When you talk about R&B music in the 1990s, it was all about En Vogue. Dawn Robinson, Terry Ellis, Cindy Herron and Maxine Jones made up the beautiful and talented girl group known for hits like “Hold On” and “Free Your Mind.”
Ellis, Herron and Jones still perform together...even making an appearance on Season 7 of the game show “The Masked Singer.” Robinson left the group in 1997 due to contract issues only to return in 2002 and leave for good in 2008. She’s remained out of the spotlight for the past few years. But this week, we finally heard from her and got a surprising update on what she’s been up to.
Where Has She Been?
In a March 11 post on her YouTube channel, Robinson spoke directly to her fans, starting with a quote from Brene Brown in which she called being vulnerable a sign of courage rather than a sign of weakness. Then she went on to share something that left the internet in shock.
“For the past three, almost three years I have been living in my car,” she said. “I said it. Oh my God it’s out!”
Robinson told viewers that in 2020, the last time she was doing lots of interviews, she was living with her parents in Las Vegas. However, differences with her mother caused her to leave and sleep in her car for about a month. That’s when one of her co-managers convinced her to come to Los Angeles and stay with him. But when she got to his place, Robinson realized he didn’t have the room for her that he promised.
“It turned into ‘I’m gonna put you in a hotel for the night,’ and that one night turned into eight months,” she said.
Unable to find an apartment, Robinson told her assistant she was researching car life. She made a plan, left the hotel on March 9, 2022, and headed to Malibu, Calif. to give it a try.
“There’s a whole community of people that live in their cars and a whole community of people that live in their RVs and a whole community of people that live in vans. And I loved what I was seeing,” she said.
Robinson said that although others encouraged her not to open up about what she was doing, she thought it was something she needed to do.
“Part of being human is being vulnerable,” she said. “I’m a human first. I don’t care about being a celebrity. I don’t care about being a woman.”
Robinson credited the mother of one of her exes (who she called her forever mother-in-law), her assistant Niecey, and a man named Evan (who she calls her brother from another mother) with keeping her going through the tough times. But she’s not looking for anyone to feel sorry for her.
“It’s not ‘woe is me,’” she said. “I’m learning about who I am, I’m learning myself as a person, as a woman.”
Robinson said that while she misses her family and friends, she needed to go through this alone without the judgment and opinions of others.
“I’m glad that I made this choice because I needed to go through this fire,” she said.
The Internet Reacts
Many shocked fans are giving Robinson credit for her courage and praying that she comes out better on the other side.
“The strength this took! Many cannot fathom removing the mask at this level. You are strong, I hope you feel lighter & more free after this. Greater is coming,” wrote someone in the comments of her post.
Singer-songwriter and “Real Housewives of Atlanta” cast member Kandi Burruss shared her reaction on her radio show.
“It’s crazy how the world can just switch up on you,” she said.
But others are blaming her pride for landing her in this difficult situation.
“She keeps leaving and doesn’t wanna be there as long Rhona is there. That pride has to go out the window. Get your money girl,” someone wrote on X.
We’ll keep following this story and hope Dawn Robinson remains safe and healthy through her journey.