I got the chance to sit down and chat with singer, songwriter and business mogul, Sy’rai Smith. This talented young lady recently dropped a beautifully executed song titled, “At Your Best”, on YouTube. If you listen closely, you will hear that the song is a 2020 remake of Aaliyah’s, “At Your Best”. Written by Sy’rai and produced by Genius and Tubbsmuzik, this song will for sure be set on repeat, all summer long.
It is always refreshing to see young women doing big things. At the age of seventeen, Sy’rai is successfully balancing school, preparing for college, studio time and running a clothing brand, Privileged Appeal.
“I love fashion, I love music, I love clothing! “I am really excited for my future,” stated Sy’rai.
It’s Okay To Be Different
It only takes five seconds to be swallowed up by Sy’rai’s gentle spirit, warm personality and infectious smile. It takes less time than that to fall in love with her beautiful voice and contagious confidence. Dripping with a great personality and keen self-awareness, I needed to know the magic sauce.
“Where does your confidence stem from?”, was my question. You will want to read the answer:
“My confidence really stems from that fact that my mother has always told me I am beautiful, no matter at what weight I was. It doesn’t matter what size you are, you are still a human being. I am really happy that I had influencers, Youtubers and Instagramers that are not a size zero. I am really happy that I grew up with that,” stated Ms. Smith.
As a member of the plus-size community and an advocate for body positivity, I find great pleasure in knowing that Sy’rai has found a way to see positive reflections of herself via social media. Women like La’teshia Thompson and Stella Williams have been a source of inspiration for Sy’rai.
“I realized that I am different and that is okay,” stated Sy’rai.
When it comes to body positivity, self-love and confidence, Sy’rai talked about how watching other confident women helped boost her confidence. Women getting things done, regardless of their size or weight, has had an impact on how Sy’rai sees herself.
“There are a bunch of women that I look up to because they are ok with who they are and they love who they are. I have always been that way, I have always been really confident in myself, in the way I talk in the way I dress, there has always been something in me that is ok with being a little different. You should love yourself not matter what size you are. Surround yourself with people that tell you you are beautiful. You ARE beautiful, the way you are. It is ok to be a little different. You have the same thing as a size two. It doesn’t matter if you want to wear at crop top, it is your body, it is what you want to do,” stated Sy’rai.
On The ‘Tube
Sy’rai uses YouTube as a platform to express herself. Sy’rai’s channel could even be thought of as a place to house all of her creativity, showcase her personality and be herself, while, entertaining others.
When asked why YouTube, the answer was simple, “I grew up on YouTube. Everything I do is on YouTube. You can find anything on YouTube,” stated Sy’rai. “My channel is very me, it is who I am,” continued Sy’rai.
Pulling Back The Curtain
Sy’rai gives us insight into a few growing pains she experienced as a young entrepreneur. She learned, first hand, some of the obstacles a person can face while working with a business partner. One of her first attempts at entrepreneurship left her with a difficult decision to make, friendship vs entrepreneurship. Ultimately, one valuable lesson Sy’rai learned was to think twice before getting into businss with friends.
Starting Privileged Apparel from the ground has not only taught Sy’rai how to pick suitable business partners, entrepreneurship has also thought Sy’rai how to cater to her audience. Making dope clothing for straight and plus size bodies has allowed Sy’rai to give other people the opportunity to express themselves through fashion.
Sy’rai has left no stone unturned when it comes to the fabrics, style, fit and wear of her garments offered under the Privileged Apparel brand. One of her goals is to make sure people feel good and look good, no mater what size they wear.
Fun Fact, the name, Privileged Apparel, came from the fact that Sy’rai believes everyone should feel PRIVILEGED. “It doesn’t matter if you have two cents or a two million dollars, you should feel privileged,” stated Sy’rai. Her size inclusive brand, coming soon, has hoodies, sweaters, hats and more!
Listen to the angelic voice that will bridge the musical gap, between multiple generations, by clicking on the video below.
