Brandy Norwood's Daughter Is Growing Up Fast
Most '90s kids will remember Brandy Norwood for her role as Moesha, but chances are there's a different "M" role that means way more to the 40-year-old star these days: mom. In fact, it's the first title listed in her Instagram bio. Norwood frequently celebrates her daughter Sy'rai Iman Smith on her page.
According to Billboard, Norwood gave birth to Sy'rai on June 16, 2002 with then-partner (although there's a little discrepancy over their marital status) Robert "Big Bert" Smith. She filmed her pregnancy for a special edition of MTV's Diary series called Brandy: Special Delivery which aired in the summer of 2002. Norwood and Smith split a year later, per MTV. In a statement at the time, his publicist said, "Brandy and Robert are not together. They will remain friends and will jointly raise their daughter.
Now all these years later, the 17-year-old is growing up right before fans' very eyes.
Brandy's daughter is all over her Instagram
Not only does Brandy Norwood have her daughter's name tattooed on her wrist, but she shares selfies with her kiddo on a regular basis, accompanied by captions about how much she means to her.
On Sy'rai Iman Smith's 15th birthday, the proud mom wrote on Instagram, "You are the greatest gift and the greatest love of all. I treasure you and I appreciate your life." When Sy'rai turned 17 earlier this year, Brandy wrote, "you are a beautiful soul with a heart of gold. I thank God for you everyday. I love you with all of my spirit and I will always be here for you. Your voice and your music will touch the world."
The proud mom doesn't only celebrate her daughter on big milestones. In an appreciation post on Instagram just 'cause, Norwood wrote in 2017, "My heart, My soul, My Life, and the only reason why I strive to be the God version of my self!!! Hands up, @SyraiIman is an #Angel."
Sy'rai has big dreams, just like her mom
Just like her mother, this 17-year-old is no stranger to the spotlight; she's even got her own YouTube channel. In a video titled "a day in my hectic life" that she shared in September, Sy'rai Iman Smith walks fans through her routine of getting ready, driving to a meeting, and more. She doesn't post on YouTube a ton, but noted in that same video's description, "I know I haven't been posting, but I promise going to start posting more." Either way, the channel seems like a fun, creative outlet for now.
In addition to her YouTube channel, Sy'rai already has her sights set on being a businesswoman. According to her Instagram bio, she's the CEO of a soon-to-be clothing brand called Privileged Apparel. At the time of this writing, the page teases the business is "coming soon" with the most recent post being shared in June 2019.
Sy'rai takes after Brandy in the voice department, too
Beyond her business aspirations, Sy'rai Iman Smith may have a future in the music industry, just like her parents. While we all know Brandy Norwood is a talented singer (have you seen her in Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella?!), Sy'rai's dad Robert "Big Bert" Smith is a producer.
Sy'rai has showed off her strong vocals on a few occasions. In a snippet shared (and later deleted) by Norwood on Instagram and reposted by The Jasmine Brand in 2018, the teen sings a few lines flawlessly. According to the accompanying Instagram caption, Sy'rai "writes, sings, plays piano and ukulele."
Back in December 2017, Norwood shared a brief video singing with her daughter and a few friends on Instagram, writing, "I haven't been feeling well and this has made every ache go away!!!" There aren't any singing videos on Sy'rai's own IG, but hopefully her mom shares more in the future.
The mother-daughter pair isn't here for any negativity
In February 2018, Sy'rai Iman Smith shared a video on Instagram Live talking about self-confidence and not letting others' opinions get to her. Her proud mom reshared it on her Instagram account with the caption, "I see God #Only in you! I am crying and I am speechless. #MyOnlyChild." In the clip, Sy'rai declared, "I can't wish that I was somebody else. Being who you are should be more important than [being] worried about what you look like on the outside."
Sy'rai also discussed not caving to people's unfair standards when it comes to physical appearance. "Don't change because of what they say. You should change because you want to change yourself. Don't ever let anybody else tell you who you are," she told her followers in the same video.
Back in May 2017, Brandy Norwood reposted an Instagram comment that Sy'rai wrote to The Shade Room where the teen shut down assumptions about her family, writing, in part, "My mother works so hard, I'm not spoiled... I AM BRANDY'S DAUGHTER AND IM PROUD TO BE. You wish you had a mother just like her." Along with the screenshot, Norwood wrote, "Don't come for my daughter!!!! She's too mentally and spiritually profound!!!... so proud to be your Mom!!!!!"
Clearly, Norwood and Sy'rai's mother-daughter bond is unbreakable, and anyone who tries to question that — well, they'll quickly get proven wrong. These two always put family first.