Kimberleigh Marie "Kim" Zolciak-Biermann (née Zolciak; born May 19, 1978)[1][2] is an American television personality and singer. She is best known as an original cast member of the Bravo reality television series The Real Housewives of Atlanta, starring in 5 and recurring in 1 of the 15 seasons since its 2008 premiere. Her spin-off series Don't Be Tardy (originally Don't Be Tardy for the Wedding) aired 8 seasons from 2012–2020.

Kim Zolciak-Biermann
Zolciak in 2009
Born
Kimberleigh Marie Zolciak

(1978-05-19) May 19, 1978 (age 46)
Other namesKim Zolciak-Biermann
OccupationTelevision personality
Years active2008–present
Television
Spouses
Daniel Toce
(m. 2001; div. 2003)
(m. 2011; sep. 2023)
Children6
Websitekimzolciak.com

In 2015, Zolciak was one of the contestants on season 21 of the dancing competition series Dancing with the Stars, she withdrew from the competition on September 15, 2015, finishing in 11th place.

Early life

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Kim Zolciak was born in Pensacola, Florida, to a military family, and grew up in Windsor Locks, Connecticut.[3] Her parents are Joseph and Karen, and she has a brother named Michael.[4] She is of Polish and Italian descent and was raised Roman Catholic.[5]

At age 17,[3] Zolciak had an affair with a Windsor Locks police sergeant who had interviewed her as a material witness in a criminal investigation, initially resulting in the officer's firing.[6] The termination was later changed to a 45-day suspension without pay.[7][8] She attended East Catholic High School in Manchester, Connecticut, leaving after her freshman year. She studied nursing at the University of Connecticut.[3] At 21, she moved to Atlanta, Georgia, where her parents had moved, and eventually settled in the suburb of Johns Creek.[3]

Career

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Entertainment

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Zolciak-Biermann first appeared on the reality television series The Real Housewives of Atlanta, airing on Bravo, on October 7, 2008, when she was 30. Between seasons four and five, Zolciak and her then fiancé were the subject of a spinoff show, Don't Be Tardy for the Wedding, chronicling Zolciak's wedding preparations. Zolciak left Real Housewives in the middle of the fifth season, with her final episode airing December 9, 2012.[9] Don't Be Tardy for the Wedding, later renamed to Don't Be Tardy..., is in its eighth season as of 2020. Zolciak-Biermann returned to Real Housewives for its tenth season in a recurring capacity.

Zolciak-Biermann was scheduled to star in a new reality show on Bravo with fellow The Real Housewives cast member, NeNe Leakes, called NeNe and Kim: The Road to Riches.[10] However, the network later decided not to move forward with the show.[11]

Zolciak-Biermann competed on the 21st season of the dancing competition show Dancing with the Stars. She was paired with professional dancer Tony Dovolani.[12] She withdrew in September 2015, three weeks into the competition, because of a transient ischemic attack, which prevented her from air travel.[13][14]

In 2023, Zolciak was revealed as one of the cast members to be joining The Surreal Life on MTV for the show's eighth season, which premiered on July 23, 2024.[15]

Musical career

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In 2008, Zolciak began work on a country music album. She released a debut single, the dance track "Tardy for the Party", in 2009, followed by a remix EP the following year.

On March 12, 2013, Zolciak's Real Housewives of Atlanta castmate Kandi Burruss and her collaborating songwriter/producer Rodney "Don Vito" Richard filed suit against Zolciak for profits earned from "Tardy for the Party". In the documents filed, Burruss' attorney, RHOA castmate Phaedra Parks, alleges her clients wrote the song for Zolciak and that Zolciak released and sold the single "without [the] plaintiffs' authorization, license or consent." Burruss was also seeking a temporary restraining order to prevent future sales of the song and the "destruction of all copies of the infringing single and any other product of defendant's that infringe plaintiffs' copyrights", punitive damages, attorney's fees, and a jury trial.[16]

Business

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In May 2016, Zolciak-Biermann launched a line of skin-care products called Kashmere Kollection.[17][18] Zolciak has also released a fragrance called Kashmere.[19]

Personal life

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Zolciak has a daughter from a previous relationship, Brielle Karenna (born 1997).[20] She married Daniel Toce in 2001 and that same year, they had a daughter named Ariana Lenee.[20] The couple divorced in 2003.

Zolciak has publicly stated that she is bisexual and that she and DJ Tracy Young were in a romantic relationship.[21]

In May 2010, Zolciak met Atlanta Falcons football player Kroy Biermann at the charity event Dancing with Atlanta Stars. Their meeting was later shown on season three of The Real Housewives of Atlanta. The couple wed at their Roswell, Georgia, home[22] on November 11, 2011.[23] They have four children together: Kroy Jagger "KJ" (born 2011),[24] Kash Kade (born 2012),[25] and twins Kaia Rose and Kane Ren (born 2013).[26]

In March 2013, Biermann filed to adopt Zolciak's daughters.[27] In July 2013, the adoption became final and the girls subsequently changed their last names to become Brielle Biermann and Ariana Biermann.[28]

In May 2023, Biermann filed for divorce from Zolciak after eleven years of marriage, citing their date of separation as April 30. However, in July 2023, it was confirmed that Zolciak and Biermann had withdrawn their divorce filing.[29] In August 2023, Kroy Biermann refiled for divorce from Zolciak.

Discography

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Singles

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Year Single
2009 "Tardy for the Party"
2010 "Google Me"
2012 "Love Me First"
2018 "Wig (Wish I Gave a S**t)"

References

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  1. ^ Kim Zolciak [@Kimzolciak] (May 19, 2012). "Happy Birthday, My beautiful birthday twin!!" (Tweet). Archived from the original on September 3, 2015 – via Twitter.
  2. ^ Willard, Chris (November 25, 2008). "Real Housewives: Kim Talks NeNe, Big Papa and Hair Extensions". People. Archived from the original on June 26, 2015. Retrieved December 22, 2013. I'm sorry they feel that [I am older], but the reality is I am 30—and you can take it or leave it.
  3. ^ a b c d Catlin, Roger (October 5, 2010). "Kim Zolciak, the Connecticut Years". Hartford Courant. Connecticut. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016.
  4. ^ "Kim Zolciak-Biermann Has a Brother?". September 20, 2015. Retrieved April 24, 2018.
  5. ^ Mosthof, Mariella (October 12, 2010). "Kim Zolciak Dishes All the H'Wife Drama". Wetpaint.com. Archived from the original on November 12, 2015. Retrieved June 3, 2015.
  6. ^ Marks, Paul (June 24, 1981). "Windsor Locks Officer Tells Of Secretly Taping Superiors". Hartford Courant. Connecticut. Archived from the original on December 3, 2015. Retrieved July 14, 2016.
  7. ^ Marks, Paul (September 3, 1997). "Windsor Locks Police Sergeant Gets Job Back". Hartford Courant. Connecticut. Archived from the original on October 24, 2015. Retrieved November 17, 2017.
  8. ^ Marks, Paul (August 12, 1999). "Police Sergeant Agrees To Retire". Hartford Courant. Connecticut. Archived from the original on December 18, 2016. Retrieved November 17, 2017.
  9. ^ Corneau, Allison (December 3, 2012). "Real Housewives of Atlanta's Kim Zolciak-Biermann: I Stopped Speaking to My Costars". Us Weekly. Archived from the original on December 6, 2012. Retrieved December 17, 2012.
  10. ^ Gerard, Jeremy (March 30, 2015). "Bravo Media Slates 10 New Series, Including 'Recipe For Deception' – Upfronts". Deadline Hollywood (Press release). Archived from the original on July 17, 2015. Retrieved March 30, 2015.
  11. ^ Rayford Rubenstein, Janine (July 14, 2014). "NeNe Leakes and Kim Zolciak-Biermann's Bravo Reality Show Isn't Happening". People. Time Inc. Retrieved November 16, 2015.
  12. ^ "Dancing with the Stars Season 21 Cast Announcement" (Press release). ABC. September 2, 2015. Archived from the original on October 16, 2015. Retrieved September 2, 2015.
  13. ^ "'Dancing with the Stars' Recap: TV Night in the Ballroom". BuddyTV.com. September 28, 2015. Retrieved September 30, 2015.
  14. ^ Corinthios, Aurelie; Dugan, Christina (September 29, 2015). "Tony Dovolani Reacts to Wendy Williams' Questioning Kim Zolciak-Biermann's Mini Stroke: 'It Was Definitely Not Fake'". People. Time Inc. Retrieved November 25, 2015.
  15. ^ Petski, Denise (September 13, 2023). "'The Surreal Life': Macy Gray, Kim Zolciak, Chet Hanks, Johnny Weir Among Cast For Upcoming Season Of MTV Series". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved September 13, 2023.
  16. ^ Johnson, Zach (March 14, 2013). "Celebrity News: Kandi Burruss Sues Kim Zolciak for 'Tardy for the Party' Profits". Us Weekly. Retrieved June 3, 2015.
  17. ^ Rosenfeld, Laura (May 9, 2016). "Kim Zolciak-Biermann Made a Major Announcement at Her Early Birthday Party". Bravo. The Daily Dish. Retrieved September 19, 2016.
  18. ^ "Kashmere Products". Kashmere Kollections. Retrieved September 19, 2016.
  19. ^ Falco, Tom (September 18, 2016). "10 random things you didn't know about Real Housewife Kim Zolciak". The Huffington Post. Retrieved September 19, 2016.
  20. ^ a b Ho, Rodney (December 16, 2010). "Kim Zolciak Planning a Relationships Book". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Archived from the original on September 28, 2013.
  21. ^ "The Real Housewives of Atlanta's Kim Zolciak: yes, I'm bisexual". Life & Style Weekly. March 24, 2010. Archived from the original on July 22, 2015. Retrieved June 3, 2015.
  22. ^ Benzie, Mike (May 3, 2011). "Atlanta's 'Real Housewife' Kim Zolciak-Biermann to move into Roswell mansion". Yahoo!. Archived from the original on December 11, 2011.
  23. ^ Hammel, Sara (November 11, 2011). "Kim Zolciak, Kroy Biermann Wed on 11/11/11". People. Archived from the original on March 31, 2014. Retrieved June 3, 2015.
  24. ^ Christianson, Emily (June 1, 2011). "Kim Zolciak, Kroy Biermann welcome baby boy". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on January 27, 2013. Retrieved June 4, 2011.
  25. ^ Harper, Jen (August 16, 2012). "Kim Zolciak gives birth to baby boy Kash Kade". Zap2it.com. Archived from the original on October 12, 2013. Retrieved August 16, 2012.
  26. ^ Eggenberger, Nicole (November 25, 2013). "Kim Zolciak Welcomes Twins, Baby Girl Kaia and Baby Boy Kane, With Husband Kroy Biermann". Us Weekly. Retrieved November 25, 2013.
  27. ^ "Kim Zolciak's Husband Kroy Biermann -- I Wanna Adopt Kim's Girls!". TMZ.com. March 24, 2013. Archived from the original on September 23, 2015. Retrieved November 12, 2015.
  28. ^ Johnson, Zach (July 24, 2013). "Kroy Biermann Adopts Kim Zolciak's Two Daughters, Brielle and Ariana". Us Weekly. Archived from the original on September 11, 2015. Retrieved November 12, 2015.
  29. ^ "RHOA's Sheree: Kim Zolciak is 'Not Doing Well' Amid Kroy Divorce". June 12, 2023.
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