August 29, 2025 • 35 mins
Meet Briannagh D, the 23-year-old musical powerhouse who defies expectations at every turn. From earning her master's degree at Columbia to collaborating with hip-hop legend MC Lyte, she's built an impressive career while maintaining an authenticity that's genuinely refreshing.
The conversation begins with Briannagh sharing her remarkable journey, which started at age 8 singing in church choirs and releasing her first single by 11. What stands out immediately is her uncommon poise and wisdom, something host Alethea Crimmins quickly notices. When asked how she stays so grounded, Briannagh offers a perspective that resonates deeply: "I keep God as the main center and focus of my life." This spiritual foundation, alongside a supportive family, has helped her navigate the inevitable rejections in her entertainment career.
Perhaps most compelling is Briannagh’s candid reflection on failure. Rather than viewing rejection as defeat, she sees it as redirection—protection from what wasn't meant for her. This philosophy has served her well through auditions, competitions, and career setbacks. She admits to being a perfectionist with "plans that have plans," yet works daily to embrace life's unpredictability.
The conversation shifts to her latest single "Realest Wine," featuring MC Lyte—a vibrant dancehall track that fulfills Briannagh longtime dream of creating music that makes people dance. Beyond her musical pursuits, we discover her philanthropic partnership with The Thirst Project, where she's helping provide clean water to communities worldwide.
Throughout the episode, Briannagh demonstrates that success doesn't require sacrificing authenticity. Her closing advice—"Take it one day at a time. Expect three things will go wrong daily"—reveals the balanced perspective that's allowed her to thrive across multiple domains.
Stream "Realest Wine" now and follow Briannagh D across all platforms @BriannaghHD to witness firsthand how this young artist is redefining what it means to live your dreams while staying true to yourself.
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Speaker 1 (00:18):
yeah, hello, hello, hello, and welcome back to in
the passenger seat with yourpositivity.
Queen aletheia crimmons, howy'all doing?
Did you miss me, baby?
Now let me tell you something.
I'm excited to be sitting inthis seat right now because my
guest today, honey, when I tellyou she is going to make you get
up on your feet and do a littlesomething, something y'all know
(00:38):
I love me some music, y'allknow I do.
And, baby, dance hall is myjewish, because I like to whine
and whine and whine and whine.
And this queen that I havetoday, baby, she is 23 years old
, 23.
And the things that she hasaccomplished a college graduate,
(01:00):
mtv, vmas, bet awards and somuch more.
She is a boss, she is a force,and I am so honored to have her
on my show today.
Can you please give it up tothe fearless, the vibrant, the
(01:20):
beautiful Brianna.
What's going?
Speaker 2 (01:26):
on.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
Oh my goodness ma'am.
I'm wonderful.
How are you?
I am good, and can I say thatyou are looking fabulous.
Honey, you are looking fabulous.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
Thank you, as are you .
Speaker 1 (01:42):
Thank you.
So tell us a little bit aboutwho Rihanna is, because, listen,
you are 23 years old and youare doing all of this like you
are, you have a degree fromColumbia.
Like you have hits after hitsafter hits.
(02:05):
You're working with icons.
You did a campaign with Nike.
You are working with thelegendary MC Lyte.
How do you manage all of thesethings?
Speaker 2 (02:20):
Thank you.
Thank you.
Yes, I recently graduated fromColumbia with my master's and
prior to that I graduated withmy bachelor's from UCLA.
I have been just working onmusic pretty much since I was
like I put on my first song, Iwant to say when I was around 11
or 12.
Really, and just been droppingyeah, yeah, just been dropping
(02:44):
singles pretty much since then.
And, yeah, I've beensongwriting, acting, singing.
I play the piano and the steelpan.
I have worked kind of, like youmentioned, with MC Light on my
most recent song, realist Wine.
I worked with Jadakiss on atrack in 2022.
(03:07):
And Edie, the dance hallcelebrity, on Feel the Beat,
that feeling, with Cassidy.
So I've been collaborating witha bunch of different people and
just continuing to grow throughmy music.
To grow through my music and,you know, as a person, while
(03:31):
still doing the schooling andthe entertainment career.
Speaker 1 (03:33):
That just sounds like a lot like you wear a lot of
hats and it seemed like you knewat a very young age what you
wanted to do and what your goalwas.
Like you, you knew fromstarting at 11.
You said that you put out yourfirst single at 11.
Most most people don't don'tknow.
(03:53):
I know I didn't know what Iwanted to do at 11.
So how did how did how?
Did you know that?
You know that you knew music iswhat I wanted.
What did that start from?
Speaker 2 (04:09):
Yeah, so I started singing really when I was around
eight years old.
I sang in the church choir, theschool choir, just in my living
room at recess, anywhere Icould sing.
Speaker 1 (04:24):
Everywhere, everywhere, you know.
In my living room, at recess,like anywhere, I could sing
everywhere, everywhere yes, Ijust I loved listening to music.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
I always had my iPod touch with me.
I know that was a thing back inthe day, not really yes, yes you
know, had my iPod touch, wasalways listening to different
songs, um, but I knew I wantedto sing because I loved being on
stages, I loved being in frontof people, even if it wasn't a
physical stage, I just likedbeing in the presence of others
(04:51):
and singing and performing andentertaining in any way, shape
or form.
And so that feeling that I hadwithin me when I was performing
in front of others was prettyunmatched, and so I knew that
that meant something significantand that it would potentially
it potentially is my calling andcould be my, you know a career
(05:13):
path that I could take for therest of my life, and so I
definitely was delving deeperinto it as I got older and, you
know, started accumulating aresume, going on auditions,
really taking it seriously,around that same time that I
dropped the single when I was inmiddle school, like 11 years
(05:35):
old, and started competing intalent shows all sorts of things
.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
You seem so grounded like you.
You seem like you have thissoul that has been here before,
like you.
Just, you're just so likepoised and so demure like you.
You just have this like thingabout you, Like how did you, how
(06:08):
do you stay grounded, Like, howdo you stay true to who you are
at such a young, vibrant agewhere most people 23, they do
not have it all together, butyou just seem like and I may be
wrong, but from from where I'msitting, you just seem like you
(06:30):
just have it all together.
Girl, how do you do that?
Speaker 2 (06:35):
Thank you so so much.
I mean, I'm definitely stillfiguring out my own way,
definitely don't have like allthe answers to like this is how
you should live your life orthis is what you should do, and
I'm, you know, so structured andeverything is, you know,
perfect.
I definitely have failed, beenrejected multiple times, you
know, throughout my career mademany, many mistakes, but I think
(07:00):
, just through it all, I keepGod as the main center and focus
of my life.
You know I'm a Christian.
I know that.
You know people have theirother views and beliefs.
I definitely respect that aswell, but for me, I just think
it has kind of helped me toremain grounded, just because I
(07:21):
know like okay, when things aregoing wrong, at least I know
that you know God is with me andI can just.
You know, I think I have a greatfamily as well, who are really
supportive and wonderful, andyou know they're just my biggest
cheerleaders and I'm so blessedto have that and I just try to
wake up every day and rememberthat I have a roof over my head,
(07:44):
I have clean water to drink.
I have so many things to begrateful for, even the little
things that we often forgetabout.
We have to just like come backand remember okay, wait, I'm
actually so grateful to beliving in this moment right now
because someone else has itworse.
Someone else is, you know,probably on their deathbed right
now, and we have health, wehave strength, we have, you know
(08:07):
, people who love us.
So, you know, there's alwayssomething like a what at least
there's an at least I think I'vesaid this on another podcast at
one point but there's alwayslike an at least, you know, and
there are people who have itworse than us.
So I definitely think aboutthat on a regular basis.
Speaker 1 (08:29):
So, yeah, I love, I love, love, love, love, love.
How you worded that, how youput that, because it's so true.
Like oftentimes we don't thinkabout the things that we do have
, because we're so focused onwhat we do not have that we
don't see everything that we dohave, like we're waiting on
(08:52):
blessings to come, we're waitingto be blessed more, not
realizing you have already beenblessed, like you have every day
that you open your eyes.
That is another gift, and Ilove how you said it's the at
least.
I may not have the best vehiclein the world, but at least I
(09:16):
have one.
At least I can get from point Ato point B.
I may not have the best job inthe world, but at least I have a
job where I can pay my bills.
I may not be living the bestlife, but at least I'm living
life.
So I love how you said the atleast part, because I think a
(09:37):
lot of people need to hear thatyou may not have it all.
You may not have it all.
You may not have the best ofthe best, but at least.
At least you are not what otherpeople are, because there is
somebody that wishes that theyhad what you have.
A lot of people do not like toopenly talk about God and their
(10:01):
faith and how they feel about it, but you're very open about.
Look, I'm a Christian.
Other people may not be, but Iam, and I know that God has
blessed me with this, so I'mgoing to give him the glory.
Can you give us like a littlebit more about how you became so
(10:24):
grounded in your faith?
And also you mentioned aboutyou you failing.
A lot of people feel like whenI fail, that's it when, when I
fail, I just I just need to stop.
So how did you overcome yourfailures?
Speaker 2 (10:50):
stop.
So how did you overcome yourfailures?
Yeah, so I um, definitely I'vebeen experiencing like
rejections, failures, uh, foryou know, ever since I started,
really, um, and I at first, youknow, especially since I was 10
years old, nine years old, likereally, really young I
definitely took it to heart andI, I knew that it would be a
(11:11):
part of it.
I knew that, like, okay, everyaudition you go on, you won't
get the role or you won't bookthe gig or whatever the case may
be, you won't win thecompetition in.
You know, in every instance,like you will have to deal with
those failures and thoserejections.
And you know, in every instance, like you will have to deal
with those failures and thoserejections.
And, um, you know, there wereadults who would remind me of
that too, um, professionals, andI, I definitely listened to
(11:34):
those around me.
I wasn't just kind of like, youknow, hearing things goes in
one ear and out the other.
I really listened to whatpeople were saying and made
mental notes, and so I learnedpretty quickly just through
being a very observant person.
I've always been very observant, even as a child, and just kind
(11:56):
of hyper aware of things thatwere happening around me.
You know, and I think it'simportant to kind of soak things
in and, uh, just be beingobservant, because sometimes
we're just so caught up in otherthings and we forget to pay
attention to what's happening inthat very moment.
(12:18):
And so you can learn a lot now,yes, yes, you can learn a lot
from being in the now, like yousaid, um, and so I I just knew
that rejections would be a partof the game.
You know, it's not everything isgoing to be all positive and
all you know, and as, eventhough we love positivity and
(12:40):
it's, it's a great thing, justrealistically, um, there will be
those moments where we facerejection, we face criticisms,
and we can't just look at itthrough that lens of, oh my gosh
.
You know, the world is over, Ican't do this anymore, Just
because this one time it didn'twork out.
Okay, it didn't work out thistime, but at some point
(13:06):
something else is going to workout and it'll be at the right
moment, at the right time andit'll be the right position, and
it'll all just be what it'ssupposed to be, because maybe
this is something we wanted, butit wasn't supposed to be.
Speaker 1 (13:18):
I just had a conversation about this
yesterday Cause, like granted, Iam the positivity queen, but I
do it in a very realistic way,because rejection is going to
happen.
It's something that we can'tget away from, like everything
(13:39):
won't be rainbows, sunshines,roses but it's what you do after
you get that, it's what you dowhen you're in the midst of it.
What are you going to choose todo?
What are you going to choose todo after you get that?
And a lot of things that wethink that we want in life.
(14:00):
You are absolutely right.
Life, you are absolutely rightwe're not ready for, because we
have to be in a position toreceive it.
And oftentimes we think thatwe're there and we're not there
yet.
We're just being set up.
So sometimes that rejection isthe protection that we didn't
(14:20):
even know that we needed, andoftentimes we think that this is
something that we want and weneed so bad.
Yes, but you have to understandthat everything comes in time
and it might not be your time,and oftentimes we overlook, we
say that we didn't get results.
(14:40):
No, you got them, but it justdidn't come in the package that
you wanted them and that's whyyou overlooked it, because it
didn't come in the package thatyou wanted.
So what?
What happens when Brianna wantsresults, but it doesn't come in
the package that you want?
(15:01):
How do you handle that and what?
What do you choose to do whenthat happens?
Speaker 2 (15:10):
oh, I actually love that question so much I am,
honestly, I am still working onthat, because I'm very much yes,
I am still working on that I'mvery much a perfectionist.
I like for things to I, I liketo pre-plan things and be like
okay, this is how it's going tobe, and this, this, this and
this, and I have a whole planand I'm organizing.
Speaker 1 (15:29):
You one of those, you , you one of those that they
have to have all their ducks ina row.
You're like plans, have plans.
Speaker 2 (15:39):
Yes, yes, my plans have plans, and then I have to
pre-check those plans and then,once those plans are finalized,
I have to go back and look atthem again.
Oh no, so I, unfortunately, amone of those which means that it
takes a little bit of extrawork to get to that place of
like.
Okay, I'm fine, it didn't workthe way that I wanted it to work
out, but it's okay, because Igo back to that same pattern of
(16:03):
thinking of like okay, but it'swhat's meant to be will be.
Speaker 1 (16:37):
And so I have to let it go and be okay with it being
this way, because get what wewant.
How does your tantrum and hissyfit look like when?
Whenever it's like oh I wasthis close and I don't
understand what happened, like,how does that look for you?
Speaker 2 (16:56):
Yeah, so there are definitely.
There've been moments of likefrustration, for sure, I think
for me, when one of thosemoments hits like the absolute
worst.
I feel like they always come inat the worst times when I like
I I'm either really cold andreally tired and, you know,
haven't eaten in many, manyhours.
Speaker 1 (17:16):
And like everything, just like aggravates you and it
just takes that one more thingto push you over the edge.
Speaker 2 (17:24):
I, I literally, I think like I had got like some
disappointing news and I, Iguess I was kind of bottling up
those feelings and then, like,what sent me over the edge was
like I was in the kitchen and Ilike dropped a fork on the
ground and I just lost it andthat was it.
That was it.
This is the final straw.
(17:45):
Me dropping this fork on theground is the final straw and I
(18:08):
just sent you over the edge.
Personally, that I, I work hardand I push myself and it's
great, but also, you know, it'sgreat until it's not, and so you
have to just give yourself thatgrace and that leeway to take a
little rest, you know, and theworld's not going to explode if
you, if you take a break andslow down a little bit, you know
(18:28):
, here and there.
So, um, I am constantly workingon myself and open to hearing
new methods of how I can work onmyself and how I can become a
better individual.
So just learning and growingthrough it all.
Speaker 1 (18:48):
Is music one of those things that helps you get in
your zen space, like is.
Is that because I remember yousaying that you were a
songwriter?
Do you find that in thoseplaces, like when you were like
really frustrated, or on thoseplaces of rejection?
(19:11):
Places of rejection because Iknow, like Adele, like one of
her best albums came from aplace of hurt and a lot of
artists write when they're intheir like darkest moments or
the hardest moments.
Do you find that that happensfor you or is it the opposite?
Speaker 2 (19:38):
for you, or is it the opposite?
I think that songwritingdefinitely takes me to a place
of like peace, and sometimeswhen I have just like too much
going on and I feel a bitoverwhelmed, I'll just like
listen to different beats andI'll try to be creative, come up
with different melodies, lyricideas.
So it does kind of work in thatway where it soothes me and it
calms me down for sure.
Speaker 1 (20:00):
Well, this single that you have, it is like.
It gives a layer of pop, dancehall culture and empowerment.
So the realest wine you broughtinto you brought a legend in to
(20:22):
this like one of the greatestfemale rappers in the game mc
light.
How did this collaborationhappen?
Like what?
Speaker 2 (20:37):
I honestly I love MC Light so much.
She is the queen, she is alegend, and it kind of it came
about because we were actuallyworking on the set of a TV show
and we were filming on the sameepisode and so I spoke with her
while I was on the set that dayand, um, you know, I loved her
(21:00):
energy.
She's just like very kind andvery down to earth and, um, you
know, so that's also importantto not just super talented but
also really down to earth woman.
And um, so I had this song,realist Wine, and I was kind of
thinking like, do I want afeature for this song?
Do I want to just rock out onmy own for this song?
(21:22):
And I just kind of felt like itmight take the song up a notch
a little bit if I had someoneelse's flow just coming in.
And since she is a hip-hopartist, I thought like this I
feel like MC light, if, ifanyone can do it, mc light can
hop on like a dance hall poptrack like she is versatile and
(21:45):
she did yes, she killed it, so Ithink it definitely was she did
?
I was just like okay, Definitely.
Speaker 1 (22:08):
How does it feel to create that type of music that
has this type of energy thatjust makes you feel good, that
just makes you want to dance?
Has this always been the typeof music that you love to create
?
This dance hall.
Speaker 2 (22:17):
Oh, 100%.
I just love like vibrant music,like energetic.
It makes you want to get up andmove and dance and just feel
amazing.
So I've always loved that kindof music, even since I was a kid
, even throughout differentgenres.
I was just one of those kidswho loved music that I could
(22:40):
dance to.
And so, yeah, no, I've alwayswanted to create a song like
this.
I didn't know what it soundedlike, I didn't know, but the
feeling I knew.
Once I heard the final versionof the track, I was like this is
what I've always wanted to putout.
I've always wanted to put out asong like this, and it made me
feel so good once it wascompleted, because I was like I
(23:04):
really I think that I checkedsomething off the bucket list,
like I put out a song that gaveme that feeling that I had as a
kid growing up listening to likethose energetic pop tracks and
this, this just felt so rightand it felt perfect for the
summertime and it was justeverything that I wanted it to
be, and so I'm really reallyproud of it.
Speaker 1 (23:25):
Yes, I love it.
You know, I know that you getasked these these types of
questions a lot.
I pride myself on this podcastbecause I want to get to know
you outside of the artistBrianna.
I want to know you and I wantmy audience to know you.
(23:49):
So tell me something aboutyourself that we can't find or
hear on blogs or podcasts or ininterviews, like something about
you that makes you who you are,that you've never been able to
say out loud on on any type ofmedia outlet, but that you've
(24:13):
always wanted to let people knowabout you.
Speaker 2 (24:17):
I honestly just love to see other people um to to
kind of share my happiness, andso I love when I can see, you
know, children, adults, people,young and old, who look
completely different, justdiverse groups of people feeling
(24:41):
a sense of extreme happiness,like it makes me feel good to
see that other people arefeeling good.
And you know, I know that youknow, even just being a part of
different nonprofitorganizations, for me that makes
(25:16):
me feel happy because I knowthat it's making a difference in
someone else's life.
And recently I actuallypartnered with Thirst Project
and they are a nonprofitorganization that kind of helps
give out clean drinking water todifferent kids, adults in
different countries, which Ithink is really, really amazing.
(25:38):
You know, a fun fact about themis that they actually, if you
give a $25 donation, it can giveone person clean water for life
, which I thought was like superincredible, like just $25.
And you, you know the there iskind of like an issue with
(25:58):
people not receiving cleandrinking water, and it's it's
not even a small number, it'slike the number is, I want to
say, 700 million people that donot have access to clean
drinking water.
So it's something that Idefinitely got more into um as
of late and just being involvedin that and seeing like videos
that you know friends haveshared with me, of people having
(26:22):
to go walk miles to like findwater and it's not even clean
drinking water and it, you know,it's contaminated and it makes
them sick and they wind up inthe hospital.
Some end up dead, like it's.
It's such a real thing and so Ithink for me, just being a part
of something that's bigger thanthe music and bigger than the
entertainment industry and thatgoes outside of this, this like
(26:47):
bubble is so, so important to mepersonally, important to me
personally, and it makes me feelgood to see that other people
can, you know be bettering theirsituations.
Speaker 1 (27:07):
I love that and I love that you do all of this
outside of your music.
Speaking of putting people in abetter situation, it is time
for one of my favorite segmentsof the episode Ask Alethea,
where you send me your questionsand I answer them in real time
(27:28):
on my podcast.
Ok, this one comes fromsomebody who is anonymous, okay,
and it says Alethea, I am in arelationship and I have a very
demanding career.
I travel a lot and I do try mybest to focus on my relationship
(27:51):
, but at times it does get hard.
Recently, my partner asked meif we can have an open girl.
Recently, my partner asked meif we can have an open
relationship because he does notwant to cheat on me.
I don't know what I should do.
(28:12):
Please help.
Oh, baby.
Usually I give my guests thethe honor of answering first,
cause they I need.
I need to collect myself beforeI answer this question.
(28:36):
So what are your thoughts onthis?
Rihanna?
Speaker 2 (28:39):
I know that for me personally, um, you know,
everyone's situation looksdifferent, but if I were in that
situation, I I would prefer tojust be single.
Um, you know, have that personfigure out what they want to do.
And you know, I know that theanonymous person mentioned that
they're very focused on theircareer.
They have a lot going on intheir career and they might
(29:01):
actually find a lot offulfillment in just going full
force down that path.
So maybe that's something thatthey could explore.
Speaker 1 (29:17):
Yeah, I totally get that.
But the thing is, most peoplethink an open relationship is a
quick fix, and it's not like.
This is a lifestyle.
This is this, this is your life.
Like this man is coming to youwith I don't want to cheat, but
I still want other options likethat, that's pretty much what
(29:41):
what I'm hearing.
I don't want to cheat, but Ialso want other options.
So what he's really saying isthat he's not fully fulfilled,
but he just doesn't know how towork it out with you.
He just does not know how towork it out with you, and that
is an issue.
I don't feel like you shouldmake life altering decisions
(30:05):
based on guilt or pressure, andI feel like that what he's
trying to do is guilt you orpressure you into, ultimately, a
lifelong choice that you willhave to end up dealing with, and
that is not okay.
So, before you agree ordisagree, you need to be clear
(30:27):
on what you want, on what youwant and what you want out of
this relationship.
Does it align with your values,with your emotional needs?
What's your vision for lovereally is like.
This may not be what love lookslike for you, and that's okay.
So you have to figure out whatyou want, because, honey, it is
(30:51):
okay to say no.
And if this is not what thislooks like, if, if you want to
focus on you saying no tosomebody else's, saying yes to
to yourself, so give yourselfthat yes that you deserve.
And if it's not for you,sometimes you just got to let
people go and focus on you.
(31:13):
So, if you are watching, if youare listening right now, I hope
that this helps.
Do not abandon yourself forother people's pleasure, all
right, so listen.
If you want your questionsanswered, send your emails to
pimpinpositivityatgmailcom andyou might be the next person
(31:37):
that we answer your Ask.
Aletheia question.
Live on the podcast.
So I always close out with asegment called pass it on, and
this is a message that you cangive to somebody else, or this
(32:00):
is a message that you can giveto a past version of yourself.
So what message would you giveto your past version of yourself
that somebody would need tohear?
Speaker 2 (32:18):
I just want to say, like, take it one day at a time.
Every day, you should expectthat there are going to be at
least like three things thatwill go south, three things that
will just not go your way.
That has to be the expectation,because not every day is going
to be perfect.
And then, when things arebetter and there aren't so many
(32:41):
things going wrong, you'll justbe pleasantly surprised, and I
feel like it's always better tobe pleasantly surprised than to
just be let down.
So we want to just giveourselves that grace and not put
too much pressure on ourselves.
Speaker 1 (32:56):
I love that.
Oh, you are such a breath offresh air.
Can you please tell everyonewhere we can find you?
Speaker 2 (33:05):
Please tell everyone where we can find you,
Absolutely.
So I am on all social mediaplatforms.
I'm on all streaming platforms,just at Brianna D.
That's B-R-I-A-N-N-A-G-H-D, soa little different spelling.
But yeah, I'm on Instagram.
My YouTube channel is Brianna D.
I have the music video forRealist Wine on there.
(33:29):
Yeah, the music video is super,super cool.
Lots of party summer vibes,which is actually shot in St
Kitts, St Kitts and Nevis andyeah.
So all social media, just atBrianna D.
And Spotify, Apple Music,anywhere you download, stream,
(33:50):
listen to music.
So, yeah, Brianna D.
Speaker 1 (33:53):
You have definitely shown us that success does not
have to mean losing yourself inwho you are Like.
You can still be authenticallyyou like.
You can still be yourself.
In light of all of this, youcan still be you to everybody
(34:16):
that's listening right now.
Take notes.
Take notes.
You can live your dreams.
You can still be authenticallyyou.
You can still keep your valuesintact.
Thank you for being such ablessing today for me and for
other people listening all overthe world.
(34:39):
Family, go stream Realist Wineright now and follow Brianna on
all platforms.
Support artists who createmusic from their soul, who
create music that make you happy, because this is a time that we
need this more than anythingelse.
(34:59):
So go and listen to this musicthat just makes you feel good,
and you don't have to choosebetween who you are and where
you're going.
You can do both.
You can do both.
So listen.
Thank you so much for beinghere today.
Y'all continue to go out there,be great in they face and, as
(35:22):
always, you have a good day onpurpose here.
yeah, hello, hello, hello, and welcome back to in
the passenger seat with yourpositivity.
Queen aletheia crimmons, howy'all doing?
Did you miss me, baby?
Now let me tell you something.
I'm excited to be sitting inthis seat right now because my
guest today, honey, when I tellyou she is going to make you get
up on your feet and do a littlesomething, something y'all know
(00:38):
I love me some music, y'allknow I do.
And, baby, dance hall is myjewish, because I like to whine
and whine and whine and whine.
And this queen that I havetoday, baby, she is 23 years old
, 23.
And the things that she hasaccomplished a college graduate,
(01:00):
mtv, vmas, bet awards and somuch more.
She is a boss, she is a force,and I am so honored to have her
on my show today.
Can you please give it up tothe fearless, the vibrant, the
(01:20):
beautiful Brianna.
What's going?
Speaker 2 (01:26):
on.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
Oh my goodness ma'am.
I'm wonderful.
How are you?
I am good, and can I say thatyou are looking fabulous.
Honey, you are looking fabulous.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
Thank you, as are you .
Speaker 1 (01:42):
Thank you.
So tell us a little bit aboutwho Rihanna is, because, listen,
you are 23 years old and youare doing all of this like you
are, you have a degree fromColumbia.
Like you have hits after hitsafter hits.
(02:05):
You're working with icons.
You did a campaign with Nike.
You are working with thelegendary MC Lyte.
How do you manage all of thesethings?
Speaker 2 (02:20):
Thank you.
Thank you.
Yes, I recently graduated fromColumbia with my master's and
prior to that I graduated withmy bachelor's from UCLA.
I have been just working onmusic pretty much since I was
like I put on my first song, Iwant to say when I was around 11
or 12.
Really, and just been droppingyeah, yeah, just been dropping
(02:44):
singles pretty much since then.
And, yeah, I've beensongwriting, acting, singing.
I play the piano and the steelpan.
I have worked kind of, like youmentioned, with MC Light on my
most recent song, realist Wine.
I worked with Jadakiss on atrack in 2022.
(03:07):
And Edie, the dance hallcelebrity, on Feel the Beat,
that feeling, with Cassidy.
So I've been collaborating witha bunch of different people and
just continuing to grow throughmy music.
To grow through my music and,you know, as a person, while
(03:31):
still doing the schooling andthe entertainment career.
Speaker 1 (03:33):
That just sounds like a lot like you wear a lot of
hats and it seemed like you knewat a very young age what you
wanted to do and what your goalwas.
Like you, you knew fromstarting at 11.
You said that you put out yourfirst single at 11.
Most most people don't don'tknow.
(03:53):
I know I didn't know what Iwanted to do at 11.
So how did how did how?
Did you know that?
You know that you knew music iswhat I wanted.
What did that start from?
Speaker 2 (04:09):
Yeah, so I started singing really when I was around
eight years old.
I sang in the church choir, theschool choir, just in my living
room at recess, anywhere Icould sing.
Speaker 1 (04:24):
Everywhere, everywhere, you know.
In my living room, at recess,like anywhere, I could sing
everywhere, everywhere yes, Ijust I loved listening to music.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
I always had my iPod touch with me.
I know that was a thing back inthe day, not really yes, yes you
know, had my iPod touch, wasalways listening to different
songs, um, but I knew I wantedto sing because I loved being on
stages, I loved being in frontof people, even if it wasn't a
physical stage, I just likedbeing in the presence of others
(04:51):
and singing and performing andentertaining in any way, shape
or form.
And so that feeling that I hadwithin me when I was performing
in front of others was prettyunmatched, and so I knew that
that meant something significantand that it would potentially
it potentially is my calling andcould be my, you know a career
(05:13):
path that I could take for therest of my life, and so I
definitely was delving deeperinto it as I got older and, you
know, started accumulating aresume, going on auditions,
really taking it seriously,around that same time that I
dropped the single when I was inmiddle school, like 11 years
(05:35):
old, and started competing intalent shows all sorts of things
.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
You seem so grounded like you.
You seem like you have thissoul that has been here before,
like you.
Just, you're just so likepoised and so demure like you.
You just have this like thingabout you, Like how did you, how
(06:08):
do you stay grounded, Like, howdo you stay true to who you are
at such a young, vibrant agewhere most people 23, they do
not have it all together, butyou just seem like and I may be
wrong, but from from where I'msitting, you just seem like you
(06:30):
just have it all together.
Girl, how do you do that?
Speaker 2 (06:35):
Thank you so so much.
I mean, I'm definitely stillfiguring out my own way,
definitely don't have like allthe answers to like this is how
you should live your life orthis is what you should do, and
I'm, you know, so structured andeverything is, you know,
perfect.
I definitely have failed, beenrejected multiple times, you
know, throughout my career mademany, many mistakes, but I think
(07:00):
, just through it all, I keepGod as the main center and focus
of my life.
You know I'm a Christian.
I know that.
You know people have theirother views and beliefs.
I definitely respect that aswell, but for me, I just think
it has kind of helped me toremain grounded, just because I
(07:21):
know like okay, when things aregoing wrong, at least I know
that you know God is with me andI can just.
You know, I think I have a greatfamily as well, who are really
supportive and wonderful, andyou know they're just my biggest
cheerleaders and I'm so blessedto have that and I just try to
wake up every day and rememberthat I have a roof over my head,
(07:44):
I have clean water to drink.
I have so many things to begrateful for, even the little
things that we often forgetabout.
We have to just like come backand remember okay, wait, I'm
actually so grateful to beliving in this moment right now
because someone else has itworse.
Someone else is, you know,probably on their deathbed right
now, and we have health, wehave strength, we have, you know
(08:07):
, people who love us.
So, you know, there's alwayssomething like a what at least
there's an at least I think I'vesaid this on another podcast at
one point but there's alwayslike an at least, you know, and
there are people who have itworse than us.
So I definitely think aboutthat on a regular basis.
Speaker 1 (08:29):
So, yeah, I love, I love, love, love, love, love.
How you worded that, how youput that, because it's so true.
Like oftentimes we don't thinkabout the things that we do have
, because we're so focused onwhat we do not have that we
don't see everything that we dohave, like we're waiting on
(08:52):
blessings to come, we're waitingto be blessed more, not
realizing you have already beenblessed, like you have every day
that you open your eyes.
That is another gift, and Ilove how you said it's the at
least.
I may not have the best vehiclein the world, but at least I
(09:16):
have one.
At least I can get from point Ato point B.
I may not have the best job inthe world, but at least I have a
job where I can pay my bills.
I may not be living the bestlife, but at least I'm living
life.
So I love how you said the atleast part, because I think a
(09:37):
lot of people need to hear thatyou may not have it all.
You may not have it all.
You may not have the best ofthe best, but at least.
At least you are not what otherpeople are, because there is
somebody that wishes that theyhad what you have.
A lot of people do not like toopenly talk about God and their
(10:01):
faith and how they feel about it, but you're very open about.
Look, I'm a Christian.
Other people may not be, but Iam, and I know that God has
blessed me with this, so I'mgoing to give him the glory.
Can you give us like a littlebit more about how you became so
(10:24):
grounded in your faith?
And also you mentioned aboutyou you failing.
A lot of people feel like whenI fail, that's it when, when I
fail, I just I just need to stop.
So how did you overcome yourfailures?
Speaker 2 (10:50):
stop.
So how did you overcome yourfailures?
Yeah, so I um, definitely I'vebeen experiencing like
rejections, failures, uh, foryou know, ever since I started,
really, um, and I at first, youknow, especially since I was 10
years old, nine years old, likereally, really young I
definitely took it to heart andI, I knew that it would be a
(11:11):
part of it.
I knew that, like, okay, everyaudition you go on, you won't
get the role or you won't bookthe gig or whatever the case may
be, you won't win thecompetition in.
You know, in every instance,like you will have to deal with
those failures and thoserejections.
And you know, in every instance, like you will have to deal
with those failures and thoserejections.
And, um, you know, there wereadults who would remind me of
that too, um, professionals, andI, I definitely listened to
(11:34):
those around me.
I wasn't just kind of like, youknow, hearing things goes in
one ear and out the other.
I really listened to whatpeople were saying and made
mental notes, and so I learnedpretty quickly just through
being a very observant person.
I've always been very observant, even as a child, and just kind
(11:56):
of hyper aware of things thatwere happening around me.
You know, and I think it'simportant to kind of soak things
in and, uh, just be beingobservant, because sometimes
we're just so caught up in otherthings and we forget to pay
attention to what's happening inthat very moment.
(12:18):
And so you can learn a lot now,yes, yes, you can learn a lot
from being in the now, like yousaid, um, and so I I just knew
that rejections would be a partof the game.
You know, it's not everything isgoing to be all positive and
all you know, and as, eventhough we love positivity and
(12:40):
it's, it's a great thing, justrealistically, um, there will be
those moments where we facerejection, we face criticisms,
and we can't just look at itthrough that lens of, oh my gosh
.
You know, the world is over, Ican't do this anymore, Just
because this one time it didn'twork out.
Okay, it didn't work out thistime, but at some point
(13:06):
something else is going to workout and it'll be at the right
moment, at the right time andit'll be the right position, and
it'll all just be what it'ssupposed to be, because maybe
this is something we wanted, butit wasn't supposed to be.
Speaker 1 (13:18):
I just had a conversation about this
yesterday Cause, like granted, Iam the positivity queen, but I
do it in a very realistic way,because rejection is going to
happen.
It's something that we can'tget away from, like everything
(13:39):
won't be rainbows, sunshines,roses but it's what you do after
you get that, it's what you dowhen you're in the midst of it.
What are you going to choose todo?
What are you going to choose todo after you get that?
And a lot of things that wethink that we want in life.
(14:00):
You are absolutely right.
Life, you are absolutely rightwe're not ready for, because we
have to be in a position toreceive it.
And oftentimes we think thatwe're there and we're not there
yet.
We're just being set up.
So sometimes that rejection isthe protection that we didn't
(14:20):
even know that we needed, andoftentimes we think that this is
something that we want and weneed so bad.
Yes, but you have to understandthat everything comes in time
and it might not be your time,and oftentimes we overlook, we
say that we didn't get results.
(14:40):
No, you got them, but it justdidn't come in the package that
you wanted them and that's whyyou overlooked it, because it
didn't come in the package thatyou wanted.
So what?
What happens when Brianna wantsresults, but it doesn't come in
the package that you want?
(15:01):
How do you handle that and what?
What do you choose to do whenthat happens?
Speaker 2 (15:10):
oh, I actually love that question so much I am,
honestly, I am still working onthat, because I'm very much yes,
I am still working on that I'mvery much a perfectionist.
I like for things to I, I liketo pre-plan things and be like
okay, this is how it's going tobe, and this, this, this and
this, and I have a whole planand I'm organizing.
Speaker 1 (15:29):
You one of those, you , you one of those that they
have to have all their ducks ina row.
You're like plans, have plans.
Speaker 2 (15:39):
Yes, yes, my plans have plans, and then I have to
pre-check those plans and then,once those plans are finalized,
I have to go back and look atthem again.
Oh no, so I, unfortunately, amone of those which means that it
takes a little bit of extrawork to get to that place of
like.
Okay, I'm fine, it didn't workthe way that I wanted it to work
out, but it's okay, because Igo back to that same pattern of
(16:03):
thinking of like okay, but it'swhat's meant to be will be.
Speaker 1 (16:37):
And so I have to let it go and be okay with it being
this way, because get what wewant.
How does your tantrum and hissyfit look like when?
Whenever it's like oh I wasthis close and I don't
understand what happened, like,how does that look for you?
Speaker 2 (16:56):
Yeah, so there are definitely.
There've been moments of likefrustration, for sure, I think
for me, when one of thosemoments hits like the absolute
worst.
I feel like they always come inat the worst times when I like
I I'm either really cold andreally tired and, you know,
haven't eaten in many, manyhours.
Speaker 1 (17:16):
And like everything, just like aggravates you and it
just takes that one more thingto push you over the edge.
Speaker 2 (17:24):
I, I literally, I think like I had got like some
disappointing news and I, Iguess I was kind of bottling up
those feelings and then, like,what sent me over the edge was
like I was in the kitchen and Ilike dropped a fork on the
ground and I just lost it andthat was it.
That was it.
This is the final straw.
(17:45):
Me dropping this fork on theground is the final straw and I
(18:08):
just sent you over the edge.
Personally, that I, I work hardand I push myself and it's
great, but also, you know, it'sgreat until it's not, and so you
have to just give yourself thatgrace and that leeway to take a
little rest, you know, and theworld's not going to explode if
you, if you take a break andslow down a little bit, you know
(18:28):
, here and there.
So, um, I am constantly workingon myself and open to hearing
new methods of how I can work onmyself and how I can become a
better individual.
So just learning and growingthrough it all.
Speaker 1 (18:48):
Is music one of those things that helps you get in
your zen space, like is.
Is that because I remember yousaying that you were a
songwriter?
Do you find that in thoseplaces, like when you were like
really frustrated, or on thoseplaces of rejection?
(19:11):
Places of rejection because Iknow, like Adele, like one of
her best albums came from aplace of hurt and a lot of
artists write when they're intheir like darkest moments or
the hardest moments.
Do you find that that happensfor you or is it the opposite?
Speaker 2 (19:38):
for you, or is it the opposite?
I think that songwritingdefinitely takes me to a place
of like peace, and sometimeswhen I have just like too much
going on and I feel a bitoverwhelmed, I'll just like
listen to different beats andI'll try to be creative, come up
with different melodies, lyricideas.
So it does kind of work in thatway where it soothes me and it
calms me down for sure.
Speaker 1 (20:00):
Well, this single that you have, it is like.
It gives a layer of pop, dancehall culture and empowerment.
So the realest wine you broughtinto you brought a legend in to
(20:22):
this like one of the greatestfemale rappers in the game mc
light.
How did this collaborationhappen?
Like what?
Speaker 2 (20:37):
I honestly I love MC Light so much.
She is the queen, she is alegend, and it kind of it came
about because we were actuallyworking on the set of a TV show
and we were filming on the sameepisode and so I spoke with her
while I was on the set that dayand, um, you know, I loved her
(21:00):
energy.
She's just like very kind andvery down to earth and, um, you
know, so that's also importantto not just super talented but
also really down to earth woman.
And um, so I had this song,realist Wine, and I was kind of
thinking like, do I want afeature for this song?
Do I want to just rock out onmy own for this song?
(21:22):
And I just kind of felt like itmight take the song up a notch
a little bit if I had someoneelse's flow just coming in.
And since she is a hip-hopartist, I thought like this I
feel like MC light, if, ifanyone can do it, mc light can
hop on like a dance hall poptrack like she is versatile and
(21:45):
she did yes, she killed it, so Ithink it definitely was she did
?
I was just like okay, Definitely.
Speaker 1 (22:08):
How does it feel to create that type of music that
has this type of energy thatjust makes you feel good, that
just makes you want to dance?
Has this always been the typeof music that you love to create
?
This dance hall.
Speaker 2 (22:17):
Oh, 100%.
I just love like vibrant music,like energetic.
It makes you want to get up andmove and dance and just feel
amazing.
So I've always loved that kindof music, even since I was a kid
, even throughout differentgenres.
I was just one of those kidswho loved music that I could
(22:40):
dance to.
And so, yeah, no, I've alwayswanted to create a song like
this.
I didn't know what it soundedlike, I didn't know, but the
feeling I knew.
Once I heard the final versionof the track, I was like this is
what I've always wanted to putout.
I've always wanted to put out asong like this, and it made me
feel so good once it wascompleted, because I was like I
(23:04):
really I think that I checkedsomething off the bucket list,
like I put out a song that gaveme that feeling that I had as a
kid growing up listening to likethose energetic pop tracks and
this, this just felt so rightand it felt perfect for the
summertime and it was justeverything that I wanted it to
be, and so I'm really reallyproud of it.
Speaker 1 (23:25):
Yes, I love it.
You know, I know that you getasked these these types of
questions a lot.
I pride myself on this podcastbecause I want to get to know
you outside of the artistBrianna.
I want to know you and I wantmy audience to know you.
(23:49):
So tell me something aboutyourself that we can't find or
hear on blogs or podcasts or ininterviews, like something about
you that makes you who you are,that you've never been able to
say out loud on on any type ofmedia outlet, but that you've
(24:13):
always wanted to let people knowabout you.
Speaker 2 (24:17):
I honestly just love to see other people um to to
kind of share my happiness, andso I love when I can see, you
know, children, adults, people,young and old, who look
completely different, justdiverse groups of people feeling
(24:41):
a sense of extreme happiness,like it makes me feel good to
see that other people arefeeling good.
And you know, I know that youknow, even just being a part of
different nonprofitorganizations, for me that makes
(25:16):
me feel happy because I knowthat it's making a difference in
someone else's life.
And recently I actuallypartnered with Thirst Project
and they are a nonprofitorganization that kind of helps
give out clean drinking water todifferent kids, adults in
different countries, which Ithink is really, really amazing.
(25:38):
You know, a fun fact about themis that they actually, if you
give a $25 donation, it can giveone person clean water for life
, which I thought was like superincredible, like just $25.
And you, you know the there iskind of like an issue with
(25:58):
people not receiving cleandrinking water, and it's it's
not even a small number, it'slike the number is, I want to
say, 700 million people that donot have access to clean
drinking water.
So it's something that Idefinitely got more into um as
of late and just being involvedin that and seeing like videos
that you know friends haveshared with me, of people having
(26:22):
to go walk miles to like findwater and it's not even clean
drinking water and it, you know,it's contaminated and it makes
them sick and they wind up inthe hospital.
Some end up dead, like it's.
It's such a real thing and so Ithink for me, just being a part
of something that's bigger thanthe music and bigger than the
entertainment industry and thatgoes outside of this, this like
(26:47):
bubble is so, so important to mepersonally, important to me
personally, and it makes me feelgood to see that other people
can, you know be bettering theirsituations.
Speaker 1 (27:07):
I love that and I love that you do all of this
outside of your music.
Speaking of putting people in abetter situation, it is time
for one of my favorite segmentsof the episode Ask Alethea,
where you send me your questionsand I answer them in real time
(27:28):
on my podcast.
Ok, this one comes fromsomebody who is anonymous, okay,
and it says Alethea, I am in arelationship and I have a very
demanding career.
I travel a lot and I do try mybest to focus on my relationship
(27:51):
, but at times it does get hard.
Recently, my partner asked meif we can have an open girl.
Recently, my partner asked meif we can have an open
relationship because he does notwant to cheat on me.
I don't know what I should do.
(28:12):
Please help.
Oh, baby.
Usually I give my guests thethe honor of answering first,
cause they I need.
I need to collect myself beforeI answer this question.
(28:36):
So what are your thoughts onthis?
Rihanna?
Speaker 2 (28:39):
I know that for me personally, um, you know,
everyone's situation looksdifferent, but if I were in that
situation, I I would prefer tojust be single.
Um, you know, have that personfigure out what they want to do.
And you know, I know that theanonymous person mentioned that
they're very focused on theircareer.
They have a lot going on intheir career and they might
(29:01):
actually find a lot offulfillment in just going full
force down that path.
So maybe that's something thatthey could explore.
Speaker 1 (29:17):
Yeah, I totally get that.
But the thing is, most peoplethink an open relationship is a
quick fix, and it's not like.
This is a lifestyle.
This is this, this is your life.
Like this man is coming to youwith I don't want to cheat, but
I still want other options likethat, that's pretty much what
(29:41):
what I'm hearing.
I don't want to cheat, but Ialso want other options.
So what he's really saying isthat he's not fully fulfilled,
but he just doesn't know how towork it out with you.
He just does not know how towork it out with you, and that
is an issue.
I don't feel like you shouldmake life altering decisions
(30:05):
based on guilt or pressure, andI feel like that what he's
trying to do is guilt you orpressure you into, ultimately, a
lifelong choice that you willhave to end up dealing with, and
that is not okay.
So, before you agree ordisagree, you need to be clear
(30:27):
on what you want, on what youwant and what you want out of
this relationship.
Does it align with your values,with your emotional needs?
What's your vision for lovereally is like.
This may not be what love lookslike for you, and that's okay.
So you have to figure out whatyou want, because, honey, it is
(30:51):
okay to say no.
And if this is not what thislooks like, if, if you want to
focus on you saying no tosomebody else's, saying yes to
to yourself, so give yourselfthat yes that you deserve.
And if it's not for you,sometimes you just got to let
people go and focus on you.
(31:13):
So, if you are watching, if youare listening right now, I hope
that this helps.
Do not abandon yourself forother people's pleasure, all
right, so listen.
If you want your questionsanswered, send your emails to
pimpinpositivityatgmailcom andyou might be the next person
(31:37):
that we answer your Ask.
Aletheia question.
Live on the podcast.
So I always close out with asegment called pass it on, and
this is a message that you cangive to somebody else, or this
(32:00):
is a message that you can giveto a past version of yourself.
So what message would you giveto your past version of yourself
that somebody would need tohear?
Speaker 2 (32:18):
I just want to say, like, take it one day at a time.
Every day, you should expectthat there are going to be at
least like three things thatwill go south, three things that
will just not go your way.
That has to be the expectation,because not every day is going
to be perfect.
And then, when things arebetter and there aren't so many
(32:41):
things going wrong, you'll justbe pleasantly surprised, and I
feel like it's always better tobe pleasantly surprised than to
just be let down.
So we want to just giveourselves that grace and not put
too much pressure on ourselves.
Speaker 1 (32:56):
I love that.
Oh, you are such a breath offresh air.
Can you please tell everyonewhere we can find you?
Speaker 2 (33:05):
Please tell everyone where we can find you,
Absolutely.
So I am on all social mediaplatforms.
I'm on all streaming platforms,just at Brianna D.
That's B-R-I-A-N-N-A-G-H-D, soa little different spelling.
But yeah, I'm on Instagram.
My YouTube channel is Brianna D.
I have the music video forRealist Wine on there.
(33:29):
Yeah, the music video is super,super cool.
Lots of party summer vibes,which is actually shot in St
Kitts, St Kitts and Nevis andyeah.
So all social media, just atBrianna D.
And Spotify, Apple Music,anywhere you download, stream,
(33:50):
listen to music.
So, yeah, Brianna D.
Speaker 1 (33:53):
You have definitely shown us that success does not
have to mean losing yourself inwho you are Like.
You can still be authenticallyyou like.
You can still be yourself.
In light of all of this, youcan still be you to everybody
(34:16):
that's listening right now.
Take notes.
Take notes.
You can live your dreams.
You can still be authenticallyyou.
You can still keep your valuesintact.
Thank you for being such ablessing today for me and for
other people listening all overthe world.
(34:39):
Family, go stream Realist Wineright now and follow Brianna on
all platforms.
Support artists who createmusic from their soul, who
create music that make you happy, because this is a time that we
need this more than anythingelse.
(34:59):
So go and listen to this musicthat just makes you feel good,
and you don't have to choosebetween who you are and where
you're going.
You can do both.
You can do both.
So listen.
Thank you so much for beinghere today.
Y'all continue to go out there,be great in they face and, as
(35:22):
always, you have a good day onpurpose here.
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