Aretha Franklin, Anita Baker, Ryan Destiny. Among being multi-talented women in their own respect, all three ladies have something else in common: they hail from Detroit. With multiple shows and singles to her name, Destiny is soon on her way to joining the first two names as legendary entertainers to once call Motor City home.
Destiny is no stranger to the industry. The daughter of Deron and Dawn Irons, her father is also a singer who was once signed to Death Row Records, according to Hour Detroit. With exposure at such a young age, it’s no surprise the Grown-ish alum knew from an early age the only career she wanted was that of a performer.
Quickly ascending as booked and busy in Hollywood and beyond, Ryan Destiny is a name everyone will soon recognize. Before she reaches a higher level of celebrity status, here are five facts about the actor.
1. She was a part of a girl group called Love Dollhouse.
Destiny’s first spell in the entertainment industry began as a member of a girl group. At the age of 12, she and two other friends formed a trio called New Limit. The group later auditioned for America’s Got Talent in 2011, making it to the third round of the talent competition.
After the departure of one bandmate and the addition of another, the group changed their name to Love Dollhouse. Destiny, Jasmine Pore and Chelsea Stone inked a deal with All Def Records and released their debut track “Can I” before breaking up in 2016.
2. She was in a longterm relationship with actor Keith Powers.
According to We the Urban, Destiny and Straight Outta Compton actor Keith Powers met in 2015 at a Teen Vogue party. The duo maintained a friendship, occasionally seeing each other at events. After subtle flirting via Instagram, the friendship grew to be more serious and eventually Destiny and Powers became an item, even starring in campaigns alongside one another.
“I think there’s a sense of freedom you feel at this age.” Destiny said about falling in love in her mid-twenties. “I’m endless. I can do anything. Go anywhere. Create myself. Make mistakes. Learn. Make some more of them. Just grow in general. I think growing with someone at this age is interesting. It’s beautiful to look back and see who a person was when you met them vs. now. We evolve every year. And… I don’t think that ever stops no matter what age you are. I love that.”
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Per People, Destiny and Powers separated in January. “They’re taking time to focus on themselves and their emerging careers but are remaining close friends,” a source revealed to the publication.
3. Someone once inquired about using Destiny's photos to catfish.
Destiny is an unmistakable beauty, so it’s no surprise that someone felt they could get away with posing as the 27-year-old to appease a love interest. In a sit-down with SSENSE, Destiny revealed she was approached by another woman to use her photos as a catfish.
“This girl that came into mine asked me if she could do that. She asked if I could send her a picture of me holding toilet paper. It was the weirdest thing ever,” she told the outlet.
While she didn’t disclose how the situation ended, her response is a likely indication the fan wasn’t successful in their request.
4. The cancelation of "Star" signaled a turning point in Destiny's career.
Fans were widely introduced to Destiny when she played Alexandra in Fox’s Star. When the Lee Daniels-created show was canceled in 2019, the model told Teen Vogue it felt like the perfect moment to step into her power.
“I think that that show taught me that I can [do] and I’m worth a lot more than I thought. And it’s okay to say that,” she explained. “Just because other people may not see it doesn’t mean it’s not true. I knew my power way more, and I was past the point where I was letting people, no matter what they’ve done in the industry, control me. I think it’s easy to let people control you and step over you, and I was just really over that by the time the show ended.”
Since then, Destiny has starred as Jillian in the Freeform dramedy Grown-ish and landed the role of Clarissa Shields in the forthcoming film Flint Strong, a biopic about the first woman to take home an Olympic gold medal in boxing.
5. She once won a contest to meet Justin Bieber.
In 2011, Destiny won a singing contest and the reward was a trip to Los Angeles to attend the premiere of pop star Justin Bieber’s documentary film, Justin Bieber: Never Say Never.
One could say it became a full circle moment because for Biebs’ 2020 single “Holy,” Destiny starred as the love interest opposite the Canadian crooner. In the official video, the duo play lovers who despite being in a complicated situation, find comfort in each other.
Ryan Destiny is steady on her way, if she’s not already, to becoming the “it girl” in Hollywood. We’re waiting in anticipation to see what’s next for the multi-hyphenate.
