Kayla Brianna

Kayla Brianna Smith performs under the name Kayla Brianna as a contemporary R&B singer whose work leans toward pop, shaped by the influence of Janet Jackson and Aaliyah. Her career began with an early-2010s debut on the major label Interscope, after which she moved to independent releases that include work with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Rich Homie Quan, and Dreezy, as well as the 2019 album Girl Talk, her polished and confident first full-length project.

Granddaughter of Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee Gerry Goffin and daughter of one-time professional basketball player Kenny Smith, Kayla Brianna Smith was spotted by industry veteran Vincent Herbert (whose roster has included Lady Gaga and Tamar Braxton) and placed on Interscope. While there she joined tours with Mindless Behavior and Jacob Latimore and issued early recordings such as the 2012 single “Bombs Away” and the 2013 Meek Mill collaboration “I Got That.” After leaving the label she pursued an independent path that raised her profile through the scripted reality series Meet the Smiths. A 2014 cover of Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On,” produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, followed. The next year she reached the Billboard charts for the first time with the Rich Homie Quan duet “Do You Remember,” which appeared on the R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart. Additional tracks surfaced across 2018, among them singles with YFN Lucci and Dreezy, setting the stage for the full-length Girl Talk in 2019.