Adrienne Bailon’s troubled love life did a complete 180 after she ended her engagement to music executive Lenny Santiago in September 2015. She bounced back and got engaged to gospel artist Israel Houghton in August 2016 after just six months of dating.
Some people were shocked that she moved on so quickly, but she and Israel are convinced that they’re perfect for each other. Here’s the real reason Adrienne fell in love with her husband despite his flaws.
They started as friends
After witnessing her parents’ divorce when she was 13, the Cheetah Girls star was determined to never be involved in a loveless marriage, she told Latina magazine. And things with Israel are easy because they were friends for three years prior to dating. She initially tried to hook him up with some of her friends, but they soon realized that there was some intense chemistry between them.
He stands up for her
When Adrienne was engaged to her ex, Lenny Santiago, Israel was married to a woman named Maleasa. In a since-deleted February 2016 Facebook post, Israel announced that his and Maleasa’s divorce was finalized and that he committed adultery during their 20-year marriage.
The timing between the end of his marriage and the time he began dating Adrienne was suspicious, but Israel made it clear that Adrienne was not to blame for his marriage coming to an end because she was a woman of integrity and character.
Coming to her defense when she was receiving so much backlash was proof that Israel was serious about her and their relationship. And it wouldn’t take long for him to show the world just how much he was in love with her.
He’s thoughtful
Israel went out of his way to make sure his proposal was a magical moment that Adrienne would never forget. He took her to Paris and proposed right in front of the Eiffel Tower. Adrienne also shared a video of her ginormous ring to her Instagram account.
To make the moment even more special, he flew out her family members so they could also be apart of their special day.
She knew what she wanted
Two months before her November 2016 wedding, Adrienne told Hollywood Today Live (via Christian Post) that she was 33-years-old and she knew exactly what she wanted in a relationship. She was able to find all the qualities she desired in Israel, who she referred to as her best friend.
Their friendship also made it easier for them to get to know each other on a different level. Adrienne said she would say ridiculous things when they would hang out with their mutual friends. She added, ”And he got to know the real me and I love that.”
She recorded him, so she knew she could trust him
In the past, she dated men who didn’t always have good intentions. So Adrienne learned how to put all the men in her life to the test. While dating Israel, she recorded him without his knowledge to find out if he was creeping behind her back.
She told her co-hosts on The Real (via People magazine) that she would turn on the voice memo feature on her phone and would leave her phone in Israel’s car while she shopped inside stores. She said, “I was like, let me see what phone calls he makes. Let me see if he talks to anybody on the phone.” Luckily, she never recorded any incriminating evidence, she only heard him singing worship songs about the Lord.
Maybe she went a little too far to make sure Israel was legit, but at least she found out early on that he was someone she could really trust.
They made the same vow of celibacy
She knew Israel was “The One” because they shared the same Christian beliefs and values. And in order to start their relationship off on the right foot in God’s eyes, they decided to remain celibate up until their November 2016 wedding in Paris.
She’s ready for more despite his past
Aside from the four kids he shares with his ex-wife, Israel allegedly fathered a child with his side piece, a little boy named Kingston who was four-years-old at the time the news broke in 2016. But Israel forgot to mention that he allegedly fathered a second love child two years after Kingston was born, according to My Houston Majic. If you do the math, that would make him a father of six. Wowzers.
Even though she’s a step-mom to six kids, Adrienne is ready to expand their family even further. But she revealed that getting pregnant hasn’t been easy. After less than two years of marriage, she announced an episode of The Real (via People) that she was battling infertility. While Israel has remained supportive throughout it all, Adrienne said she has come to terms that having a child with the love of her life may not happen.
She defied logic
Chatting with The Shade Room in 2019, Adrienne said that the love of her life didn’t come in the package she was hoping for. She knew that there were a lot of things wrong with Israel, but she decided to let the Holy Spirit lead the way. She said that she had read all of the damaging stories written about him in the press, but the Lord wouldn’t allow Adrienne to see Israel in a negative light.
Instead, she said God showed her that he was definitely the right man for her. Her husband tells her how beautiful she is each and every day, and even though Israel never wanted to get remarried after his divorce, it was Adrienne’s acceptance of him that made him change his mind.
He gave her permission to leave him
Their first vacation as a couple was a trip to Mexico, and paparazzi captured photos of the two of them together. The same day the photos were released, they both spent all day deleting negative comments and blocking people on Instagram.
Israel told People magazine that he told Adrienne multiple times that she could walk away from him if it wasn’t worth it. Adrienne described that day as a very troubling time, but she never once questioned her feelings for him. She was in love and there was no turning back.
What do you think about Adrienne and Israel’s love story? Leave your answer down below!
Karma is real Adrienne
Aww ;(