Candiace Dillard Bassett

Candiace Dominique Dillard Bassett was born on December 14, 1986, in Biloxi, Mississippi. She spent her upbringing in Atlanta, Georgia, with her parents, both physicians serving in the Air Force. She is one of three siblings, with a brother named Chris and a sister named Crystal. Bassett pursued higher education at Howard University, an HBCU in Washington, D.C., where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in communications and broadcast journalism in 2009. Her early career endeavors included a tenure in the White House offices of Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs under President Barack Obama, and she also served as a staffer for President Obama’s 2012 re-election campaign. In December 2020, Bassett returned to Howard University to obtain a Master of Business Administration degree, successfully graduating in May 2022.

Bassett has an extensive background in beauty pageants. She competed in various systems, including Sunburst, National American Miss, National Miss American Coed, Georgia Miss American Coed, Miss Maryland USA, Miss District of Columbia USA, and Miss United States. A significant achievement in her pageantry career was being crowned Miss United States in 2013, representing the District of Columbia during the national competition. This victory cemented her public profile before her ventures into entertainment.

Her transition into television began with acting roles before she joined the cast of “The Real Housewives of Potomac.” She became a main cast member during the show’s third season, which aired in 2018. During her time on the show, her wedding to Chris Bassett was featured in the fourth season, which premiered in 2019. In 2021, Bassett expanded her career into music, releasing her debut album, “Deep Space,” under MNRK Music Group. In March 2024, she announced her departure from “The Real Housewives of Potomac” after six seasons. Following her departure, she and her husband announced they were expecting their first child, welcoming a son, Jett Maxwell Lee Bassett, in October 2024.