The best music singles released by reality stars

Kenya Moore from The Real Housewives of Atlanta is known for her iconic and villainous moments on the show. During the Season 5 cast trip to Anguilla, she uttered what has become her most quotable one-liner, “I’m gone with the wind fabulous.” 

Since then, she's released her debut single of the same name and has empowered nearly 150,000 listeners in the process. 

Another Real Housewives of Atlanta single comes from the series’ breakout star NeNe Leakes. Debuting in 2020, “Come and Get This Hunni” is all about getting to the bag — the money bag, that is. The track has a fun beat, catchy lyrics, and nearly 500,000 streams. 

“Unnecessary Trouble” is a 2017 single released by actress and former Real Housewives of Atlanta guest star Demetria McKinney. The single features Kandi Burruss, an RHOA mainstay and ‘90s girl group legend, and encourages listeners to avoid frivolous relationship drama.  

If you need a lesson on etiquette and manners, take it from Countess Luann de Lesseps, who released her single “Money Can’t Buy You Class” in 2010. Although the dance-pop song didn’t make it to the major music charts, it’s a staple in the Bravoverse among Real Housewives of New York City fans.  

Most people are familiar with Kim Kardashian from her family’s wildly popular reality show, Keeping Up With the Kardashians, which aired on E! from 2007-2021. Throughout the show, the sisters embarked on many business ventures, but one of the most memorable is Kim’s attempt to break into the music industry. She released her single, “Jam,” in 2011, and it has since become a blip in the A-lister’s extensive career. 

Even though Kim Zolciak’s voice is heavily auto-tuned in her debut track, “Tardy For The Party,” it’s still a bop — at least for a Real Housewife. Written by her Real Housewives of Atlanta co-star and Grammy Award-winning singer, Kandi, “Tardy For The Party” will always be one of the most iconic songs ever released by a reality television star.  

Released in 2017, “Bodak Yellow” is Cardi B’s debut single and was a massive success for the artist. It catapulted the former reality TV personality into superstardom, earning diamond-certified status. 

“Closet Freak” is a fun and upbeat single released by Miss Lawrence, a Real Housewives guest star. It’s another track written by the legendary Kandi Burruss, and it's a self-love anthem that encourages listeners to embrace every aspect of themselves and never settle for less than they deserve. 

Like most of the other songs on this list, Melissa Gorga’s “On Display” wasn’t a smash hit among audiences; however, its catchy lyrics, including “'Cause I’m on display, on display, on display / Each and every day, every day, every day” ring continuously throughout the Bravosphere. Her latest performance of the song was in 2022 at BravoCon in New York City. 

“XXPEN$IVE” is one of Erika Jayne’s many singles, released in 2017. As the title suggests, it’s a play on words and is all about the artist’s extravagant lifestyle, as seen in Bravo’s The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. 

“I take sh-t off the runway / My money origami / I'm Haute couture on a world tour / From Tokyo to Bombay,” she sings in the track’s second verse.

As of August 2023, the dance-pop track has garnered over five million streams. 

Tyra Bank’s “Shake Ya Body” wasn’t a commercial success, but its beat, lyrics, and video make us want to let loose. The single was used to promote her competition show, America’s Next Top Model, and featured a handful of contestants from the show’s second season. 

The former girl group Danity Kane, formed on Diddy’s Making The Band, released two albums during their time as an ensemble. Their second album, Welcome To The Dollhouse, features their lead single, “Damaged,” which has become one of the act's most popular songs. It peaked at No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100. 

Thanks to Heidi Montag’s role in the MTV hit show The Hills, her 2008 single, “Higher,” gained much attention from reality TV watchers. It’s known as the television personality’s most notable song because its messaging focuses on positivity, self-confidence, and personal growth. 

“Stars Are Blind” is the debut single released by television personality and heiress Paris Hilton. Released in 2006, Hilton’s single was her entry into the music industry. It reached No. 1 in several countries, including Hungary, Scotland, and Slovakia, and marked her first chart-topping song on the US Dance Clubs Songs chart. 

Like their sister group, Danity Kane, Day 26 is another boy band formed on MTV’s Making The Band. Their debut single, “Exclusive,” which hit digital stores in 2008, showcases each of the five members' silky voices and is regarded as one of their most successful songs. 

Even though many Real Housewives have attempted to jumpstart their music careers, only a few have been successful. Candiace Dillard-Bassett from The Real Housewives of Potomac released her debut album, Deep Space, in 2021, which houses her most popular single, “Drive Back.” The song has been performed on The Kelly Clarkson Show , live at BravoCon, and has over one million streams on Spotify. 

Released in 2009, Kandi’s “Fly Above” hails from her EP of the same name. Although it wasn’t as successful as some of her other songs, its messaging focusing on rising above petty drama resonated deeply with listeners worldwide. 

Like her 2009 single “Tardy For The Party,” The Real Housewives Kim Zolciak released another playful joint, “Google Me,” in 2010, with all the self-confidence one could need. Its catchy course, which spells out G-O-O-G-L-E-M-E, has been praised by reality TV lovers and has racked up over 140,000 plays online. 

Released as a group venture from the reality show, The Encore, BluPrint, (comprised of members from former girl groups, including The Cheetah Girls and 3LW, Blaque, and Cherish) debuted their six-track EP in 2021 and received generally positive reviews. Their most popular song, "Skeletons," is an R&B ballad played nearly 600,000 times and counting.  

We know what you’re thinking. Tamar Braxton is a critically acclaimed and Grammy-nominated singer; however, the R&B songstress rose to fame from her family’s reality show, The Braxton Family Values. Her lead single from her second album, “Love and War,” was released in 2013 and has been praised as one of Braxton’s best performances. The track peaked at No. 57 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 1 on Adult R&B and Heatseekers charts.