forever‘, was so important to them. “It means a lot [to us], we put a lot of work in to this group for almost 31 years, so it’s about time people hear a real story — coming from us”, T-Boz says. “And we are here to tell it ourselves”, Chilli adds. “And we’re not gone, so no one can take it and ruin it”, T-Boz concludes.

“A lot of people have tried to tell our story — the wrong story. All these opinions and everybody’s five seconds of fame did not mean a thing, just a whole bunch of lies”, T-Boz says. “It’s time that people hear it from us. Honestly, it’s a story of trials, tribulations, and triumph. Because that’s what we’ve done.”

On the topic of new music, TLC reminds us that they are still working on their Broadway musical, which may include some new music. “We are working on our musical, and we know that may need some new music from us, and we’re working on some television shows that may also require us to get back in the studio”, Chilli explains. “It’s a big deal, it really is”, T-Boz adds. “It’s a blessing, and once again we’re here to tell it, they way that we want to do it”.

TLC are heading back on tour this summer on the ‘Hot Summer Nights‘ tour with Shaggy, En Vogue and Sean Kingston, which kicks off in June. “That’s the time we get to showcase everything that the fans love about us, and we go far beyond the call of duty in rehearsals,” Chilli told PEOPLE. “We don’t play when it comes to that, getting routines together, everything. We love it.”

Tickets for the TLC ‘Hot Summer Nights’ tour are on sale now. Head to officialtlc.com for more info.

Appearance, Event, Interview, News, Rumor

Matthew Lawrence Confirms He Would Love to Have a Baby with Chilli One Day ‘She’d Be An Incredible Mother Again’

Chilli made her first official public appearance with her boyfriend Matthew Lawrence last week at the Lifetime Movie Club event celebrating Female Black Excellence shortly after the announcement of the upcoming ‘TLC Forever’ documentary premiering on Lifetime and A&E simultaneously.

Back on March 3, Matthew revealed to ET that his ultimate ‘game plan’ was to start a family with Chilli, which set the headlines alight with rumors that the couple were trying to have a baby. When asked if children are in the cards in the near future, Matthew said, “That’s the game plan. That’s what we’re trying to do.”

Matthew Lawrence and Chilli with Jackée Harry

“My life is in complete bloom right now. I get to spend time with an amazing woman like Chilli,” he added. “I’ve never gotten to be able to experience that kind of relationship before. She’s really, really special.”

However, this week Matthew cleared up some misconceptions about his previous comments on the subject. In an interview with E! News on March 15, Matthew clarifies that he “didn’t mean to put any pressure” on his TLC queen.

“It’s such an interesting story. Joe and I were commiserating about this plan that we had to have children together … when we were growing up,” he said of older brother Joey Lawrence. “And I missed the first go around and now he’s starting a new family and I was thinking, ‘Man, it’d be great if we could do it again, when I didn’t have the chance to raise a family together.’ “

“So that’s what I meant by that. I didn’t mean to put any pressure on somebody I was dating or anything,” he explained.

Matthew also reiterates that “[Chilli is] already a mother, she has an incredible son. I respect so much as to how she’s raised him,” he said of Chilli’s son Tron, 25, whom she shares with ex Dallas Austin. “She’d be an incredible mother again and I’d be incredibly lucky but that’s way in the future.”

PHOTO CREDITS: CHRISTAL JORDAN FOR ENCHANTED PR / BACKGRID / RANDY SHROPSHIRE FOR LIFETIME

Announcement, Interview, News

TLC Release 4-track EP “Wat3rfalls” Featuring Their Re-Recorded Classics

UPDATE – 04 MAY, 2023 – TLC updated the tracklisting on the “Wat3rfalls” EP on May 4, to add the re-recording of the hit single, “Diggin’ On You“.

TLC fans were surprised to see a new TLC release pop up on their chosen music platforms this week. The 3-track EP, “Wat3rfalls“, was released on January 31, 2023 on platforms such as Spotify and for purchase on Amazon Music.

The “Wat3rfalls” EP features 3 classic TLC tracks that have been re-recorded by TLC members T-Boz and Chilli. Including the number one singles “No Scrubs“, “Waterfalls” and “Creep“.

The tracks were recorded back in 2013 and were originally made for use in their VH1 biopic, ‘CrazySexyCool: The TLC Story‘, which enabled the ladies to retain full control and publishing rights of their newly recorded versions, rather than the original tracks that remain under Sony ownership.

Kandi Burruss with TLC during the re-recording of the hits

A handful of the newly re-recorded hits were initially only available to Japan on their 20th anniversary album in 2013. Five of those tracks eventually made it onto the deluxe version of their self-titled album, ‘TLC‘, in 2017.

However, the re-recording of the classic “Waterfalls” was still missing from the collection and, until now, was unavailable for the public to enjoy on any music streaming platforms.

TLC were very vocal about the importance of owning their master recordings back in 2019 when Taylor Swift was making a decision to also re-record her past material. “You have to ask permission to use your own stuff”, T-Boz said. “We were in that situation with Sony. We re-recorded all of our own music. And we own our version of our masters, and we licence out our own version.”

Chilli adds, “And it sounds exactly the same. You can not tell the difference.” T-Boz continued her wise advice, “Just re-record your stuff and licence out your version. You’ll be good. Because, we make some money off of our publishing now! I own all of my publishing now.”

Fans worldwide are now able to enjoy the new versions of TLC’s biggest hit singles, and can have the added reassurance that playing these verisons of the songs will directly benefit the ladies of TLC and not the pockets of their former record label!

What are your thoughts on the new versions of the TLC hits?

Appearance, Interview, News

Chilli Promises Kim Kardashian and North West Front Row TLC Seats

TLC have been getting along well with The Kardashians in recent months. Following their collaboration with Khloe Kardashian and her size-inclusive fashion line, Good American, back in October 2022, Khloe’s niece North West, decided to pay homage to the group by dressing up as them for Halloween, recreating the iconic “No Scrubs” video!

T-Boz and Chilli both adored the tribute and reposted the clips on their social media platforms, to which North’s mother Kim Kardashian thanked them for, later posting a video of herself singing “Waterfalls” with her daughter on TikTok.

Speaking with Australia’s The Project in November, Chilli revealed that shortly after the social media posts she and Kim started to direct message each other and seemed to be forming a new friendship. “Kim tagged me [and Tionne] and I DM’d [direct messaged] her, and we started talking”, Chilli said. “I told her that I would get North some TLC merchandise for kids, and she let North send me a little voice message and she said hello”.

Kim then showed interest in coming to the next TLC show with one stipulation — she wants the best seats in the house! “Kim and I talked about her coming to the next show and she said, ‘and I want front row seats!'”, Chilli reveals. “That’s what she said, and yes, she will absolutely have that! If you don’t ask — you have to ask!”

Working relationships between TLC and The Kardashians have occurred in the past. Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins once worked alongside Khloe Kardashian in 2009 on NBC’s ‘Celebrity Apprentice‘. T-Boz and Khloe worked well together and won the challenge that bagged $10,000 for T-Boz and her chosen charity, the Sickle Cell Disease Foundation of Georgia. Although they were both unfairly fired by Donald Trump the following week, their all-female Team Athena did them justice and won the show.

We look forward to seeing Kim and North share their TLC front row experience in the near future!