Meet Bryan Leigh Smith | Recording Artist, Dancer, MC, DJ

We had the good fortune of connecting with Bryan Leigh Smith and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Bryan Leigh, is your business focused on helping the community? If so, how?
I know that my artwork inspires others to follow their dreams. There’s something very special about seeing an artist who fully believes in their work and puts themself out there for the world to judge. The friends and fans that I attract all tell me that I inspire them to do their art more, to put themselves out there, to take the risks. That’s a huge pay off for me, knowing that I have encouraged someone to follow their heart, to break through, to go for it. If I have inspired you to dance or sing, then I have done my job.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Being a 39-year-old pop artist can be scary. I feel vulnerable as a mature adult in this youth obsessed industry. Taking part in professional dance classes and performing on camera and on stages with people who could literally be my children is wild! “You would never know her age,” I hear my younger dancer friends say! “That girl is seemingly bootin’ scootin’ boogying all over the place.” I do wonder how long this can last: the upkeep, the beauty, the body, the enthusiasm, the desire to do it, the energy, my feet, etc. I’m almost forty and sometimes the thought of it all gets to me, but I know better than that! I know that at any age we can transcend all that age focused-social-conditioning to express ourselves to the fullest and inspire other people to do the same. By expressing my artistry in this way, I am giving others full permission to dance how they want to, to feel sexy, and remind them that there is no age limit!

Commercially, I’m best known for my close-up as the biker chick in LMFAO’s “Sexy and I Know It” music video, my half-a-second rioter moment in Rihanna’s “Diamond” music video, and my episode on the Bam Margera Game Show, I’ve been doing the Hollywood thing since moving to LA from Savannah in 2009. It has not been easy here and I have felt out of place most days. Even when I book a “hollywood job” it’s not usually what I had in mind. Lol. I want to be in control. I want to have the creative say so. I have had to rewire my brain to believe that I deserve these dream jobs, that I deserve to have a job I love, that I deserve to be a successful business owner because I didn’t believe that stuff initially. The world had kept me small, taught me to “fit in” taught me to not be me. What a mind f*ck! That’s been my biggest lesson moving to LA from the Bible Belt: IT ALL BEGINS IN YOUR MIND AND YOU MAKE IT WHAT YOU WANT IT TO BE. Exploring the mind and the magic that the mind can make is a journey that never ends. I am so grateful to have found a way to connect with my higher self. Books like “How to Love Yourself” by Louise Hay and “Letting Go” by Dr. David Hawkins have exponentially moved me forward in my minds-eye.
It’s been a long ride for this cowgirl and I have just released my first big music video!

I am beyond excited about my new Music Video, “Rhinestone Cowgirl” because it truly expresses the freedom that I want to exude. There is a childlike energy about me and I want to keep that alive as long as possible and share it with other adult children like me. (let’s get real, we are all children, am i right!?) The Rhinestone Cowgirl Music Video is full of sparkles, cowgirls, big saloon energy, glamour, a girl fight, dancing and poling! I am so excited to tell you that I am showcasing my athletic abilities on the pole in this sexy and campy music video. Check it out on my Youtube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igpT13y0eVg

I refer to myself as the southern belle of the Hollywood hills and I have lived many lives already. I’ve been a dance teacher, a performance artist, a cheer coach, a bartender, a video girl, an office manager, a personal assistant, executive assistant, waitress, dancer and an actress to name a few of the many roles I’ve played in this lifetime. You gotta do what you gotta do to get by. There is no shame in working a job to get by while you build your art world. I definitely consider myself an artist’s artist. I’m provocative, authentic, and I perform for myself. If people know about Bryan Leigh Smith, that’s great, but I do this art stuff for me, because I have to, because my inner being demands it! I do get embarrassed by my outlandish ideas but that’s where the fun comes in! That embarrassment is the edge of my comfort zone and if I’m walking on that ledge, then I’m in the right place.

I’ve been writing and recording songs since 2007. As an artist, the inspiration comes in waves, you’re not always going to be creating something. Sometimes it’s a writing era, sometimes it’s a dance era and sometimes it’s a performance era. It’s ever changing, and I always must remind myself that it’s a process. Good things take time and that is what gets me through the hard times, the times of self-doubt and depression. I always have a mantra or a special ritual that gets me through the dark spaces. Those places can be deadly if you don’t pull yourself out. Set yourself free! No more self-judgement!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Welcome to Los Angeles, City of Angels, I’ll be your guide and you can call me Angel!

Let’s start our day at my favorite coffee shop Black Canvas Coffee on Highland.
I’ll get an oat-milk cappuccino and a breakfast sandwich. What will you get?

We could walk up the street to Hollywood Blvd to look at the stars and make a dance video on the boulevard.

Next, I would take you to my cozy apartment and we can take a spin around the pole and go on the roof for some southern Cali sunshine. Would you like a joint or a micro-dose? Shawty, you could have whatever you like.

Lets do lunch at the Sunset Marquis, my favorite West Hollywood oasis and safe haven for rockstars.

Apres Midi we will hit the West Hollywood Equinox to pump those muscles and relax a bit in the steam room.

Want to go shopping? Melrose is so much fun for thrifting! The Grove is pretty fun too!

Dinner would be ideal at the Magic Castle or Yamashiro, both are iconic hollywood destinations. There’s something about a view with dinner, so Yamashiro might win on this one, but the Magic Castle comes in at a close second. The magic in there is out of this world.

If that wasn’t enough, we could grab a night cap at the Roosevelt Hotel Bar and maybe take another spin around the pole before bed. A night night dooby on the roof? yes please.

🙂
The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Wow! First of all, it takes a village! It takes a village to become who we are and to execute any creative endeavor! We cannot do it alone, the inspiration must come from somewhere, someone or something. There are many people who I would like to give some credit:

1. My Ex – ha! it’s cliché and so Ariana Grande of me, but for real: I was very inspired by the pain I endured in my last break up. I was inspired by the freedom I felt, the heartache I felt and the love I felt for that man. I was also inspired by the muscles I built with that man. If it weren’t for him getting me a fancy gym membership over covid lock downs, I would not have the body or muscles I have today. If it weren’t for that break up, I would never have seen my abs pop out that way! (lol – I couldn’t eat enough because I was so broken … so I got ripped! ) I was also very inspired by the love we still had for each other throughout that break up. I’m still inspired by the love we had and still have as two separate individuals.

2. Qveen Herby – she’s definitely been my favorite artist over the last year. I am so inspired by her artistry, the color, the lyrics, the badassery, her merch etc. She’s an artist’s artist! my fave.

3. The Dream Killers – the teachers or bosses who didn’t give me the love or words I really needed. These monsters crushed me at times by saying things like, ” you’re not the best dancer, we were just using you for your connections” – or – “what do you need $1,000 per week for?” – wow – “if people in hollywood tell you to do something to your face or body, do it because they are trying to help you”- or – ” i would hire you but you need to let go of the dancing first”
How disempowering!!? The nerve of these people! And who TF are they?! Nobody! What I would like to say to all of them is “F U but also Thank you” because of these a-holes, I had to dig deep, I had to make sure what I was doing was the right thing for me. Additionally, these same monsters helped me in other ways. Sigh…life…it is wild.

Because of these traumatizing encounters with people, whom I thought had my best interest at hand, I became stronger. I also learned a bigger lesson: these people are not my mamma, it is not their job to look out for my best interest or me. That can be a hard pill to swallow.

4. Michael Marinola – My friend who is a brilliant creative, a cartoonist, movie producer, music producer, musical producer who pushed me to work on my music over the covid lock downs. He connected me with Komron whom Ive been making beats with over the last few years. Major shout out to Michael, the creator and CEO of “Dance Aliens” and “No Refunds-the Musical” I love you brother!

Website: www.bryanleighsmith.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bryanleighsmith/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bryanleighsmith

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ladybryanleigh

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igpT13y0eVg

Image Credits
Studio Shots by Wes Klain
Music Video BTS by Rico Mejia
Music Video Screen Shots by Ewelina Polnicka