Sy’Rai Smith is on the Paramount+ show MTV’s Family Legacy, featuring celebrity kids discussing their family’s legacy. Her mom, Brandy, has been in the spotlight since her teenage years, so Sy’Rai joined the production as a way to revisit history.
“There’s certain things I didn’t see in my mom’s past,” she tells ABC Audio. “It was just so fun to rewatch her, and especially on MTV. … I was born on MTV.”
She adds it’s “so crazy that I’m on the platform representing my family.”
Sy’Rai looks back on Brandy’s iconic MTV moments on the show, but she’s witnessed a few of her mom’s best moments in person. She’s hit the road with Brandy for tours and has seen fans’ reaction to her mom, which inspired her to become a singer.
Despite having access to a successful songwriter, Sy’Rai says she initially wrote her own songs before seeking help from her mom. Brandy has since worked alongside Sy’Rai as a vocal producer and helped to improve her sound. Brandy’s also offered advice, like trusting her instincts.
As the younger one, Sy’Rai often tells her mom to be active on socials, but notes she was not responsible for the Brandy x Jack Harlow collab at the BET Awards 2022.
But with all the highs, Sy’Rai insists that being a celebrity kid sometimes comes with downsides. “What a lot of people don’t understand is that … we’re blessed … but we got to share our moms,” she says. “Some days, when we’re sad and we want cookies and we want spaghetti, we want a cuddle, like, sometimes mom’s out working … She can’t always be just mom.” (AUDIO IS ABC 1-ON-1)
Sy’Rai’s new music is coming out next month.
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