For seven years we have been tuning in to The Real Housewives of Potomac for the laughs, the tears, and the drama the cast members find themselves in. One cast member sure to provide all three is Candiace Dillard Bassett.
This spring, Bassett is taking her one-of-a-kind personality to the Real Housewives spin-off series, Ultimate Girls Trip, for its third season. For those new to it, UGT showcases eight housewives from various franchises coming together for an amazing trip. While they find themselves in gorgeous destinations, this time in Thailand, personalities often collide. Previews have made clear that Bassett will be involved in some collisions of her own in the new season. But when we talked to the TV personality, who is also an actress, singer and songwriter, entrepreneur and philanthropist, she made clear that there’s much more to her than what people have seen and will view on TV.
“I think that it’s always interesting to see Housewives out of their element. It is easy to get pigeonholed and for people to peg you as this one-dimensional thing,” she tells ESSENCE.
But there are many facets to Bassett. There is much more happening in her life than filming hit Real Housewives shows too. If you watch RHOP, you know a big focus for Bassett is her music career. She is going on tour for her album, Deep Space, which is available on all streaming platforms, and her work is something she takes very seriously.
“It can be challenging. People do not take reality TV stars seriously. So there have been moments where I had to fight to be seen,” she said of her burgeoning music career. “But when I allow my passion, talent, and my willingness to work hard speak for me, it has worked in my favor. I do believe I am being received as a real artist.”
In addition to music, her mind is also on motherhood. Fans watched her start the process to freeze her eggs in the latest season of RHOP.
“One of the biggest things I learned is that there is still not enough information being disseminated to communities of color about the reproductive journey,” she says. “Most insurance companies only cover the egg freezing process, IVF or IUI, if you have shown to have fertility challenges within a year or more. For me that wasn’t my journey. So, I think there’s a lot of misconceptions about that.”
She adds, “What I hope to do, when sharing this part of my life, is to empower women to use IVF to take control of their motherhood and parenting journeys. I went through the egg freezing process because I wanted to plan my life. I have a lot going on and I know I want to be a mom, just not right now.”
Navigating the process has been no easy feat. There are a lot of steps, medications, money, and time that has to be accounted for when making the commitment. Add that to dealing with her cast members and it’s certainly a stressful undertaking. According to Bassett, the process required a strong support system every step of the way. Husband Chris was that and more.
“I would give Chris articles about ‘How to support your spouse’ because it is a very emotional process,” she says. “One of the things Chris does for me is give me long hugs. He comes home every day and gives me a long hug. It really helps me and makes me feel supported and seen by him. He also picks up medication for me and has been present with me every step of the way.”
Self-care has also been a great source of comfort for Bassett as she deals with work, life and more. As a reality star navigating stressful situations, a music career, and family planning, she’s found peace of mind through unexpected means, like skincare. So no matter what she’s dealing with or who she’s putting in their place, you can always expect to see Bassett glowing.
“I am a skin-care whore [laughs],” she jokes. “I am obsessed with skin care. When I turned 30, I felt that I needed to start getting a routine together. A routine that I can carry with me through my 30s, 40s, and beyond. I really started doing my research on what skin-care practices would be good for me. Shout out to Jackie Aina because she was one of the first YouTubers who was relatable and had a lot of recommendations. She introduced me to a few skin-care routines and that’s how I got started. Everything within skin care, from serums and tools to the lotions and potions, is the ultimate self-care.”
The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip is now streaming on Peacock. You can catch new episodes every Thursday.