Bria The Artist
A journey of support, faith and confidence.
I grew up in the Bronx and Peekskill, New York. I was an introverted and artistic child who loved playing outside with my two older siblings and playing dress-up, with an unmatched love for my Black Barbie dolls. I also wanted to be an actress and would create intricate scenarios to act out with my dolls. Eventually, I joined my church choir, got my first solo at 17, and broke out of my shell from there.
Though I've been writing lyrics as a child, making up silly songs and singing them with my sister, I began writing for the public during my senior year of high school. My friend and I performed a song we co-wrote, during a talent show and it was well received. I kept writing and singing through college, performing in talent shows and showcases. I began singing professionally as my mom's backup singer under her stage name, Valerie Not Val. From there I began doing my own shows as Bria The Artist and the rest is history.
I am Bria The Artist because of my artistry in many forms, “Bri-Dimensional.” As a singer/songwriter, producer, painter, sketch artist, and poet, I receive a lot of love from women who've been told they're "doing too much." I make it known that I'm pursuing all avenues of my artistry simply because I can; the only person who can stop me is me.
I believe I inherited that from my mom, who I'm a big fan of because she's literally Superwoman. She has always worn many hats and I try to uplift her anywhere that I can. My mom's my manager and also a singer, businesswoman, entrepreneur, single mother of three, and President of the Peekskill NAACP.
Though sometimes I feel that I'm not doing enough, the community of women that surround me - my mom, grandma, sister, and even church family - constantly reminds me that simply watching me pursue my dreams full force empowers them every day. I'm extremely humbled and grateful for that. I never had to worry about my family being unsupportive of my dreams because they were always the ones funding them.
My sister's intelligent, energetic and funny, has her business management degree and nurtures her family like no other. My brother and father are math geniuses, silly, wise and protective of the women in our family. My grandmother is basically Clair Huxtable with her quick wits, infinite wisdom, and effortless elegance. Overall, each of them exudes God's light and love in all that they do. How could I not be inspired by these people to strive for my best? Though I can be down on myself a lot, their optimism alone has been an inspiration for me to continue my journey.
I'm currently the Artist-in-Residence with my job and it's led me to interact with some fantastic people. I get to create programs and opportunities for women of color while helping them realize their artistic ideas. I get to produce my own curriculum for music and drawing courses all while having time to perform/headline my own shows.
My biggest struggles as an artist have been self-doubt and inconsistency. Starting out, I was terribly shy and insecure. Singing in public left wrinkles in my tops and dresses because I would tug at them so hard out of stage fright and anxiety. I used to leave just about all of my work unfinished and make excuses as to why I didn't like what I'd created or why I shouldn't be on stage. Now, among other accomplishments, I've completed a ten-city tour, including Dubai and Canada, worked with Ne-Yo, and even completed a whole mural for my city.
I've gotten much better, but I still find myself making excuses here and there. Not to mention, social media has made it so that I must be seen every day just to keep up and stay relevant. It can be a bit of an uphill battle for an analog girl in a digital world.
God has shown me that even though I'm always supported, consistency is key and that He'll never ever let me down. I’ve had to let go of things that aren't for me because I need room for something greater even when I don't know what it is. He's also shown me that I need to trust and believe, do all that I can, and let Him handle the rest. Every time.
Faith means no "buts." Faith means believing it's all going to work out. I live it out by practicing my day-to-day verbiage. I'm nowhere near mastery level at this, but it helps to strengthen my faith by not saying and thinking of all the negative "what ifs." Prayer is also a major key in helping me strengthen my faith.
Over time, I have come to realize that I really value my alone time. When I need to rest, I like to be in my room or my studio, watching TV, listening to music, or lying in silence with my thoughts. I also value nature. I live in a beautiful area so I'm able to go down to the riverfront and take a nice scenic walk to boost my energy and make me smile on the inside.
Solitude brought me so much joy during the pandemic. I was happy to be able to work on music with no distractions and push myself to be creative in ways I never thought of before. Planet healing also brought me happiness during the pandemic. My mom was my quarantine partner and we had a lot of dance parties.
I'm so proud of how far I've come.
FIVE FUN FACTS ABOUT BRIA THE ARTIST:
Currently listening to: I have a playlist for everything and it includes music from Louie Vega, Destiny's Child, Earth Wind & Fire, Hall & Oats, Stevie Wonder, Raheem Devaughn, and Ari Lennox.
Favorite performance venue: My favorite venue to perform at has been SOB's in NYC. I believe I've performed there about four times so far and each and every time, their sound system is on point! Their sound engineer gives me the right amount of reverb and throws in those spicy echoes right on time. The band is in tune and the energy of the crowd is absolutely enchanting. The staff there is great and being downstairs in the musician’s lounge makes me feel like a VIP! Speaking of favorites, my favorite original song to perform is "Howlin.”
Most recent TV show binge: That 90’s show.
Favorite mantra or verse: I try to lead with love. However, I've always been drawn to the quote/slogan, "Just do it." I'd like to make it that simple.
Top three cheerleaders: If we're talking literal loud cheering, my mom takes the cake! If you know her, you know she's my number one supporter and is not afraid to YELL IT. Coming in second is my sister, Ajuré. Her voice carries, too and I can always pick up her excited voice from the crowd. Right behind her is my brother's girlfriend and my good sis, Marniqua. She's not afraid to get up close to the stage and hype your girl up!
To learn more about Bria the Artist, visit www.briatheartist.com and follow her on social media @briathearist.