Fans have been captivated by the rekindled romance between Ashanti and Nelly, but no one is more surprised by the turn of events than Ashanti herself. In an exclusive interview with Entertainment Tonight, the “Happy” singer discussed how she and her St. Louis-born beau went from exes to being engaged and expecting their first child together.
“Never in a million years did I think we would be here,” Ashanti shared. “Ten years ago — maybe yes — but after our breakup, you know, I didn’t even think we’d ever have a conversation again.”
After their split over a decade ago, Ashanti had completely moved on. However, their paths crossed again in 2021 during Fat Joe and Ja Rule’s VERZUZ battle. Nelly reached out to her through DJ City, leading to their unexpected reunion.
Ashanti recounted the “shocking” proposal, describing it as a “beautiful, intimate moment.” Nelly proposed while she was casually dressed in his t-shirt and boxers. “I cried. I gave him the biggest hug and kiss ever,” she recalled. “I FaceTimed everyone I know […] I was overjoyed and shocked and surprised and happy kinda like all in one.”
Reflecting on their rekindled romance, Ashanti admitted to having a heart-to-heart with herself about her feelings. “I had to really, like, be real with myself, like, do I have feelings for him again? Like what’s going on? Because [the feelings] were out, you know what I mean. They were gone,” she said, but added, “I was literally surprised that they were there.”
At 43, Ashanti noted how different their relationship is now. “The growth has been like superb, you know, like on both ends,” she explained. “We are both at a place where like before, sometimes we would argue and walk out, slam the door, and not talk for a few days. Now, it’s kinda like, ‘All right, you good?’ […] It’s not like holding on and bickering and we find out what the resolution is,” she noted, emphasizing, “We are so, so aligned.”
The couple plans to marry after their child is born. While Ashanti has a specific month in mind for the wedding, she is keeping the date private. She envisions the wedding as “a combination of fashion, glam, Caribbean vibes.”
