Israel Houghton's Children: Meet the Kids the Singer Welcomed with His Ex and Current Wife

Alongside being a Grammy-award-winning artist, Israel Houghton is a proud father of four children he welcomed from his two marriages. The singer often shares glimpses of his blended family on social media, including the son he and his wife kept a secret.

Israel Houghton became a father for the first time nearly thirty years ago following the birth of his eldest daughter and welcomed more children over the years with his ex-wife.

The singer found love again with "The Real" star Adrienne Bailon-Houghton. After struggling to conceive and enduring a "nerve-wrecking" pregnancy, the couple welcomed a son.

Israel Houghton Welcomed Three Children with His Ex-wife

For a little over two decades, Israel was married to his ex-wife, Meleasa Houghton, and the former couple welcomed three children: their daughters, Mariah and Milan Lillie Houghton, and their son, Israel Houghton Jr.

A few years after officially becoming husband and wife in 2016, Israel and Adrienne welcomed their first child together, their son Ever James.

During an interview, Israel revealed that while he and Meleasa had been married for over twenty years, they were "in a state of separation" for five of those years. According to the singer, the couple opted for a "fake it 'til you make it" approach toward the end of their marriage.

One of Israel Houghton's Children with His Ex-wife Followed in His Musical Footsteps

Isreal and Meleasa's eldest child is their daughter, Mariah. Unlike her famous father, Mariah did not pursue a career in the music industry. Instead, she serves as the Creative Director of LA VOÛTE by Adrienne Houghton, a handbags and jewelry line created by her stepmother.

Mariah was on her way to 100,000 followers on Instagram at the time of writing, and in honor of her 27th birthday in August, her famous father turned to Instagram and shared in part:

"Celebrating my first born daughter today!!! On her 27th trip around the Sun!!! As a father I'm not sure I could more Godly proud of the woman she's become and is becoming. (sic)"

The former couple's second child is their son, Israel Jr, who is the only one of his siblings who followed in his father's footsteps. Israel Jr. had accumulated over 16,000 followers on Instagram at the time of writing and documented his life as the lead singer of a musical group.

"I love you bud and I'm so proud of you," Israel wrote in celebration of his son's 22nd birthday in September. Milan Lillie is the last child Israel and his ex-wife welcomed during their marriage, and, unlike her siblings, the 20-year-old has maintained a low profile on social media. According to her Instagram account — which had no posts at the time of publication — Milan is a writer.

"I am honored to be your mom. I will be your soft place to land, the laughter when you need it. Forever and always, my love for you can be found in the deepest place in my heart," Milan's mom sweetly typed in part to her in honor of her 20th birthday in October.

Israel Houghton and His Wife Kept Their Pregnancy a Secret after Struggling to Conceive

A few years after officially becoming husband and wife in 2016, Israel Houghton and Adrienne welcomed their first child together, their son Ever James. Following his birth, the couple turned to Instagram to post glimpses of their bundle of joy and shared:

"Our baby boy is here & we are so in love! If you have followed our love story… you know that our journey to baby has been very challenging - But God is true to His word and His promises. [...] He is worth every tear, every disappointment, every delayed prayer, every IVF cycle, every miscarriage."

During an interview, Adrienne Bailon-Houghton, whose son was conceived via surrogacy, revealed she kept the news of her surrogate's pregnancy a secret from the public as a means to protect her mental health and peace and to avoid unwanted opinions.

"It was important to me for my own mental well-being and for my family. I was just like, 'I'm just not going to say anything.' It was actually very peaceful that way. You didn't have other people's opinions," Israel's wife said.