Dawn Robinson, a founding member of the legendary R&B group En Vogue, is baring her soul in a raw new YouTube video.
The 58-year-old singer dropped a bombshell: for the past three years, she’s been without a permanent home, living in her car.
“You guys, for the past three years, I have been living in my car,” she confessed with a heavy sigh, adding, “I said it, oh my gosh, it’s out.”
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Robinson traced her journey back to 2020 when she was staying with her parents in Las Vegas. Eager for a change, she moved to Los Angeles at the suggestion of her former manager, who promised her a place to stay.
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When things fell apart, she found herself in a hotel for eight months. Her attempts to secure an apartment were thwarted, she claims, by the same manager’s interference. “Sometimes people want to trap you and keep you in a situation where you’re vulnerable and depending on them,” she explained. “So I got out of there.”
That’s when Robinson stumbled upon the “car life” trend and decided to embrace it.
“I loved what I was seeing,” she said, noting she’s spent the last three years on the road, often parked in Malibu, California. Far from feeling trapped, she described an unexpected freedom: “I felt free. I felt like I was on a camping trip. It just felt like it was the right thing to do.”
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But the journey hasn’t been without its lows as Robinson admitted to the isolation, especially after losing her dog, Max, who passed away in the car.
“I miss my family. I miss everyone I was connected to. But I needed to do this alone,” she shared, her voice tinged with both resolve and loneliness.
Still, she’s not looking for pity. “It’s not ‘Woe is me.’ I’m learning about who I am. I’m learning myself as a person, as a woman,” she said. While she’d prefer an apartment if circumstances allowed, Robinson stands by her choice. “I’m absolutely glad I did this. I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished out here,” she affirmed.
She wrapped up with a bold message for her fans: “Be spontaneous. Do the scary. F—k fear.” It’s a fitting mantra for a woman who’s faced the unknown head-on, finding strength in the unlikeliest of places.
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Robinson helped launch En Vogue in 1989 alongside Cindy Herron, Terry Ellis, and Maxine Jones. The group’s debut album, Born to Sing (1990), catapulted them to fame, but Robinson left in 1997 to join Dr. Dre’s Aftermath Entertainment. She briefly returned to En Vogue in 2005 and 2009.
