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Throughout the 1990s, En Vogue was one of the biggest acts in music.
The group sold over 20 million records on the strength of six top ten hits on the Billboard Hot 100.
Songs like “My Lovin’ (You’re Never Gonna Get It)” and “Free Your Mind” remain popular more than 30 years after their release, and fans probably assumed that the group’s original stars are comfortably retired from the music business.
So for many, it came as quite a shock to learn that founding member Dawn Robinson has been homeless since 2021.
attend City Of Hope Spirit Of Life Gala 2019 on October 10, 2019 in Santa Monica, California. (Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images for City of Hope)
Dawn Robinson reveals that she’s been living in her car
On Wednesday, En Vogue icon Dawn Robinson posted a YouTube video in which she revealed that she has been living in her car for several years.
“You guys, for the past three years, I have been living in my car. I said it, oh my gosh, it’s out,” Robinson told viewers.
She revealed that after encountering financial issues in 2020, she first moved in with her parents. However, that situation quickly became untenable.
“That was wonderful until it wasn’t. I love my mom, but she became very angry,” she explained.
“A lot of her anger, she was taking out on me. I was her target all the time and I was like, ‘I can’t deal with this.’”
From there, Dawn lived in her car for “about a month” before one of her former managers encouraged her to return to Los Angeles.
“Then when I got to his place, he actually didn’t have room for me,” she said,
“Sometimes people want to trap you and keep you in a situation where you’re vulnerable and depending on them. So I got out of there,” Dawn continued, explaining that she was then forced to check into a hotel.
She remained at the hotel for 8 months, and it was during that time that Dawn started researching “car life.”
“I loved what I was seeing. I just thought, ‘Wow I can do that. I can do this,’” she told her YouTube followers this week.
Dawn Robinson says she loves her new life
“I felt like, ‘Wow, this is so different.’ I felt like I was on a camping trip,” she explained this week.
“Like I said, I’m learning about who I am. I’m learning myself as a person (and) as a woman,”
Dawn says that despite the despite the difficulty, she “absolutely” stands by her decision.
“I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished out here,” she said, before concluding with some advice for fans:
“Be spontaneous,” she said. “Do the scary. F— fear.”
