March 3, 2023 • 30 mins
Episode 222 - "The Culture Deserves It" Feat. Ferrari Simmons, You Know BT & Su Solo Produced by: @iHandlebars
special guest: Actress/Singer, Serayah Mcneill
Topics include: Our exclusive interview with Serayah Mcneill: Empire, BMF, Relationships & more.
The Baller Alert Show
Featuring @FerrariSimmons @_SuSolo @Youknowbt @iHandlebars
":The Culture Deserves It"
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Twitter: @balleralert
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
Um borrow with me here. You know BT Solo shout
oct no real color what we see w getting rid
of bula something boy can't stand on the home Sufi.
I already know he can't ball with me because you
have with a square to me they get they called
to me by La Baller Alert. Welcome to the ball
(00:24):
Alert Show podcast available everywhere you get your podcasts. I
go by the name of Ferrari Simmons and I am
your best tie s Solo. You know BT oct Or
that Surrea's in the building. You not just Surreya in
the building. Man. We got the actress, singer, songwritererver Man.
Surrea has been in like called classics. I'm gonna just
(00:48):
say like from Empire, to be a math, to Woo
Tang saga continue like cowboy, y'all. We got sa in
the building and I appreciate the intro. Welcome to show.
I'm good, how y'all doing? Were good though, But it's
(01:12):
about you. It's all about you a matter of fact,
Can you take us back? You know we met you
in twenty fifteen. I'm not sure if that's where you
exactly started, but we met you on Empire twenty fifteen.
Like and that was a time like an error, like
when people was doing watch parties, like everybody was locked
in the empire and we got to meet you and
you would sing it dancing. You know. Sometimes people think like,
(01:34):
you know, you just do that for the role, but
you are actually doing music you know and everything. So
can you take us back to that time, Like how
did you get into acting? Is that's something that you
always wanted to do? Yeah? Performing in general, it's always
been a passion of mine and my mom put me
in dance at four, and I started writing music at
(01:54):
like around ten. Um, and it's it's always been a
super passion of mine. And I remember being um, I
think five or six years old. Uh went I went
to a Destiny's Child concert and I was just like, yep,
that's what I'm gonna do. Not even it was like
I'm a survivor vibes and yeah and so um that
(02:19):
was like the pivotal moment for me as far as
I can remember. Um. And then ever since then, it's
just been you know, a grind, a NonStop you know grind,
just just always involved in it. In school, yeah, outside
of school, um, but specifically in twenty fifteen, I had
just graduated high school WOU a year before, and and
(02:43):
that was my first opportunity at like a television or
being on TV. UM and so theatrically it was it
was just different. It was it was a great opportunity.
And because I've done modeling and and things like that
before commercials, but not anything film and TV. So Empire
was definitely my segue into the world I'm in. Now,
(03:04):
how did you get that opportunity? My friend Dejean so
Dejean Butler, I'm gonna just put that out there. That's
my that's oh my gosh, that's family at this point.
But so he gave me the tip off of like,
there's an audition. I know that you're sing, you dance
this this this character has to sing and dance um,
(03:27):
and they're looking for this role. See. So his mom
is Leah Daniels, who is Lee Daniel's sister. She's a
casting director. So he um, it was in the family,
and he was kind of like, I'm about to put
my friend on yeah, and so um, she liked my
look and then I had to audition a couple of
(03:48):
times and you know, it made its way through her.
It made it to Lee Daniels. Then I had to
audition for Fox again, and and then I was shipped
off to Chicago foming Empire. So yeah, it was. It
was really crazy though, because you know, when I knew
when I got the audition for the show, it didn't exist. Yeah,
so so it was definitely a whirlwind. I didn't expect.
(04:11):
How did your life change in that time? So much? Girl,
so much like three sixty. I mean I grew up.
I grew up struggling and just kind of like you know,
it wasn't easy childhood. I moved a lot. I have
friends all over the country. Where did you start? And then, um, so,
(04:32):
originally I'm from southern California, moved to La the Valley area.
Then I moved here actually, and my dad lives in Seattle.
As I live with my dad. I moved a lot
as a kid, a lot, a lot, a lot, a lot.
So so it was that. And so when when Empire came,
I was working, I was going to college and I
was working at H and M and uh I had
(04:53):
what college were you at? Community college? And colleagues? Um,
and and uh I was It's called Pierce Piers call
it by the way. She didn't have a good time there. No, no, no, yeah, no,
what I didn't want to. I didn't want to. I
knew what I wanted to do, so um uh yeah,
(05:14):
I was doing that working at Each and Them and
I had just booked um a modeling agent CESD, so
I was doing that on the side. Um and then yeah,
once I got that call, I was like, you was like,
that was your first song acting? Um no, but pretty
much yeah, pretty much on TV. I was very green
(05:36):
for your breakout though, for Empire to be your breakout,
like you did a thing like you was performing, like
like when you and the Ryan Densities of the world,
you know, y'all can like really put on and perform.
When it came on, I'm like, damn, you got everybody
locked in and y'all had the songs that like Lee
Daniel should definitely have like a talent agency because drip
(05:57):
dropping all that stuff that y'all was. She didn't want
to go back. I love H and M, but listen,
working there is very different. Um. But No, you're right though,
because Lee has a special eye for raw talent um
and that's something that he I mean, it's proven over
and over. So I'm very you know, grateful to you.
(06:20):
I've been a part of that process. And other other
you know, new or green artists were a part of
the show as well. So it was this whole fresh
face type of thing. Um and and yeah, so performing is,
like I said, my thing. But Tianna didn't start off
as as that. She was actually supposed to be more
of a Lauren Hill Aliyah type. Yeah that was that
(06:41):
was the original character role and power. Why did it
evolve change? So? I um, they had they had a choreographer,
but once again, it wasn't involved as she was this
big performer, so it wasn't a big thing until I
took it upon myself to make up my own dance
(07:02):
for Keeping Moving, which was one of the first songs
on the show. And once they saw me perform, and
some of those moves I made up I choreographed. Once
they saw me perform, the whole trajectory of Tianna changed.
They're like, Okay, nope, she's not Elia, She's not this
no more. We want Hakim and Tiana to be jay
Z and Beyonce. So it just it changed. And then
(07:24):
ever since then, it was like Jamaica Craft, who was
an amazing choreographer came in and she I was like
in Jamaica's boot Camp. Okay, I got my whole entire
life with her. Don't touch my body was like I
can't move, but yeah, so that's how it evolved. You
steal friends with any of the cast members from Empower,
I am, I am. I'm friends with a lot of them.
(07:45):
I mean, we're all moving and working, so I tried
my best to stay tapped in as much as I can.
Speaking of friends. And around that time too, Taylor Swift,
you was like in the Click like you was really popping,
Like I mean you steal popping, but just starting was
just like you just took off. I'm trying to tell you.
(08:05):
Like that time in my life, it was like left
and right, like I couldn't even Yeah, I couldn't really
grasp what was really happening because everything happened so fast.
So yeah, when I got the call to be in
her video, I was like this cannot be real. Yeah
I was Taylor Swift. She's great, She's a very she's
a girly girl. She's a girl's girl. I can think
that um, and she takes pride in and having girlfriends
(08:30):
and and women empowerment and all that type of stuff.
So it was great being around those ladies because once again,
like we're relatively here group, you know, but um, there
are people I looked up to, like Taylor Swift, like
she's a songwriter. I was just kind of sitting sitting
(08:51):
back like just you know, experiencing it at all. And
I was nineteen, so rushed out of high school, rush
of Taylor Swift. You're a cool kid man. Mentally, how
was that for you? Because you know everything's going so
fast for you at that particular moment, you're nineteen. I
know that's a lot to take in mentally. Yeah, I'm
glad you asked, because, like with something like that drastically changing, um,
(09:17):
you know, your whole entire like mindset is just like
being challenged. And I'm fine. You know, friendships are changing,
families changing, dynamics are changing, and now like you know,
me finding out like once you get on TV, people
look at you differently. You don't. I haven't changed, you know,
(09:39):
I'm the same price asking for money. Yeah, in your pocket,
you got a million dollars tell you. I just want
to say I've seen something that Taji put out there,
and I love that she did this, because this is
this is real life. When you are a guests are
on the show, you're getting paid. Maybe I don't know
(10:01):
what the running rate is anymore, but what I got
paid was about maybe you know, eight or five in
the episode five thousand episode. But then once you get
your check, it's half of that. So and then I'm
not in every episode. I'm only paid in the episodes
i'm on. People forget about taxes, okay, and so you know,
(10:22):
just because you make it on TV, I'm I'm still,
I'm still. I was doing bookings every weekend the first
couple of seasons of Empire because I wasn't a regular,
so I couldn't count on being in every episode. Therefore
my money, right, rent, I gotta live. So I was
I was flying, gotta look good, going to these events, makeup, wardrobe,
(10:44):
you know this. And so it's like, you know, I
was doing a lot of club appearances for real, Like
it was great the exposure, but I needed the money.
So so you know what I mean, It's just it's
what you said. Once you get on TV, people automatically like, oh,
you're rich. Not the case, psych I'm arriving. I haven't arrived,
but I'm arriving. Asking with Michael B. Jordan. He just
(11:04):
did an interview a million dollars worth the game and
he was like, you know, they was they was talking
to him about man, do you feel like you made it?
And he was like, I finally feel like that I
made And I'm thirty six and I've been acting for
you know, fifteen years, and he I finally feel like
I've made it with this Creed movie. I feel like
I have arrived. So yeah, that says a lot about
(11:24):
this business. People just automatically think, you know, because you're
on TV, you're making all this money and stuff like that,
and that you could just take care of your whole family. Yeah, instantly, right,
that's crazy question. So you're nineteen, This is changing, and
mental is evolving, and relationships are changing. Are you in
a relationship? Are you single at this particular time. We'll
be right back with more of The Baller Alert Show.
(11:52):
You're listening to a special edition of The Baller Alert Show.
What's up? It's Sireya and you're listening to the Baller
Alert sh The question I'm trying to ask is everything
is changing? What about your relationship status? What about if
you are seeing someone, did that change? You know? I'm Sorea.
You know everybody knows Srea, but now I'm sorry. On
TV it's different, right, it gets a little, it just changes,
(12:15):
you know. And in guys sometimes they feel a little
the ego be threatened. You're surrounded by celebrities, money and access, right,
so now they may feel a way, you know, And
so I've dealt with all of that. I mean, it's
it's definitely a thing. But um, I was I did date.
(12:36):
No one just didn't. No one knew. Okay, I'm very
I'm a private person. You know. Even in my last situation,
we were together for a year before we went public.
So yeah, that's it's how did that even happen? How
last situation did you go where you got somewhere together
or how did that even? How did y'all get together?
(12:56):
You and Jacob? When did we meet? Yeah? Like, how
did you guys connect? Like the point where you decided
to be together? Oh? Okay, okay, So well, both of
our shows shoot in Chicago, and I think there was
just a specific summer where the Shy and some of
the casts from Empire we all know each other. We
shoot down the street from each other, by the way,
on the studio film a lot. So we were just
(13:19):
all hanging out for a summer, and it just kind
of happened that way. The friendship built into more. So
you y'all were there on the summer. Was it a
break or y'all were shooting? And then well empire always
started right after fourth of July. Okay, so we were
we were there shooting during the summer. Yeah, okay, y'all
got bored and then he was like, yo, let's hang out.
We don't know. I knew him for years before that,
(13:45):
but so it just happened to happen that summer. So
y'all started as like friends, and yes, evolved right, yes,
Like what's your type? Do you have any type? I
don't have a type, honestly, I really don't. But I
could say, um, someone who's confident and sure and evolving
and uh, you know, is kind of aware of themselves
(14:06):
and can can reciprocate energy that type of thing. Um,
obviously doing his own thing, has his own thing going,
and and I'm good, you know, I don't need to
jump into someone's already made situation. I'm not interested in that.
I um, because I'm doing my own thing. You're not
(14:27):
focused on your bag. But I do think it's important
for both people to have, you know, their own things.
Going to have a job, yes people say that, but realistically,
like you had things that you like, right, Like you
may like to travel, you may like life thing, So realistically,
you're gonna want a partner that can appease that. Like, yes,
(14:50):
you're not saying every day, right, but someone that can
compliment the lifestyle for sure. For sure. Yeah, I mean
you're not going to go back to like your old
neighborhood and just start dating Joe from down the street.
Like it's got to be someone of some type of
(15:18):
that for her, never via your neighborhood. So you got
You didn't come out and say that you guys broke up.
It was like a mutual decision, I guess, or you
guys are apart. You said yeah, yeah, so are you
guys still friends now? Or I wouldn't say friends. Um,
(15:43):
but we have had, you know, conversations afterwards, and I
think that it's it's no bad blood. I think it's
just um, something that we both realized that right now
at this time, Um, he's focused on what he's doing,
and I am too, and sometimes you just gotta be
(16:03):
mature about it and be like, Okay, we're not gonna
sit here and go back and forth all day. You know,
I still am rooting for you. I obviously love him
and I have loved for him, and I want to
I want him in, you know, a beautiful situation, and
he's got things going on. Dropped a movie in theaters,
you know what I mean. So it's just certain things
where I don't want no bad blood. I didn't we
(16:27):
didn't say anything on purpose. I didn't. I never wanted that,
so but I do realize that with me saying nothing
says a lot. So yeah, well I thought it did.
I think you guys did it so slightly when it
was too quick obvious when the pres got deleted, that's
(16:49):
when that's when I was like, yeah, they it's OK. Well,
I know guys, when when the when the picture of
Joey Badass came out there and they're like, oh, it
seems like they look really good. That's why I was like,
I was like, where is Jacob? No, So for me,
I mean, I know Jacob, and you know, of course
I was able to see you guys. You guys were
very public like, I mean, you guys went to a
(17:11):
lot of events together, you shared photos of each other
on social media. So for me, I did start to
question at some point like, oh, they're getting a little quiet,
like what what is happening? And I did not assume
it was work or anything, because you guys are always working,
but you still seem to find time to be with
each other to support each other. So I definitely was like, Okay,
I don't the relationship is over. They're not all down. First,
(17:40):
I think we just stopped posting together. Yeah. Yeah, it
wasn't a bad breakup because I feel like to not.
Maybe I'm a little different, but I'm friends with all
my exes, like we are cordial. It's very mature. Listen,
it ain't working. Doesn't mean that we don't have love
and respect for each other, but as far as being
in an intimate relationship, gonna leave that alone. Um, but
(18:02):
for you to say that you guys are not friends,
are you friendly? Oh well yeah, like if I see
him as hey, you know what I'm saying. It's not
like we have that blood like I said, but um,
friends with me like we communicate, which we don't. Got it.
Only thing going on man, she gonna be a man,
She would say, no so much other things to worry about,
(18:25):
you know. And sometimes I'm very much like you where
I can be Core Jones. Yeah, but everyone's not like that.
You have to also respect that factor too, for sure. Yeah.
Everybody ain't like that. They might text you them, but
like you miss me. Hell so the picture of you
and Joey came out like what was your he don't
(18:48):
want to he scared. I was very surprised. I um,
I didn't expect that. He fools, I said, I had
had me, had all of us fools? I said, she
don't post them? Then it ain't really Then you posted,
I said, Oh talking about that, I said, oh, oh gosh,
I was, and I'm filming right now Kingdom business and
(19:11):
how was that work? Like god, my phone is own
fire like I wasn't. I mean, of course, right, but
I just wasn't expecting that. And then I wasn't expecting
people to be like saying the things they were saying.
And you know, I usually don't recomment what I say.
(19:32):
It surprised you. I didn't know I had so many haters.
Oh no, I was looking too, I seeing a lot. No,
I swear listen. I don't know. Look, I didn't look
at the shade room or maybe the big ones, but
on his posts it was a lot going on. But
(19:58):
I think, um, I think it was very interesting. It
was it was kind of funny. I was laughing a
little bit. And you know the videos out, did you
guys watch it? I haven't yet. Is definitely like a
love story. So it's a really really dope video and concept.
You had a soulful picture came up, Oh this guy,
(20:21):
what's going on? See? No, he didn't. I was just like,
man Jacob Joey Badass, so different, right, And then that's
why I was like, what's your type? I don't have
a type. It could be someone who's like super clean cut, fashionable,
and then it could be someone who might be a
little edgy. So I believed it. I thought you were
with him. But he he believes in polygamy. No, he
(20:42):
believes in multiple girlfriends. Joey Badass. Aquarius is in general
to me general, we're not met for like one person
or one thing or one we got to move around.
Aquarius is are real, like we like an entity. You
feel like Aquarius can't be monogamous. Well, I can't speak
for all Aquarius, but you know, I do resonate with
that person personally. You know, I'm not sure if relationship
(21:04):
is necessarily for me one percent. I was like, I
do not see her being a girl from one two three?
I ask you this was like, we're gonna ask her
this relationship and Octavia said, I don't think she's into
that type of definitely not y'all know, girl, But I
was like, no way, come on. That was for his
song show me Yes, and now you have a song
(21:26):
that can we talk about that song? And it just
fid Sexy went to her single release the other night
and just hearing the song over and over and seeing
different types of people vibe to it. Girl did that Yeah,
I appreciate you, Yes, absolutely, but yeah, like it's one
(21:47):
of my favorite songs right now. It just feels so good.
And I'm just in a space where, um, you know,
releasing more music is upon you know horizons, yes, independently
and um and yeah, I've been I've been in my bag,
but I've been just working. I've just been in the lab.
(22:08):
So yeah, and it's and it's starting to finally like blossom.
You know, when you like when you plan to seed
and it's just there, just water in it. I listen
to a lot, so I'm talking about planning the seed. Um.
And you know when you first start seeing that little
bit of something coming off the ground. I feel like
that's where I'm at right now. And it's been a
(22:31):
lot of years of just ever since the Empire, I've
been in the studio for years. I just want to say,
how do you find the time? Because your schedule is crazy? Yeah,
I um, now it's super crazy. But like on Empire,
whatever I had time off or anything, I would just
be in studio. That's what I was doing. UM. And
it's also an outlet for me, so it's very natural space.
But as far as putting music out, I I have
(22:54):
developed my own vibe and what that is. And you know,
I'm a performer, so has to be something that we
can move to. And I happened to, you know, link
up with this artist, Village Boy Prince in la Um.
Check him out. Yeah, I gotta check him out and
um and yeah, we just started vibing and it was
a great vibe. I'm excited. When when will that be completed?
(23:21):
Were writing the date and I'm probably gonna be in
be a minute though, because yeah, yeah, I don't have
a date yet, but I am gonna put out another
single in the summer for sure. We'll be right back.
Stay tuned with more of The Baller Alert Show. You're
listening to a special edition of The Baller Alert Show.
(23:42):
What's up? It's Soreya and you're listening to the Baller
Alert sh I have a personal question in a timeframe
of tattoos, I don't see any tattoos. You just can't
say them, no, But I do have tattoos, like one
here as most sleeves or anything's going to ever come
(24:04):
probably not. I would. I really would love to do that,
but I can't stand the pain. So that's why they're kind. Yeah,
that's why they're little, and because you know, like just
it's just a lot. When you on TV, you gotta
get your got to do that every t you know,
a long time, some of my um some of my peers,
(24:27):
actor friends have to go through that to come an
hour early to get the host leave covered up. That's
just too much. Yeah, why do you feel after all
this time people are finally gravitating to your music, your sound?
You know what, for a long time, I was Tiana
from Empire and hard to detach, I think. So I
think it was hard and I fought it for a
while and I was getting frustrated a little bit, but
(24:49):
you know what, I started to just ride the wave
and UM, be okay with that. And you know, it's
a beautiful thing to be recognized for what you're doing.
So I now I'm starting to feel like now that
I'm kind of branching myself out of that into all
these different avenues, people are able to you know, see
(25:10):
me and kind of just see Sirea for what Sarrea is.
And you're growing up, like you know, on television and
people are seeing you in a different light. And speaking
of um, you're on the series BMF, how was your
thought process going into something like that? Because with those
type of shows, those fifty cent power and all that stuff,
it's a lot of it's it's a little more heavier
(25:32):
than an empire or a kingdom business. You know, it's
a you know, you got the nudity, the sex scenes
and you just never know. I mean because cash Dog
her first time on the thing was just you know,
just bow in your face. So like, what was your
thought process going into BAMF. I was so excited, y'all.
I love gritty. They said no makeup. I was like, yes, yeah,
(25:55):
you know, like I love being outside of what I'm
used to or what people are used to seeing me
as being a pop star for six years. It felt
good to just jump into something that felt really grounded
and real. And I got to you know, Lorie, she's
a tom tom boy. She plays ball, you know, so
(26:16):
it was just a whole different thing that I was
that I can relate to. You know, growing up, I
played ball growing up. So yeah, so point guard grow
um so so yeah, it made me feel excited, excited
to jump into this new this other world. And also, um,
fifty cent is has amazing content. Yes, like his his
(26:44):
I mean, but it is and it's so good and
and it's it's grounded and it's real and um, you know,
there's so many different avenues now to jump in with
all the different shows Ye's going on, and I think
at some point I was I was like, I gotta
be on one of the shows. All the classics, yeah,
(27:07):
are definitely a staple. What's crazy is I did a
vision board some years ago and I always said, uh,
black classic. Yeah, when the picture was Nia Long and
Lorenz and Love Jones and that was just so I
feel like I kind of like, you just know, it's
(27:29):
not a film, but it's a lot of different black
classics shows. So I mean I kind of checked that off.
Now I'm like, Okay, where's my action Yeah, diversify your portfolio,
da um action packed. I really want to really, Yeah,
that's that's my dream role that and Mark, are you
afraid of like being in that bubble of like black actresses,
(27:54):
actresses who literally stay in that bubble. It's hard for
some of them to dive versified, like the roles that
they get or even the publicity they get the media
outlets to talk about them, Like, are you ever concerned
about being in that bubble? I think that it's natural
to be concerned with that, right because I mean I
(28:14):
can only speak for myself. But there are other things
I want to do, such as Marvel, such as these things.
So but but no, I feel like it's beautiful. I mean,
it's a thing that I feel like you don't realize
until you get in the industry and you started like, oh,
there's other things, and there's you know, but for me,
growing up black Classics was everything, you know, and that's
(28:36):
what I looked up to. So I take pride in
being considered amongst the group that we consider, you know,
black classic actors, because I think it's great work. Personally.
Before you came in here, VT, we were talking, I
was just like you kind of like the way that
you're taking over the screen is kind of like giving
(28:58):
me near long vibes anyway, So Raz, we had a
harder vision board because we just put me along here already.
And I feel like, you know, as you continue to
grow in your career, you're gonna be right there too,
and we're just so proud of you. And I'm just
I just love seeing your face and I can't wait
to see the more of you, and I just feel
like we got to know a lot more of you
(29:18):
in this interview. You know what I'm saying, just from
where you came from to where you are now, and
I'm just excited, Thank you, thank you. I appreciate you.
You're so sweet. And also you know, it's we started
from the bottom for real. Yeah you know what I'm saying,
And I think, yeah, thank you, And I take pride
in that because there's so much that we all have
to deal with whether where we're from because because of
(29:40):
you know, our skin color, and you know, we fight.
We fight all the time. We fight in to do
whatever it is we want to do. And so I
try to lead with that and and and stay grateful
in the process, because there's always another level, there's always
another role. There's always something bigger and better and more
money and more accolades and awards and everything, you know
(30:01):
what I mean. But I love I love being grounded
and touching the people and and relate and being relatable.
So real quick, did people ever mess up your name
all the time? I'm everything in the world, Soria Serena
Williams Serena. Your real name, Well, it's weird say that's
(30:23):
my government name, Sia. We appreciate you. Was talking about
a baller show anytime. Please come back. Thank you for
having me. Thank you so much. I love it here.
I can't get enough of baller Alert. Follow us on
all social media platforms at baller alert. Go on to
baller alert dot com.
Um borrow with me here. You know BT Solo shout
oct no real color what we see w getting rid
of bula something boy can't stand on the home Sufi.
I already know he can't ball with me because you
have with a square to me they get they called
to me by La Baller Alert. Welcome to the ball
(00:24):
Alert Show podcast available everywhere you get your podcasts. I
go by the name of Ferrari Simmons and I am
your best tie s Solo. You know BT oct Or
that Surrea's in the building. You not just Surreya in
the building. Man. We got the actress, singer, songwritererver Man.
Surrea has been in like called classics. I'm gonna just
(00:48):
say like from Empire, to be a math, to Woo
Tang saga continue like cowboy, y'all. We got sa in
the building and I appreciate the intro. Welcome to show.
I'm good, how y'all doing? Were good though, But it's
(01:12):
about you. It's all about you a matter of fact,
Can you take us back? You know we met you
in twenty fifteen. I'm not sure if that's where you
exactly started, but we met you on Empire twenty fifteen.
Like and that was a time like an error, like
when people was doing watch parties, like everybody was locked
in the empire and we got to meet you and
you would sing it dancing. You know. Sometimes people think like,
(01:34):
you know, you just do that for the role, but
you are actually doing music you know and everything. So
can you take us back to that time, Like how
did you get into acting? Is that's something that you
always wanted to do? Yeah? Performing in general, it's always
been a passion of mine and my mom put me
in dance at four, and I started writing music at
(01:54):
like around ten. Um, and it's it's always been a
super passion of mine. And I remember being um, I
think five or six years old. Uh went I went
to a Destiny's Child concert and I was just like, yep,
that's what I'm gonna do. Not even it was like
I'm a survivor vibes and yeah and so um that
(02:19):
was like the pivotal moment for me as far as
I can remember. Um. And then ever since then, it's
just been you know, a grind, a NonStop you know grind,
just just always involved in it. In school, yeah, outside
of school, um, but specifically in twenty fifteen, I had
just graduated high school WOU a year before, and and
(02:43):
that was my first opportunity at like a television or
being on TV. UM and so theatrically it was it
was just different. It was it was a great opportunity.
And because I've done modeling and and things like that
before commercials, but not anything film and TV. So Empire
was definitely my segue into the world I'm in. Now,
(03:04):
how did you get that opportunity? My friend Dejean so
Dejean Butler, I'm gonna just put that out there. That's
my that's oh my gosh, that's family at this point.
But so he gave me the tip off of like,
there's an audition. I know that you're sing, you dance
this this this character has to sing and dance um,
(03:27):
and they're looking for this role. See. So his mom
is Leah Daniels, who is Lee Daniel's sister. She's a
casting director. So he um, it was in the family,
and he was kind of like, I'm about to put
my friend on yeah, and so um, she liked my
look and then I had to audition a couple of
(03:48):
times and you know, it made its way through her.
It made it to Lee Daniels. Then I had to
audition for Fox again, and and then I was shipped
off to Chicago foming Empire. So yeah, it was. It
was really crazy though, because you know, when I knew
when I got the audition for the show, it didn't exist. Yeah,
so so it was definitely a whirlwind. I didn't expect.
(04:11):
How did your life change in that time? So much? Girl,
so much like three sixty. I mean I grew up.
I grew up struggling and just kind of like you know,
it wasn't easy childhood. I moved a lot. I have
friends all over the country. Where did you start? And then, um, so,
(04:32):
originally I'm from southern California, moved to La the Valley area.
Then I moved here actually, and my dad lives in Seattle.
As I live with my dad. I moved a lot
as a kid, a lot, a lot, a lot, a lot.
So so it was that. And so when when Empire came,
I was working, I was going to college and I
was working at H and M and uh I had
(04:53):
what college were you at? Community college? And colleagues? Um,
and and uh I was It's called Pierce Piers call
it by the way. She didn't have a good time there. No, no, no, yeah, no,
what I didn't want to. I didn't want to. I
knew what I wanted to do, so um uh yeah,
(05:14):
I was doing that working at Each and Them and
I had just booked um a modeling agent CESD, so
I was doing that on the side. Um and then yeah,
once I got that call, I was like, you was like,
that was your first song acting? Um no, but pretty
much yeah, pretty much on TV. I was very green
(05:36):
for your breakout though, for Empire to be your breakout,
like you did a thing like you was performing, like
like when you and the Ryan Densities of the world,
you know, y'all can like really put on and perform.
When it came on, I'm like, damn, you got everybody
locked in and y'all had the songs that like Lee
Daniel should definitely have like a talent agency because drip
(05:57):
dropping all that stuff that y'all was. She didn't want
to go back. I love H and M, but listen,
working there is very different. Um. But No, you're right though,
because Lee has a special eye for raw talent um
and that's something that he I mean, it's proven over
and over. So I'm very you know, grateful to you.
(06:20):
I've been a part of that process. And other other
you know, new or green artists were a part of
the show as well. So it was this whole fresh
face type of thing. Um and and yeah, so performing is,
like I said, my thing. But Tianna didn't start off
as as that. She was actually supposed to be more
of a Lauren Hill Aliyah type. Yeah that was that
(06:41):
was the original character role and power. Why did it
evolve change? So? I um, they had they had a choreographer,
but once again, it wasn't involved as she was this
big performer, so it wasn't a big thing until I
took it upon myself to make up my own dance
(07:02):
for Keeping Moving, which was one of the first songs
on the show. And once they saw me perform, and
some of those moves I made up I choreographed. Once
they saw me perform, the whole trajectory of Tianna changed.
They're like, Okay, nope, she's not Elia, She's not this
no more. We want Hakim and Tiana to be jay
Z and Beyonce. So it just it changed. And then
(07:24):
ever since then, it was like Jamaica Craft, who was
an amazing choreographer came in and she I was like
in Jamaica's boot Camp. Okay, I got my whole entire
life with her. Don't touch my body was like I
can't move, but yeah, so that's how it evolved. You
steal friends with any of the cast members from Empower,
I am, I am. I'm friends with a lot of them.
(07:45):
I mean, we're all moving and working, so I tried
my best to stay tapped in as much as I can.
Speaking of friends. And around that time too, Taylor Swift,
you was like in the Click like you was really popping,
Like I mean you steal popping, but just starting was
just like you just took off. I'm trying to tell you.
(08:05):
Like that time in my life, it was like left
and right, like I couldn't even Yeah, I couldn't really
grasp what was really happening because everything happened so fast.
So yeah, when I got the call to be in
her video, I was like this cannot be real. Yeah
I was Taylor Swift. She's great, She's a very she's
a girly girl. She's a girl's girl. I can think
that um, and she takes pride in and having girlfriends
(08:30):
and and women empowerment and all that type of stuff.
So it was great being around those ladies because once again,
like we're relatively here group, you know, but um, there
are people I looked up to, like Taylor Swift, like
she's a songwriter. I was just kind of sitting sitting
(08:51):
back like just you know, experiencing it at all. And
I was nineteen, so rushed out of high school, rush
of Taylor Swift. You're a cool kid man. Mentally, how
was that for you? Because you know everything's going so
fast for you at that particular moment, you're nineteen. I
know that's a lot to take in mentally. Yeah, I'm
glad you asked, because, like with something like that drastically changing, um,
(09:17):
you know, your whole entire like mindset is just like
being challenged. And I'm fine. You know, friendships are changing,
families changing, dynamics are changing, and now like you know,
me finding out like once you get on TV, people
look at you differently. You don't. I haven't changed, you know,
(09:39):
I'm the same price asking for money. Yeah, in your pocket,
you got a million dollars tell you. I just want
to say I've seen something that Taji put out there,
and I love that she did this, because this is
this is real life. When you are a guests are
on the show, you're getting paid. Maybe I don't know
(10:01):
what the running rate is anymore, but what I got
paid was about maybe you know, eight or five in
the episode five thousand episode. But then once you get
your check, it's half of that. So and then I'm
not in every episode. I'm only paid in the episodes
i'm on. People forget about taxes, okay, and so you know,
(10:22):
just because you make it on TV, I'm I'm still,
I'm still. I was doing bookings every weekend the first
couple of seasons of Empire because I wasn't a regular,
so I couldn't count on being in every episode. Therefore
my money, right, rent, I gotta live. So I was
I was flying, gotta look good, going to these events, makeup, wardrobe,
(10:44):
you know this. And so it's like, you know, I
was doing a lot of club appearances for real, Like
it was great the exposure, but I needed the money.
So so you know what I mean, It's just it's
what you said. Once you get on TV, people automatically like, oh,
you're rich. Not the case, psych I'm arriving. I haven't arrived,
but I'm arriving. Asking with Michael B. Jordan. He just
(11:04):
did an interview a million dollars worth the game and
he was like, you know, they was they was talking
to him about man, do you feel like you made it?
And he was like, I finally feel like that I
made And I'm thirty six and I've been acting for
you know, fifteen years, and he I finally feel like
I've made it with this Creed movie. I feel like
I have arrived. So yeah, that says a lot about
(11:24):
this business. People just automatically think, you know, because you're
on TV, you're making all this money and stuff like that,
and that you could just take care of your whole family. Yeah, instantly, right,
that's crazy question. So you're nineteen, This is changing, and
mental is evolving, and relationships are changing. Are you in
a relationship? Are you single at this particular time. We'll
be right back with more of The Baller Alert Show.
(11:52):
You're listening to a special edition of The Baller Alert Show.
What's up? It's Sireya and you're listening to the Baller
Alert sh The question I'm trying to ask is everything
is changing? What about your relationship status? What about if
you are seeing someone, did that change? You know? I'm Sorea.
You know everybody knows Srea, but now I'm sorry. On
TV it's different, right, it gets a little, it just changes,
(12:15):
you know. And in guys sometimes they feel a little
the ego be threatened. You're surrounded by celebrities, money and access, right,
so now they may feel a way, you know, And
so I've dealt with all of that. I mean, it's
it's definitely a thing. But um, I was I did date.
(12:36):
No one just didn't. No one knew. Okay, I'm very
I'm a private person. You know. Even in my last situation,
we were together for a year before we went public.
So yeah, that's it's how did that even happen? How
last situation did you go where you got somewhere together
or how did that even? How did y'all get together?
(12:56):
You and Jacob? When did we meet? Yeah? Like, how
did you guys connect? Like the point where you decided
to be together? Oh? Okay, okay, So well, both of
our shows shoot in Chicago, and I think there was
just a specific summer where the Shy and some of
the casts from Empire we all know each other. We
shoot down the street from each other, by the way,
on the studio film a lot. So we were just
(13:19):
all hanging out for a summer, and it just kind
of happened that way. The friendship built into more. So
you y'all were there on the summer. Was it a
break or y'all were shooting? And then well empire always
started right after fourth of July. Okay, so we were
we were there shooting during the summer. Yeah, okay, y'all
got bored and then he was like, yo, let's hang out.
We don't know. I knew him for years before that,
(13:45):
but so it just happened to happen that summer. So
y'all started as like friends, and yes, evolved right, yes,
Like what's your type? Do you have any type? I
don't have a type, honestly, I really don't. But I
could say, um, someone who's confident and sure and evolving
and uh, you know, is kind of aware of themselves
(14:06):
and can can reciprocate energy that type of thing. Um,
obviously doing his own thing, has his own thing going,
and and I'm good, you know, I don't need to
jump into someone's already made situation. I'm not interested in that.
I um, because I'm doing my own thing. You're not
(14:27):
focused on your bag. But I do think it's important
for both people to have, you know, their own things.
Going to have a job, yes people say that, but realistically,
like you had things that you like, right, Like you
may like to travel, you may like life thing, So realistically,
you're gonna want a partner that can appease that. Like, yes,
(14:50):
you're not saying every day, right, but someone that can
compliment the lifestyle for sure. For sure. Yeah, I mean
you're not going to go back to like your old
neighborhood and just start dating Joe from down the street.
Like it's got to be someone of some type of
(15:18):
that for her, never via your neighborhood. So you got
You didn't come out and say that you guys broke up.
It was like a mutual decision, I guess, or you
guys are apart. You said yeah, yeah, so are you
guys still friends now? Or I wouldn't say friends. Um,
(15:43):
but we have had, you know, conversations afterwards, and I
think that it's it's no bad blood. I think it's
just um, something that we both realized that right now
at this time, Um, he's focused on what he's doing,
and I am too, and sometimes you just gotta be
(16:03):
mature about it and be like, Okay, we're not gonna
sit here and go back and forth all day. You know,
I still am rooting for you. I obviously love him
and I have loved for him, and I want to
I want him in, you know, a beautiful situation, and
he's got things going on. Dropped a movie in theaters,
you know what I mean. So it's just certain things
where I don't want no bad blood. I didn't we
(16:27):
didn't say anything on purpose. I didn't. I never wanted that,
so but I do realize that with me saying nothing
says a lot. So yeah, well I thought it did.
I think you guys did it so slightly when it
was too quick obvious when the pres got deleted, that's
(16:49):
when that's when I was like, yeah, they it's OK. Well,
I know guys, when when the when the picture of
Joey Badass came out there and they're like, oh, it
seems like they look really good. That's why I was like,
I was like, where is Jacob? No, So for me,
I mean, I know Jacob, and you know, of course
I was able to see you guys. You guys were
very public like, I mean, you guys went to a
(17:11):
lot of events together, you shared photos of each other
on social media. So for me, I did start to
question at some point like, oh, they're getting a little quiet,
like what what is happening? And I did not assume
it was work or anything, because you guys are always working,
but you still seem to find time to be with
each other to support each other. So I definitely was like, Okay,
I don't the relationship is over. They're not all down. First,
(17:40):
I think we just stopped posting together. Yeah. Yeah, it
wasn't a bad breakup because I feel like to not.
Maybe I'm a little different, but I'm friends with all
my exes, like we are cordial. It's very mature. Listen,
it ain't working. Doesn't mean that we don't have love
and respect for each other, but as far as being
in an intimate relationship, gonna leave that alone. Um, but
(18:02):
for you to say that you guys are not friends,
are you friendly? Oh well yeah, like if I see
him as hey, you know what I'm saying. It's not
like we have that blood like I said, but um,
friends with me like we communicate, which we don't. Got it.
Only thing going on man, she gonna be a man,
She would say, no so much other things to worry about,
(18:25):
you know. And sometimes I'm very much like you where
I can be Core Jones. Yeah, but everyone's not like that.
You have to also respect that factor too, for sure. Yeah.
Everybody ain't like that. They might text you them, but
like you miss me. Hell so the picture of you
and Joey came out like what was your he don't
(18:48):
want to he scared. I was very surprised. I um,
I didn't expect that. He fools, I said, I had
had me, had all of us fools? I said, she
don't post them? Then it ain't really Then you posted,
I said, Oh talking about that, I said, oh, oh gosh,
I was, and I'm filming right now Kingdom business and
(19:11):
how was that work? Like god, my phone is own
fire like I wasn't. I mean, of course, right, but
I just wasn't expecting that. And then I wasn't expecting
people to be like saying the things they were saying.
And you know, I usually don't recomment what I say.
(19:32):
It surprised you. I didn't know I had so many haters.
Oh no, I was looking too, I seeing a lot. No,
I swear listen. I don't know. Look, I didn't look
at the shade room or maybe the big ones, but
on his posts it was a lot going on. But
(19:58):
I think, um, I think it was very interesting. It
was it was kind of funny. I was laughing a
little bit. And you know the videos out, did you
guys watch it? I haven't yet. Is definitely like a
love story. So it's a really really dope video and concept.
You had a soulful picture came up, Oh this guy,
(20:21):
what's going on? See? No, he didn't. I was just like,
man Jacob Joey Badass, so different, right, And then that's
why I was like, what's your type? I don't have
a type. It could be someone who's like super clean cut, fashionable,
and then it could be someone who might be a
little edgy. So I believed it. I thought you were
with him. But he he believes in polygamy. No, he
(20:42):
believes in multiple girlfriends. Joey Badass. Aquarius is in general
to me general, we're not met for like one person
or one thing or one we got to move around.
Aquarius is are real, like we like an entity. You
feel like Aquarius can't be monogamous. Well, I can't speak
for all Aquarius, but you know, I do resonate with
that person personally. You know, I'm not sure if relationship
(21:04):
is necessarily for me one percent. I was like, I
do not see her being a girl from one two three?
I ask you this was like, we're gonna ask her
this relationship and Octavia said, I don't think she's into
that type of definitely not y'all know, girl, But I
was like, no way, come on. That was for his
song show me Yes, and now you have a song
(21:26):
that can we talk about that song? And it just
fid Sexy went to her single release the other night
and just hearing the song over and over and seeing
different types of people vibe to it. Girl did that Yeah,
I appreciate you, Yes, absolutely, but yeah, like it's one
(21:47):
of my favorite songs right now. It just feels so good.
And I'm just in a space where, um, you know,
releasing more music is upon you know horizons, yes, independently
and um and yeah, I've been I've been in my bag,
but I've been just working. I've just been in the lab.
(22:08):
So yeah, and it's and it's starting to finally like blossom.
You know, when you like when you plan to seed
and it's just there, just water in it. I listen
to a lot, so I'm talking about planning the seed. Um.
And you know when you first start seeing that little
bit of something coming off the ground. I feel like
that's where I'm at right now. And it's been a
(22:31):
lot of years of just ever since the Empire, I've
been in the studio for years. I just want to say,
how do you find the time? Because your schedule is crazy? Yeah,
I um, now it's super crazy. But like on Empire,
whatever I had time off or anything, I would just
be in studio. That's what I was doing. UM. And
it's also an outlet for me, so it's very natural space.
But as far as putting music out, I I have
(22:54):
developed my own vibe and what that is. And you know,
I'm a performer, so has to be something that we
can move to. And I happened to, you know, link
up with this artist, Village Boy Prince in la Um.
Check him out. Yeah, I gotta check him out and
um and yeah, we just started vibing and it was
a great vibe. I'm excited. When when will that be completed?
(23:21):
Were writing the date and I'm probably gonna be in
be a minute though, because yeah, yeah, I don't have
a date yet, but I am gonna put out another
single in the summer for sure. We'll be right back.
Stay tuned with more of The Baller Alert Show. You're
listening to a special edition of The Baller Alert Show.
(23:42):
What's up? It's Soreya and you're listening to the Baller
Alert sh I have a personal question in a timeframe
of tattoos, I don't see any tattoos. You just can't
say them, no, But I do have tattoos, like one
here as most sleeves or anything's going to ever come
(24:04):
probably not. I would. I really would love to do that,
but I can't stand the pain. So that's why they're kind. Yeah,
that's why they're little, and because you know, like just
it's just a lot. When you on TV, you gotta
get your got to do that every t you know,
a long time, some of my um some of my peers,
(24:27):
actor friends have to go through that to come an
hour early to get the host leave covered up. That's
just too much. Yeah, why do you feel after all
this time people are finally gravitating to your music, your sound?
You know what, for a long time, I was Tiana
from Empire and hard to detach, I think. So I
think it was hard and I fought it for a
while and I was getting frustrated a little bit, but
(24:49):
you know what, I started to just ride the wave
and UM, be okay with that. And you know, it's
a beautiful thing to be recognized for what you're doing.
So I now I'm starting to feel like now that
I'm kind of branching myself out of that into all
these different avenues, people are able to you know, see
(25:10):
me and kind of just see Sirea for what Sarrea is.
And you're growing up, like you know, on television and
people are seeing you in a different light. And speaking
of um, you're on the series BMF, how was your
thought process going into something like that? Because with those
type of shows, those fifty cent power and all that stuff,
it's a lot of it's it's a little more heavier
(25:32):
than an empire or a kingdom business. You know, it's
a you know, you got the nudity, the sex scenes
and you just never know. I mean because cash Dog
her first time on the thing was just you know,
just bow in your face. So like, what was your
thought process going into BAMF. I was so excited, y'all.
I love gritty. They said no makeup. I was like, yes, yeah,
(25:55):
you know, like I love being outside of what I'm
used to or what people are used to seeing me
as being a pop star for six years. It felt
good to just jump into something that felt really grounded
and real. And I got to you know, Lorie, she's
a tom tom boy. She plays ball, you know, so
(26:16):
it was just a whole different thing that I was
that I can relate to. You know, growing up, I
played ball growing up. So yeah, so point guard grow
um so so yeah, it made me feel excited, excited
to jump into this new this other world. And also, um,
fifty cent is has amazing content. Yes, like his his
(26:44):
I mean, but it is and it's so good and
and it's it's grounded and it's real and um, you know,
there's so many different avenues now to jump in with
all the different shows Ye's going on, and I think
at some point I was I was like, I gotta
be on one of the shows. All the classics, yeah,
(27:07):
are definitely a staple. What's crazy is I did a
vision board some years ago and I always said, uh,
black classic. Yeah, when the picture was Nia Long and
Lorenz and Love Jones and that was just so I
feel like I kind of like, you just know, it's
(27:29):
not a film, but it's a lot of different black
classics shows. So I mean I kind of checked that off.
Now I'm like, Okay, where's my action Yeah, diversify your portfolio,
da um action packed. I really want to really, Yeah,
that's that's my dream role that and Mark, are you
afraid of like being in that bubble of like black actresses,
(27:54):
actresses who literally stay in that bubble. It's hard for
some of them to dive versified, like the roles that
they get or even the publicity they get the media
outlets to talk about them, Like, are you ever concerned
about being in that bubble? I think that it's natural
to be concerned with that, right because I mean I
(28:14):
can only speak for myself. But there are other things
I want to do, such as Marvel, such as these things.
So but but no, I feel like it's beautiful. I mean,
it's a thing that I feel like you don't realize
until you get in the industry and you started like, oh,
there's other things, and there's you know, but for me,
growing up black Classics was everything, you know, and that's
(28:36):
what I looked up to. So I take pride in
being considered amongst the group that we consider, you know,
black classic actors, because I think it's great work. Personally.
Before you came in here, VT, we were talking, I
was just like you kind of like the way that
you're taking over the screen is kind of like giving
(28:58):
me near long vibes anyway, So Raz, we had a
harder vision board because we just put me along here already.
And I feel like, you know, as you continue to
grow in your career, you're gonna be right there too,
and we're just so proud of you. And I'm just
I just love seeing your face and I can't wait
to see the more of you, and I just feel
like we got to know a lot more of you
(29:18):
in this interview. You know what I'm saying, just from
where you came from to where you are now, and
I'm just excited, Thank you, thank you. I appreciate you.
You're so sweet. And also you know, it's we started
from the bottom for real. Yeah you know what I'm saying,
And I think, yeah, thank you, And I take pride
in that because there's so much that we all have
to deal with whether where we're from because because of
(29:40):
you know, our skin color, and you know, we fight.
We fight all the time. We fight in to do
whatever it is we want to do. And so I
try to lead with that and and and stay grateful
in the process, because there's always another level, there's always
another role. There's always something bigger and better and more
money and more accolades and awards and everything, you know
(30:01):
what I mean. But I love I love being grounded
and touching the people and and relate and being relatable.
So real quick, did people ever mess up your name
all the time? I'm everything in the world, Soria Serena
Williams Serena. Your real name, Well, it's weird say that's
(30:23):
my government name, Sia. We appreciate you. Was talking about
a baller show anytime. Please come back. Thank you for
having me. Thank you so much. I love it here.
I can't get enough of baller Alert. Follow us on
all social media platforms at baller alert. Go on to
baller alert dot com.
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