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A couple of weeks ago, we told you former “City High” member (of hit-single “What Would You Do?” fame) Robbie Pardlo was going to be featured on A&E’s “Intervention.” The show follows addicts, who are about to face a surprise intervention conducted by their family, friends, and counselors.

Robbie had become an alcoholic. During the episode, he claimed that he fell into a downward spiral after Claudette broke up with him and started dating third group member Ryan Toby. She and Ryan married just a year after the group dismantled.

Now Claudette is speaking up and out with her side of the story:

On why she’s speaking out:

Claudette Ortiz: Initially I wasn’t going to say anything and I think that stemmed from fear because of the relationship I had with Robbie – it was an abusive one. He portrayed it like it was a “lovely romance” and it wasn’t. I just want to move on & put things behind me. Other people may be in the same position I was in. If you don’t eventually stand up for yourself it can carry on for years. It was time to tell the truth – the truth that he so conveniently left out.

On how she felt after watching the intervention:

I didn’t watch it, but then all this stuff started popping up on the internet. I’m being used as a scapegoat for his failure. He didn’t appreciate me or City High. I’m 18 years old living my dream, we were nominated for a Grammy & here is Robbie drunker than I’ve ever seen, I’m hoping we don’t win because I didn’t think he could control himself if we had to go on stage and accept the award.

How did you & Robbie meet?

I met Robbie before the group. My older sister and him were in the same grade. When we first started dating she said to me, “Are you sure you want to date him?” because Robbie had a reputation. I knew he drank but I never saw that side of it. He was my first boyfriend, we were young I was 16 & he was 18… we were nice teenagers. Everything seemed fine in the beginning but over time it became like a nightmare. READ MORE BELOW THE EPISODE!

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Describe one of those episodes…

The summer I was turning 17 Wyclef had a 4th of July BBQ at his house. There were a bunch of music industry people. I don’t recall what exactly brought it on, but he blacked out on me, got in my face & started yelling “You ain’t sh*t, you ain’t ever gonna be sh*t! At my age I was so intimidated by that, belittling me in front of all those important people. There were plenty of nights we’d argue or he’d pass out and I would walk home. He came out the house [once] yelling, started beating up his car, broke the head light. His mother came out and called me back, but when I got inside we all sat down to talk and she was telling me things like I shouldn’t add “fuel the fire.”

How did your relationship with him end?

We were working on the album & it was rare for him not to be drunk. My management asked me not break up with him – he knows this – but it just became too difficult for me. Going on the road, recording…it was terrible.

So you guys broke up before the first single came out?

Yes, even before the album was finished.

On the A&E Intervention, it was stated that you broke up with Robbie on tour in Europe & started dating Ryan.

No, we hadn’t even been traveling overseas yet. And Robbie & I were broken up for a year before Ryan & I started any kind of romance.

On her relationship with Ryan and Robbie:

They weren’t best friends like Robbie likes to try & make it seem… Robbie was my teenage boyfriend & it wasn’t like I just hopped from one to the other… I married Ryan & was with him for 9.5 years. I got with Ryan because Robbie was an alcoholic… & the way he treated me. If I had a man now that had problems with alcoholism but treated me good, I’d stick around & help him through it.

For 2024’s iteration of MadameNoire and HelloBeautiful’s annual series Women to Know, we knew we wanted to celebrate the people who help make the joys of film and television possible. To create art is to create magic. This year, we spotlight Hollywood Executive’s changing the face of cinema.