Multi-Hyphenate Serayah Talks Compromise & Why She'll "Never Be The Same"
FOX's Empire coming to a close may be the end of the road for the Lyon family and longtime fan favorite Tiana but as far as Serayah is concerned--things are just getting started. Admitting to being bit by the performing bug at about five years old, the insanely beautiful multi-hyphenate had big dreams from that point on of making a name for herself in the industry--and it's pretty safe to say that she's now living those same dreams out day by day. The Cali native has since been linked to some of the biggest names in the music industry such as Taylor Swift and Chris Brown.
And after giving fans a taste of her own musical prowess with her debut EP Addicted in 2018, Serayah is serving up something new with her forthcoming project Ray in June. Let's just say, the "Never Be The Same" singer is now set and ready to take center stage. xoNecole recently got the chance to catch up with the 24-year-old entertainer to talk all things Empire, her quarantine self-care routine, and why she says learning to compromise is a major key in relationships.
xoNecole: How have you evolved personally and professionally since being a part of ‘Empire’?
Serayah: Professional-wise, I've learned so much about the business. Personally, I just grew up. I started at 19 and six years later: I'm in my twenties and I'm a different girl than I was when I was a teenager. I've definitely matured and learned so much about myself and what I want to be and who I want to be in this world.
"I've definitely matured and learned so much about myself and what I want to be and who I want to be in this world."
What life lessons have you learned from your co-stars that helped you along the way?
A major life lesson is probably just to go for it and don't hold yourself back. Taraji [P. Henson] always says just go for it and don't hold anything back. And I think that's her mantra as you can see, she's a powerhouse. So I've always taken that advice from her and just shake off anything else that I've been going through during my day and turn it into my art.
Has there ever been a moment in time, maybe in life or in love, in your past that has changed you or that you really learned a lot from? Where maybe you felt like you’ll never be the same after this?
Yeah, I think with past relationships: I learned what I like and what I don't like and not to hold grudges. I learned so many lessons in 2019, growing past immaturity and egotistical thinking. And I think that's a daily thing that we all should try to do and it's something that I'm aware of now. It's hard because you're dealing with yourself so you have to be completely 100% with yourself, right?
"I learned so many lessons in 2019, growing past immaturity and egotistical thinking. And I think that's a daily thing that we all should try to do and it's something that I'm aware of now. It's hard because you're dealing with yourself so you have to be completely 100% with yourself, right?"
What has been the most surprising thing to you when it comes to love?
Mmm, let me think about this one (laughs). Probably compromise is a big thing, I think. And understanding. I think before we judge and before we get so mad at certain things, we should try to understand where another person is coming from. I learned that you're dealing with another person's past and history and life, so I think in relationships you have to be a little bit more gentle with certain things. Everybody doesn't have the same triggers but some things don't go down smoothly with some people. So, I think learning those things and trying your best not to do them and compromising in certain areas is where it's at.
What has been the most challenging thing to you when it comes to love?
For so long, you're so used to running your life the way you want it to run, that you never really think of someone else's opinion or thoughts on something. Especially when you're an opinionated person. So I think for me, it was learning to see where someone else was coming from and putting myself in their shoes to understand things and not be defensive.
"I learned that you're dealing with another person's past and history and life, so I think in relationships you have to be a little bit more gentle with certain things. Everybody doesn't have the same triggers but some things don't go down smoothly with some people. So, I think learning those things and trying your best not to do them and compromising in certain areas is where it's at."
What's been your quarantine self-care routine? How are you dealing?
I've been trying to deal. I've been doing some deep conditioning with my hair. I've also been bored so some days I put on a wig and do my makeup. But really it's just: wake up, get coffee, check my emails, see if there's anything I need to do for the day, then the rest of the time I'm just thinking of ideas for content. Why not? We have all this time.
What's next for you?
I wish I knew for sure (laughs). But I am definitely releasing new music in June, I'm releasing my EP. I'm still auditioning and I have some things in the works for film ideas, but for the most part I'm just seeing what I can get into after all this quarantining is over.
"Miss You" and "Never Be The Same" are available to stream everywhere now. And for more of Serayah, catch her on Instagram: @serayah.
Featured image by Shaun Andru/Instagram
Writer. Empath. Escapist. Young, gifted, and Black. Shanelle Genai is a proud Southern girl in a serious relationship with celebrity interviews, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, and long walks down Sephora aisles. Keep up with her on IG @shanellegenai.
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Raven-Symoné Has This Surprising Thing In Common With Her 'That's So Raven' Character
If you could gaze into the future, you might have thought that actress Raven-Symoné was merely playing a character with psychic abilities in her hit Disney Show That's So Raven. But fast-forward to present-day, and the Disney alum is now revealing that those clairvoyant abilities never quite went away.
In a recent episode of iHeartMedia's The Best Podcast Ever with Raven and Miranda, the child star opened up about having psychic visions, similar to her iconic character Raven Baxter on That's So Raven.
"I believe in psychics, puns f---ing intended," she shared during her podcast with wife and co-host Miranda Maday.
The 37-year-old continued by expressing her belief in the mind’s ability to tap into wavelengths that go beyond the physical realm.
“I believe actually humans have the ability in their brain to tap into energy fields that allow for truth to connect when you know how to translate it correctly,” she says. “I can walk into a room, and it's reading energy and energy in the psychic plane because it's not on a physical, material plane."
While she may not possess the exact ability to see into the future like her on-screen character, Raven-Symoné acknowledges that she frequently experiences moments where events unfold in her mind or encounters bouts of déjà vu, making her feel as if she has already lived through those scenes.
"I do have moments where I really will just stare, and I will see a scene that is happening to me, or that is going to happen to me in another dimension, and I'm like, 'Yo, this is weird,'" she says. "There will be a time when I'm walking, and I'll trip over nothing."
Witnessing the growth of Raven’s career over the years, one might assume that she might have gotten a glimpse into her future before it ever unfolded. With her four-season stretch on Disney Channel from 2003 through 2007 and how acting in the show’s spin-off, Raven’s House, the sitcom has been hailed as iconic TV programming and staple for the millennial childhood — which is nothing short of extraordinary.
Raven attributes her otherworldly abilities to her spirit guides, with whom she claims to have been in contact since the age of seven. "The way we connect is through our trauma. Meditation just allowed my spirit guides to help me, and even to this day, that can happen," she stated.
Despite her own experiences with psychics and spiritual roots abilities, Raven-Symoné remains skeptical when it comes to others claiming to have similar powers. Cautiously, she explains how she doesn't get easily swayed by individuals making such claims — maintaining equal parts skeptic and believer because, in Raven’s world, there’s always room for balance.
"Now if you sit me down and somebody's like, 'Look into my crystal ball,' I'm gonna be like, 'Give me my money back.'” she says. “But I do believe there is natural auras that hold the experiences of all of our people, totally."
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