Adrienne Bailon-Houghton Reveals 3LW's Original Lineup

The singer shares that Mickey Guyton was once part of the popular 2000s girl group.

Published on Feb. 16, 2026

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Adrienne Bailon-Houghton, a member of the early 2000s girl group 3LW, revealed that country singer Mickey Guyton was originally part of the group's lineup before Naturi Naughton joined. Bailon-Houghton said the first song the group recorded was with Guyton, Kiely Williams, and herself, and they even auditioned for a record deal together. However, Guyton ultimately decided the group "wasn't going to work out" for her, leading to Naughton's addition to the final 3LW lineup.

Why it matters

This story provides a behind-the-scenes look at the early days of the popular 2000s girl group 3LW, shedding light on the group's original members and how the final lineup came together. It also highlights the career trajectory of country star Mickey Guyton, who was once part of a different musical group before finding success in her own genre.

The details

Adrienne Bailon-Houghton revealed that the first time she went to the studio was to record a song called "Only For You" with Kiely Williams and Mickey Guyton, who were the original members of the group that would become 3LW. The trio auditioned for record executive Tommy Mottola and landed a deal. However, Guyton ultimately decided to leave the group, citing the difficulty of commuting from her home in Texas to rehearse in New York and New Jersey. That's when the group brought in Naturi Naughton to replace Guyton, forming the 3LW lineup that found fame with hits like "No More" and "Playas Gon' Play."

  • In 1999, the group that would become 3LW began being formed around Kiely Williams.
  • The first song the original 3LW lineup of Bailon-Houghton, Williams, and Guyton recorded was called "Only For You".
  • The trio auditioned for and landed a record deal with Tommy Mottola.

The players

Adrienne Bailon-Houghton

A member of the early 2000s girl group 3LW.

Mickey Guyton

A country singer who was originally part of the 3LW lineup before deciding to leave the group.

Kiely Williams

One of the original members of 3LW, along with Bailon-Houghton and Guyton.

Naturi Naughton

The singer who ultimately joined 3LW, replacing Guyton in the final lineup.

Tommy Mottola

The record executive who signed the original 3LW lineup to a deal.

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What they’re saying

“The first song we ever cut, it was Kiely, Mickey Guyton and myself. And we auditioned for Tommy Mattola and we got the record deal, the three of us together.”

— Adrienne Bailon-Houghton, Singer (SiriusXM's Page Six Radio)

“At the last minute, Mickey was like, I think she just like, 'Yeah, I think this isn't gonna work out,'”

— Adrienne Bailon-Houghton, Singer (SiriusXM's Page Six Radio)

“At the last minute, they called the [New Jersey Performing Arts Center, NJPAC], where Naturi was literally like super famous for singing her national anthem. She would sing it for the games. And she was an incredible vocalist.”

— Adrienne Bailon-Houghton, Singer (SiriusXM's Page Six Radio)

The takeaway

This story provides a fascinating look at the early days of the popular 2000s girl group 3LW, revealing that country star Mickey Guyton was once part of the original lineup before leaving and being replaced by Naturi Naughton. It highlights the fluid nature of music groups and the twists and turns that can occur in an artist's career path.