It’s tough being the child of R&B royalty, but recently stepping into the limelight is Brandy Norwood’s daughter, singer, and musician, Sy’Rai Smith.
Born in June 2002, Sy’Rai has grown up living life as the offspring of a major celebrity. Her father is music producer Robert ‘Big Bert’ Smith. Big Bert worked with the music industry’s greatest, including Michael Jackson, Enrique Iglesias and the Spice Girls.
Sy’Rai Smith’s Music Career
Music is written into Sy’Rai Smith’s DNA. Her May 2023 single ‘On My Own’ established her as a fresh new musical talent in her own right. What’s more, her lyrics suggest she writes from the heart, which is why they so closely reflect her journey into independence.
The song and its lyrics were first revealed in an Instagram snippet. Sy’Rai sang about doing things on her own and putting them together. Sentiments are likely to resonate with many but are pertinent here since her last career move was a duet with her mother for a Disney film in 2022.
Sy’Rai, who has only just turned 22, has had her mother’s support and guidance from the start. Brandy produced the EP and collaborated on the vocals. They have a special mother/daughter relationship, and work well as a team, but that doesn’t mean there have never been problems.
Sy’rai’s Body Image And Weight Struggles
In 2001, Sy’Rai opened up in an interview and talked candidly about struggling with her body image and weight. Her honesty made it all the more poignant because what worried her most was embarrassing her mother. It’s a perspective that reflects the damage growing up with parents in imagine-conscious industries potentially causes.
Sy’Rai has had no need to worry, though. She has the love and support of her mother. For her 21st birthday on June 16 2023, Brandy used Instagram to let her daughter know she was proud of her for who she was. Her love is eternal, she wrote in a heartfelt post, she thanked God for Sy’Rai and called her ‘her angel’.
Sy’rai Understands She Has Big Shoes To Fill
The 2001 interview revealed another negative about growing up under the celebrity microscope, however, the Sy’Rai Smith narrative is a success story. She has grown up rooted and grounded. After offering her perspectives and insights on being the child of musical legends in MTVs docuseries Family Legacy, she also looks set for a busy career.
She’s always acknowledging her parent’s musical legacies and clearly understands she has big shoes to fill. As she says, she has the Brandy sound, it’s in her genes, and it is for sure; even so, she wants her own identity and is working on her musical style and building a persona.
Sy’Rai Smith is one of a new generation of artists who experienced childhood as celebrity children. Whilst Sy’Rai is keen to honor her roots and use her mom’s guidance and expertise, she’s busy ‘puttin’ it together’ and breaking new ground professionally.
There’s the promise of exciting times ahead in the music and entertainment industries. Like Sy’Rai, other child celebrities with creative genes are emerging. However, Sy’Rai has a big double whammy. She admits her big name adds pressure and that life as the child of legends had its own unique set of challenges. But Sy’Rai also acknowledges that with heritage comes opportunities.
