TV One is the latest network to throw their hat into the reality TV ring in the hopes of capitalizing on the ratings gold bred from girls behaving badly. VH1 has long had a monopoly on this genre with the success of shows like Basketball Wives, Mob Wives, Love & Hip Hop and, most recently, Hollywood Exes. But, R&B Divas is hoping to change all that.

“R&B Divas takes you inside the lives of these music stars as they work, play, and struggle to get their lives and careers back on track,” it says on the network’s official website. “Brought together by their friendship and love of R&B goddess Whitney Houston, these incredible singers are dealing with everything from divorce to drugs and sexuality.”

The show follows five powerful women, Faith Evans, Nicci Gilbert, Keke Wyatt, Monifah Carter, and Syleena Johnson, each whom have had their ups and downs in the harsh light of stardom. They may have been broken down, but now they are rebuilding from the ground up.

“These ladies have known each other in the industry for quite a while,” says Toni Judkins, TV One Executive VP of Original Programming and Production. “We aren’t creating relationships for the sake of a television show, so their actions, relationships, and emotions are authentic and true to life—and it makes for a powerful narrative.” 

Originally titled Ladies of R&B, TV One’s R&B Divas will delve into the issues of drug addiction, domestic abuse, and life-threatening illness in the show’s first eight-episode season. Check out a sneak peek of the new series below. Will you tune in when R&B Divas debuts on August 20?

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