Long before 3LW went platinum, Adrienne Bailon says the original lineup featured a surprising name: Mickey Guyton.
Speaking during a recent chat on SiriusXM’s Page Six Radio, Bailon took a trip down memory lane, opening up about how the group first formed — and how that early version didn’t last long.
“The first time I stepped into a studio was at my old manager’s house,” Adrienne Bailon shared. “That was the first time I was ever on a mic. And I think the song was called ‘Only For You.’”
But that recording didn’t feature the 3LW lineup fans later came to know. According to Bailon, it was her, Kiely Williams, and a young Mickey Guyton in the studio together before the group officially took shape. “Do you know of Mickey Guyton? Mickey Guyton was originally in 3LW,” she said. “That’s who I got the record deal with.”
Bailon emphasized just how official that early trio was, revealing they actually locked in their deal together. “The first song we ever cut, it was Kiely, Mickey Guyton and myself,” she explained. “And we auditioned for Tommy Mottola and we got the record deal, the three of us together.”
She also made it clear that Guyton stood out from the start. “In the song ‘Only For You,’ she’s the one that sang lead,” Bailon said. “I’m like, lowkey Mickey Guyton, and thank you for the record deal.”
Even with that early success, Guyton ultimately decided not to move forward. Bailon said the change happened unexpectedly. “At the last minute, Mickey was like, ‘Yeah, I think this isn’t gonna work out,’” she recalled.
Practical challenges played a part in that decision. Bailon noted that while her parents were able to drive her back and forth between New York and New Jersey, Guyton was navigating a much tougher situation coming from Texas. “She lived in Texas,” Bailon said. “My parents were driving me back and forth versus she had to fly in and stay and not know the world.”
After Guyton stepped away, the group pressed on and eventually added Naturi Naughton. Bailon remembered how quickly things moved. “They called the New Jersey Performing Arts Center,” she said. “They were like, ‘Can you send us over some girls?’ … And Naturi ended up joining.”
Despite the early shake-up, Bailon made it clear there’s nothing but love between her and Guyton. “Me and Mickey are always—we have kids that are around the same age,” she said. “We both have sons and I adore her and I just, I have always.”
