Watch Serayah Slay
Empire still has three weeks before it barrels towards whatever drama-filled, faux-fur-flying showstopper of a finale Lee Daniels has in store. (Our wish: Camilla comes back from the dead and fights Cookie in a pond. Hey, it worked for Aaron Spelling.) But that didn't stop Columbia Records from releasing the second volume of the season's soundtrack today, featuring songs from upcoming episodes.
We talked to Serayah-the 20-year-old breakout who plays Empire's resident chanteuse, Tiana, earned five credits on the show's latest soundtrack, and has her own solo album in the works-about her inspirations in the studio and on screen. Then we took the former varsity basketball point guard onto the court, where she slayed us with the help of some affirmations from-who else?-Beyoncé.
Inspiration #1-Channel Empire's Own Tiana on Screen and Off
Earlier this year, Serayah became the third Empire cast member-after Jussie Smollett and Bryshere Y. Gray-to sign to Columbia Records. In an example of nighttime soap opera imitating life, the three have each begun working on their own separate solo albums. Serayah has been in the studio since the show wrapped in March, figuring out her sound. "I'm finally able to see where I'm going with it," she says. "Discovering that was really fun. Now I get to play around with it and start creating my own thing. I love that it's new even to me." In many ways, she says, her musical style is "very similar to Tiana. I've definitely connected to her in that way. It's going to feel a little like Tiana, but it's going to have a different side-more R&B elements, more ballads."
Inspiration #2-Do as Queen Bey Does, and Make 'Lemonade'
Serayah is the OG Tiana-Hakeem shipper. "I'm all Team Takeem. I think they have an interesting dynamic. I'm into it," she says, "and I'm excited to see where they're going to go with the storyline. Let's see how crazy they're going to go!" Serayah has said Tiana and Hakeem's dynamic was in part inspired by the early days of Bey and Jay-which obviously led to the question: What did she think of Lemonade? "I was really blown away by how much she was sharing about her personal life, and the vulnerability that she really gave up to the public. It was really cool to see that side of her," says Serayah. "It does inspire me-seeing that and being able to relate with it."
Inspiration #3-Take a Page Out of Taraji P. Henson and Terrence Howard's Book and Keep Your Old Friends Close
"Taraji's got a lot of personality, and she brings a lot of life to the set," says Serayah. "Her and Terrence's energy together is just insane." Henson and Howard go way back-in fact, Henson has said she wouldn't have taken the role of Cookie Lyon if Howard wasn't on board to play Lucious-and Serayah says their enduring friendship is a lesson in making it in Hollywood with friends in tow. Who has she been coming up with? "My friend Shameik [Moore], who was the lead in Dope-we actually went to middle school together," she says. "It's been really cool, because Empire and Dope hit at around the same time, and now Shameik's on [Baz Luhrmann's Netflix musical] The Get Down and his career is rolling out. So we catch up sometimes and talk about the whole 'get down' on being in the industry now."
Photographer: Steven Taylor; stylist: Shelby Simon; hair: Tai Phillips; makeup: Allan Avendano @ Opus Beauty using CoverGirl; manicurist: Michelle Saunders
Fashion Credits: Opening image: Komono Stella Sunglasses, $70; shop-usd.komono.com; photos 2-4: Ahlem Victoire Sunglasses; $450; ahlemeyewear.com; photo 5: Gentle Moster Absente One Sunglasses; $230; gentlemonster.com; photo 6: Sunday, Somewhere Raine Sunglasses, $290; sundaysomewhere.com
