Dawn Robinson, a former member of the 1990s R&B group En Vogue, has been living in her car for over three years.
In a video posted to YouTube on Tuesday, Robinson opened up about why she chose to pursue “car life” and explained how she hopes her vulnerability can help inspire others who are in dire situations.
“People are like, ‘You shouldn’t talk about it, because you’re a celebrity, and what if they judge you?’ So what? What if they judge me? Life is life. . . . part of being human is being vulnerable,” Robinson, who found mega success alongside En Vogue band members Cindy Herron, Terry Ellis and Maxine Jones in the 1990s, shared.
“You guys, for the past three years, I have been living in my car,” she added. “I said it, oh my gosh, it’s out.”
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Robinson said her aim is to “inspire” others and let people know that they are “capable of anything, no matter what the odds are against you.”
While explaining how she got to where she is, Robinson said she had been living with her parents in Las Vegas about five years ago. After being at odds with her mom, the singer made the decision to leave and ended up sleeping in her car for about a month.
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A co-manager at the time urged her to move to Los Angeles, telling Robinson he’d help her find a place to stay. However, after eight months of living in a hotel, Robinson cut ties when she realized he was “playing games.”
“Sometimes I think people want to trap you and keep you in a situation when you’re vulnerable,” she said. “So, I got out of there.”
In 2022, Robinson packed her car up and drove to Malibu, Calif., to begin her “car life.”
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“I don’t regret anything,” she said. “That first night was scary.”
Robinson quickly learned the ins and outs of car life, like “cover your windows” and avoiding talking to “certain people.”
“I felt free,” she said. “It was so different. I felt like I was on a camping trip. It just felt like it was the right thing to do.”
“I’m learning who I am as a person, as a woman,” she continued. “We say we can’t do certain things before we even know that we’re capable. . . . I’m glad that I made this choice, because I needed to go through this fire.”
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“I wouldn’t trade my experiences and what I’ve gone through for the world,” she added. “I miss my family. I miss everyone I was connected to. But I needed to do this alone. . . . But I needed to do this for me. It’s not easy for me by any means.”
Robinson said she’s”really proud” of how far she’s gone and urged her followers to face their fears.
“I challenge you to do the things that are scary,” she said. “People are going to call you crazy, and that’s okay. You feel a sense of freedom, and you push yourself.”
“Be spontaneous,” she added. “Do the scary. F— fear.”
En Vogue, which was formed in 1989, earned six Grammy nominations. Robinson left in March 1997 but reunited with the group in 2005 and 2009.
