Between the blogosphere and her mother, "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" newcomer Kandi Burruss can't seem to catch a break from all the criticism surrounding her engagement to AJ. ESSENCE.com caught up with the talented singer and songwriter to find out whether her mom and fiancé have finally bonded, if she and AJ have a future together, and why she's raising three girls instead of one.

ESSENCE.COM: Throughout the show your mom has expressed her discontent with your fiancé. Does she still feel the same?
BURRUSS: Yes, but what people don't realize is that my mom's [disapproval] happened before the show. When she feels strongly about something she won't answer my calls and she gets very dry and everything. My mother has been overbearing since my brother died in a car accident in Mexico when he was 15. He told my mom he was going to Florida with a cousin and instead he was in Mexico and I don't believe my mom has ever forgiven my cousin. Ever since that happened she became extremely over protective of me and when I got my first record deal at 16 even more so.

ESSENCE.COM: Speaking of which, inquiring minds want to know what exactly does AJ do for a living?
BURRUSS: AJ over time has done a lot of things, including running this collection agency while we were together and he just recently bought into this strip club.

ESSENCE.COM: Hold up. Did you just say you and AJ are no longer together?
BURRUSS: (Laughs.) We're on hiatus. He's a great guy and he's not the type to sit on his behind like a scrub, so it has nothing to do with that. Yes, he has a lot of children, and yes, I didn't know about them all at first but I got over it because as long as you handle your responsibility and spend time with your children it's not an issue for me. Another thing I want to set the record straight on is that AJ was married before. A lot of people make comments like, if he didn't marry his other children's mothers then why do you think he's going to marry you.

ESSENCE.COM: When we spoke before you expressed concern about how a separation might affect your daughter. How is she handling your break?
BURRUSS:Things have changed because not only do I have my daughter living with me but now I am the legal guardian of AJ's 12-year-old twin daughters because his mother felt the responsibility was too much for her right now and she couldn't handle it anymore. He would have taken them with him, but they needed a strong female role model and wanted to stay with me. Just because AJ and I are together I have accepted them as my children the same way that my stepfather did me when I was their age and he and my mom separated. He continued do things with me as my father throughout my life.

ESSENCE.COM: Recently photos surfaced of you, AJ and Riley's father at the same event together. Was that an awkward moment?
BURRUSS: I invited him and AJ because Riley's father hadn't been in her life for a while and in the last couple of weeks started calling and coming around again. My friends like Tiny asked me what was he doing there and I let them know I invited him because at the end of the day it isn't about me. Riley was happy that he was there to see her in the fashion show. Riley has been wanting him to call and come around and he's doing that now. I feel like it's never too late. When my mother and father separated she never talked bad about him, she let me form my own opinion without any negative influence from her. I am doing the same with Riley and her father. No matter how I might feel I'd never let her or him know. Her father will never be able to tell her it was my fault that he wasn't in her life.

ESSENCE.COM: That's quite admirable. Now that you've been living in front of the cameras, would you do it for a second season?
BURRUSS: They haven't really talked to me about it, but yes, I would. I didn't know what to expect or how they would portray me and I think it's pretty accurate and there are pros and cons. I take the good with the bad. My life is changing in front of millions and I'm going to continue to grow and live my life.

For more on Kandi Burruss, tune in to "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" on Thursdays, at 10 PM ET, and visit kandiconnection.com.