Being the daughter of a world-famous R&B superstar can’t be easy. For Sy’Rai Smith, having Brandy as a mother has been both a blessing and a curse.
In 2021, she opened up about the tragic unforeseen struggles she’s had to deal with because of the weight of expectation she put on herself. Sy’Rai talked about her issues during an appearance on The Real.
She marked her first TV appearance by talking about body positivity and her own story. As reported in Today, Sy’Rai also had doubts about how her mom really felt about her.
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She appeared on The Real after her weight loss journey went viral on social media. Sy’Rai talked about experiencing health problems at her previous weight which inspired her to take her well-being more seriously.
She changed her mindset in order to improve her quality of life and live her purpose. She also noted that she wanted to be there for her family and feel good about herself. Sy’Rai made sure to tell The Real’s hosts that Brandy was with her throughout her journey and witnessed everything her daughter went through.
Sy’Rai Doubted Her Relationship with Brandy
It’s well-known that Brandy has always embraced living a healthy life while being famous as a glamorous and beautiful pop star. For Sy’Rai growing up, this sometimes caused her to doubt herself and their mother-daughter relationship.
She told The Real that she would frequently compare herself to her mom, which made her feel insecure. These insecurities led her to believe that Brandy was ashamed of her size.
Sy’Rai explained, “Seeing my mom dress a certain way or wear certain things when she was on carpets or on set, it was kind of difficult…” She went on to say that seeing her mom would make her think about why she wasn’t that way, too.
She wondered why she was a different size, and why she was made the way she was made. These nagging thoughts of self-doubt would make Sy’Rai feel sad or like Brandy was “embarrassed” by her.
However, deep down, she always knew that this wasn’t the case. Sy’Rai said that her mom was always supportive of her whether she wanted to lose weight or not. She constantly told her that she was beautiful.
So, really, Sy’Rai knew that any concerns she had were caused by her own insecurities. But, those insecurities were the result of some very real problems that not many teenagers have to deal with.
She opened up about feeling like the odd one out in a family that was always in the spotlight. Although she saw herself as the odd one out, her family still loved her no matter what.
Sy’Rai Is Brandy’s Only Child
After the interview, Sy’Rai’s mom couldn’t help but share a tribute to her daughter on Instagram. Brandy shared a screengrab of Sy’Rai’s first TV appearance, and in the caption, she called her an amazing human being.
She went on to write that she loved her daughter’s spirit and her smile. She told her that she was brave to walk in her purpose and shine in her truth on The Real.
Sy’Rai is Brandy’s only child, who she welcomed in 2002 with producer Robert “Big Bert” Smith. In 2002, three years after breaking up with Wanya Morris, Brandy announced that she was married to Robert.
At the same time, she announced that she was pregnant with her daughter. It looked like she was finally going to be able to settle down.
However, her relationship with Robert did not go the distance. After their relationship came to an end, some pretty shocking revelations were made.
Brandy and Robert’s Marriage Was a Sham
Robert revealed in multiple interviews that the former couple had actually faked their marriage. According to him, this was caused by the pressures of Brandy’s career.
Brandy had previously explained that, at that point, everything in her life was about her career and the public perception. She said that she felt pressure about what she was teaching young girls who listened to her music, especially when it came to love. She didn’t want to face people questioning whether she was behaving incorrectly in her relationships.
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Brandy said that her teen idol status made her feel like she was all by herself and that whatever she was feeling was going to have to be put aside. So, when she became pregnant, it seemed important to her to pretend that her pregnancy had occurred within a marriage.
Both Brandy and her label, according to Robert, wanted to protect the singer’s squeaky-clean image. Brandy herself later admitted that she had lied about the marriage. She also claimed that she and Robert had had a spiritual union, and had indeed been engaged at one point.
Sy’Rai Focused on Her Health Because of Her Family
Since their breakup, Brandy and Robert have managed to maintain a healthy relationship for the sake of their daughter. Robert eventually moved on with his now-wife, Xochitl Jacques-Smith.
Together, they’ve welcomed Sy’Rai’s five half-siblings, all of whom she reportedly has a close relationship with. This was evident in Sy’Rai’s interview on The Real.
She mentioned that her health problems made her understand that she might not live as long if she didn’t change something. She was partly inspired to do this to spend more time with her siblings, as well as her parents.
While Robert managed to move on and grow his family, Brandy has flitted between several romances without ever settling down. After Robert, she got engaged twice more, to NBA player Quentin Richardson and music exec Ryan Press.
However, neither engagement ultimately led to a marriage. As far as we know, Brandy is currently single and focused on her music and her daughter Sy’Rai.
Sy’Rai Saved Brandy’s Life
However, she’s also been open about how Sy’Rai has helped her as much as the other way around. In 2020, a year before Sy’Rai shared her story on The Real, Brandy opened up to People Magazine about how her daughter got her through her darkest hour.
In 2006, Brandy was involved in a tragic car crash that claimed the life of another woman. The singer did not face criminal charges, having settled out of court with the woman’s family.
The accident, on top of several failed relationships, sent Brandy to rock bottom. She confessed that when her pain was at its peak, she even briefly considered taking her own life. When things got that bad, the one who got her to rise again was her daughter.
Brandy recalled lying in bed feeling “super depressed,” until she thought to herself, “You’re just going to go out like this? That’s wack. You have a daughter.”
She went on to say to herself that if she couldn’t get better for herself, then she had to do it for Sy’Rai because this was no way to leave a mark on her life. Brandy summed it up by saying that if Sy’Rai wasn’t here, she wouldn’t be either.
After that, she decided to work on herself through therapy, meditation, journaling, and faith, as well as getting back to making music. So, it turns out that Sy’Rai couldn’t have been more mistaken in thinking that her mom was embarrassed by her. Fortunately, she’s now fully aware of just how much she means to her whole family.
