← Keep it Positive, Sweetie
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A
Keep It Positive Sweetie is available on Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Just search Keep It Positive Sweetie. That's sweetie with an ie to listen. Hello and welcome to this episode of Keep It Positive Sweetie. I'm Krystal Renee Hazlett and guys, guess what? We, we are in Los Angeles. I finally brought Kips to la. Guys, I want to sit down and talk to some of my friends here that couldn't get to Atlanta. So we are here and I am so excited. I want to thank 13 Loon. We are here at this beautiful black owned establishment owned by Nikao Graco where 90% of her products that she sells are BIPOC founded. Guys, make sure you stop by right here in the Larchmont area. If you don't know where it is, just Google it and pull up on my girl. For this episode, I am talking to someone that I'm very close to that I've known for years. I'm so excited to have her. She is responsible for a lot of the hairstyles that you've seen me rock on red carpets and so many other people, just to name a few. Tyra Banks, Angela Bassett, Chaka Khan, Laverne Cox, Ciara. It's so many people. If it's fly, she probably done did it, I'm telling you. But I have with me Kaya Wright. Guys, Kaia is a two time Emmy award winning celebrity hairstyles whose genius has not only set the precedent for image making but has redefined the appearance of sexy, successful and confident women. Kaia is a fashion powerhouse with expertise ranging from signature hairstyle designs to overall beauty consultation and transformation. As a charismatic visionary, this creative trendsetter has established her mark in the industry and continues to inspire with cutting edge developments and and groundbreaking achievements. Ladies and gentlemen, Kya Wright. I'm so happy to have you here.
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Yes. I am so excited to be here.
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Oh my God.
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B
You know I'm always like Christmas.
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Oh my gosh. She keeps up with everything y'. All. Like you keep up with the shows, you keep up with the podcast. I just appreciate your continued support over the years.
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Seriously.
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Today we want to talk about continuous invention and that is what I think about you. You have reinvented yourself over the years. You've been doing this for 30 years and.
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You have been doing it.
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You know, people wish they could. You've been doing it for 30 years and when I think about you, I think about this quote and it says there are no shortcuts in evolution. We should be consistent in evolution and adapt to the new without ever losing our essence or our integrity. And I feel like that is something you have done.
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B
I like that little ending.
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A
Sisha's never lost her integrity.
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B
That's what I love about that. Oh, I love that.
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That's what I think about when I think of you. You are constantly evolving with the times. I was telling my team, I said, I feel like there are some artists and you can tell by their work that they literally learned whenever they learned years ago and never kept up with the times with you. Like, I can be like, how I wanna do this. You're like, oh, got it. Like you're on it. Like, you keep up with the times. Whatever's in, you know how to do it. And a lot of times you're ahead of the times. That's I love about you. You can be like, no, we need to do this. And then you see a year later, people are doing what you said do a year ago.
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B
Exactly.
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That's exactly how you are. We met. Oh, gosh. I don't want to say. I can't remember the year.
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It was the Jamie Foxx and Gabrielle. Cuz I was doing Gab. You were doing Jamie, right? Oh, t. Exactly. On the show.
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Yes.
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Sleep.
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I can't remember the year.
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Oof.
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It was a long time.
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It's over 10 years. Yeah, it's over 10 years.
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And ever since then we've been like this. Yes.
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Love, Crystal Renee.
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I love it. I remember meeting you and we worked, I think it was three months on that movie. Yes. It was hot Atlanta summer.
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Yes. And we went backstage, we got to talk every day, catch up, chit chat a whole bit.
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Yes, yes, for sure. I love that. So I want to go back to your growing up, your background. I want to know more about Kyan and where she really started from. Now, were you the type of girl that played with dolls and like did her hair?
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Yes. And don't play with my dolls. Like, I would be real territorial too. Like had the little Barbies, you know, they had the head.
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Yeah.
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And then with, with the big head and you can put all your little accessories, like right in the little pod right in the front. Then I had the Barbies. Grandma would buy me all the Barbies. Like, please don't touch my Barbies. Like I would be real territorial with them. The styling and putting the clothes. Like. Yes. It really did start there. And then I. I would sneak friends into the basement to get their hair done and charge them. Child. I was doing hair, nails, everything. I was 14. 14. My mom had just passed, and she put me in hair school.
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Wow.
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So back then, hair school was in a. Was as a. You took it as a trade. So, like, back then it had carpentry, electrician, and I could take up cosmetology. So I took up Cosmetology, paid $150 for the kit. Boom. I started doing hair, like, from that moment on, like. And I probably graduated. My mom passed away. It was like, literally, she put me right in hair school right before that, and she probably passed away, like, a month later.
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Wow.
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So that really was, like. It really did spearhead. That gave me a jump start at, like, making it a career.
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Right.
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You know what I mean? I didn't know it was going to be a career. I just thought, like, I'm hustling to make money. My mom just passed my grandma and them, they not really giving me money. I'm hanging out with the hot girls or whatever, and I'm like, I need money. You know what I mean? So I started doing hair sneaking people. I didn't have to sneak. I had the whole basement. And my grandma would let me do people's hair. I would do the little hump nails. And if they had the little round nails, I did before.
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We knew better. Yes.
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I did everything to just make money, you know? So that's really, really how I started.
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Wow.
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That's how I started at home.
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Right. And I'm sure just your mom looking down is, like, super proud that the seed that she sold a long time ago, the room that it's made for you in your life.
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Yes.
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Incredible.
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Yes, yes, yes, yes. It's been a. It's been a. I didn't go for. Was just. It kind of. I've never had another job.
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I didn't go for it.
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I didn't go for it. You know what I mean? I never had another job ever in my life.
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Like, I don't know.
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I went from 14. I was trying to hustle to make money. I try to sell drugs. You know what I mean? I said my book. Like, I was just like, I need to make money. You know what I mean? Because what was I gonna do? My mom had just passed away. My grandma had been taking care of me, and I'm just like, not really. Just kind of no guidance. And hair was so natural for me. You know what I mean? Just kind of sneaking people in, doing hair. And then it was a salon that. That did all the popular girls, these gay boys, they would walk up and down Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring Maryland and just be, like, fabulous. Like, fabulous. And I was like, I wanna work with those guys. And I went in there and they trained me like boot camp. They would be making fun of me for being slow. I mean, by like a year later, I had it, and I was like, boom. I'm one of those people. I could watch you and watch things, and I could just copy it. Really good at that. And I just got really good. And in two years, I was, like, making, like, $2,000 a week. And from there, I knew. I was like, okay, I want to do all my friends. All the drug dealer girlfriends, hair. I was like, I'm going to do. Those were the celebrities at that time, drug dealer girlfriends. So those were the girls that I sort of started with, and they helped me, like, become a trendsetter, you know, that was the beginning, you know, DC doing those girls shout out dc.
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I always attribute DC to where I found myself.
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Really? Yeah.
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After college, I moved to dc. I'm from a small town.
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I did not know that.
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I worked on Capitol Hill right out of college. Yeah. Yeah.
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Wow.
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D.C. is where I literally found my sense of fashion, found my. Myself, you know, and my identity. So I attribute a lot of who I am today to dc.
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Yeah, we fly.
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Y' all are for real.
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Like, I. DC was fly from the core. Yeah, yeah, from the core. New York was, like, cooler. They had the fashion, but D.C. women were just, like, really in tune to get it out, you know what I mean? That's where I learned how to do short haircuts, because the Halle Berry was out. Boomerang salt and pepper with the little asymmetrics with the stack curls, like, oh, I take it back out 30 years. And I was really just. I just wanted to be the best. Like, I want to be the best. I want to make money. And I started with those guys two years, and I just remember saying, like, that was the beginning of me becoming an entrepreneur. I said, if I go to them, and I wanted to ask them, I was like, can I work on my own? You know, can I not be on commission anymore? And they were like, no. Now, before I went to them, I said, if they say no, I got to have a plan B.
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Yes, you do. Yeah.
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So I went down the street and I set it up just in case they said no. And sure enough, I went back, and they were like, no, I don't think you're ready yet. And I was like, okay, cool. And I left, and I went down, literally down the alley, and I took my entire clientele and that was the beginning of me becoming an entrepreneur.
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Wow.
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Right there.
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So talking about entrepreneur, a lot of people don't know, after dc, you did so many things. Walk us through the journey to get us to where you are now. Because people think that entrepreneurship, the way we make it look, is easy. They see you have your own salon, you do the celebrities. But walk us through what it took to get to that point, starting from leaving that one salon.
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I think that helped me make the decision, like. Like I always say, there's no plan B, but I had to have a plan.
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After.
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When they said no, I was like, what am I gonna do with this huge clientele? I have to. I know what I could be making. And I think you start to realize, like, wow, okay. I learned I worked under the best because I think that's key. I always give that as advice. Work with the best. Be around the best so you don't have to search for it. Come on. You know what I mean?
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Yeah.
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I was never. And don't be intimidated by it. Like, I wanna go work with the best. Like, where? That's where I wanted to work so I could learn and absorb everything and I wouldn't have to go find it. Because people always ask me, how do I build a clientele? Go find the best. Go find a mentor. Go work for someone who's better than you, who you want to kind of be like. And that was the decision that I had to make at that moment. Really did just spiral into so much more. Then I met Puff. Puff was like, you know, going to Howard doing parties, and he had just started Bad Boy Records.
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Yeah.
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So now I'm like, you know, going back and forth to New York. I was like, shoot, I want to live in New York City. This is it. You know, I kind of, like. I would say, kind of conquered D.C. you know, I'd done four years in D.C. did all the drug dealer girlfriends, did all the hot girls in the city. I'm like, I want to go.
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Yeah.
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Moved to New York, met Puff. And that is really when it turned over a bit, you know? And then I was like, I mean, just even how I got to New York, my life has always happened by chance.
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Yeah.
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Moving to New York, the salon got robbed. They threw everybody. 11 people in a bathroom. They were scared to death, and nobody wanted to work there. Boom, here comes Kaya Wright. She came and swept up a clientele. Same thing in la. The people died from the Aaliyah plane crash. Kya Wright came, and I swept up the whole clientele. So I'VE had very fady moments in my life. Unfortunates that were blessings kind of for me, like, not in a good way, but kind of sort of, you know what I mean? And timing, I think timing really did. Was. Was also in faith, really having faith to move to Los Angeles.
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Yeah.
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Moving here from New York was a big step. And that was Covid. I'm sorry. When the plane.
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9 11.
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9 11. So all these monumental moments just kept happening in my life and it's kept me on point because you got to be able to hang with the shift and pivot. Yeah, you got to be able to pivot. So it started very early on, pivoting for me, moving from D.C. which I had a huge clientele to. And I know because I used to do Christmas cards and I used to write them out personally. And I would be like 400 later and I would be like, I'm tired. Whoever is after 400 will be getting a card. And so. And then from there, and I was like, you know, I moved from D.C. to New York and then when September 11th happened, I killed New York. For eight years, nine years. I did everything from the press, from Vibe to xxl, all the magazines. I got really, you know, big in the editorial world. Because you want to get into the editorial world across over as a black artist and not just the black magazines. I wanted to be crossover. I've always wanted to be global of some sense, you know, and I just, you know, I became popular and naturally, now the celebrities are looking for you. You know, I also am a salon girl, so I wanted to work at hottest salon in New York, which is Warren Chacone, a beautiful white salon. They created the most beautiful salons in the city. They were right next door to Arista Records.
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Oh, wow.
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So they did everybody. And I was like, I want to work there. You did and I did not.
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Oh, you did not. Okay.
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They did not.
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Oh, they.
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It was no black people that worked in there, but one black girl. And you have to start from the fries to the top. And if I had to let go of a huge clientele that I had on 43rd and 5th to now move on 42nd street and 57th street and 5th, I would had to let everything go to work in there to start at the bottom because you got to start the shampoo bowl and you have to learn to be an assistant to then become a stylist. So that would have been another four.
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Years taking steps back.
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And I just couldn't do it. And I could. I just couldn't do it.
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Yeah.
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But what happened later is I ended up moving to LA eight years later, and I end up working at warranty call me for 13 years.
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Wow.
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Look at God.
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Want to do it? So maybe the New York location wasn't for you, but you came here and just.
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I had to season up. Yeah, season up. Just, you know, just grow my craft. I was doing so much. I was touring a lot. I toured 15 years of my career, 12 years of my career with Faith, Mary, Little Kim, 112, Biggie, everybody. For 12 years, when I moved here, I was like, no more. Yeah, no more touring.
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So what was it like touring with those. You just named a lot of amazing, like, iconic people. What was it like?
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The best, really. It taught me how to be fast because you got to think, Mary J. Blige has just launched a My Life album. You are going from 4, 3am in the morning to 1pm at night. And so they would be like, you got to be ready. You got to be ready. I never toured. I don't know what this is like. What is it like building a road with a girl? I'm going through all the Mary J. Blige growing pains. I'm going through Kya Wright not knowing how to be on tour. And I was with Faith first, and then Mary and her stylist had got into it. So we swaps. Puffy said, you go with Mary now, and then her style is gonna go with Faith. So that's how I end up with Mary for, like a year.
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Oh, wow.
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And we. This is the beginning of her career. I'll never forget that. That show, the My Life album tour. I would go out and watch the show every single night. So I had to learn how to be fast. I had to learn how to pick up up the speed. You gotta know how to, like, if they don't want to wake up that morning, you gotta get her ready in 20 minutes. Nobody cares that you couldn't get it ready.
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You.
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No one cared that, you know, that, you know, the timing didn't work out right. No one cares. So it taught me very early on, be ready, be prepared, have options. Like, they could change their mind at the drop of a dime and just. And be good.
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Yeah.
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Because your work is gonna be featured on national television. Right. And you're gonna get murdered if it doesn't look right.
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And you will, because they will. How? They. Especially nowadays, they'll zoom right in and.
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Be like, oh, yeah, that happened to me too.
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So, you know, it happens to the best of them.
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Yeah. So just, you know, I Think life really taught me so much on just, you know, and I've had so many stages of my career, you know, like starting out as a salon stylist, touring for years. Then boom, moved to la and now I meet Tyra. J. Manuel introduced me to. Ty was like, I think you need to, you know, do this work with Tyra. She's like, great. She's launching this TV show. And I was like, tv, it's not a lot of money. I don't know if I want to do that. I'm killing. I'm just growing my clientele after like a year in la, in the salon, and I'm like. And freelancing. So I'm like, I don't know. I'm making good money here. Should I leave this to do tv? Finally she kept asking. Two years in, I was like, tyra had to ask you for two years? I didn't get the concept. I didn't get the concept because I was making money and I was working with all the celebrities, just freelancing. And then finally I was just like, something said, just do it. And it was life changing. I got to work with an iconic woman who taught me so much about professionalism. She taught me about, like, how to show up on set, remembering how to model lighting. Like, you know, I'm the one now that go behind, like, the celebrity. Tell me, Kai, go check the light. I'll tell the director. The light ain't right. The hair too hot at the top, like. Like you. I just know from working with her for so many years, they spent three hours on lighting on Top Model because they lit so many different shades. You got a chocolate caramel, so you have to light differently brown skin. So it taught me so much, just her working with her. Like, no matter what she was going through, the pressure. She had two, three TV shows and she would come in, I mean, she would just lay on the bed and, like, do my hair, do my makeup. She would be exhausted, editing all night long. Like. Like you just see. And never had an attitude when she came to work. Never.
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Yeah.
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I was like, that was just everything. Because when you work with women, you get all type of, you know, attitudes, whatever.
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So it says a lot about her and her character.
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Cool. All the time. I was like this. It just taught me so much, you know, how to treat people on set. And just, you know, the disaster for me happened on TV too. They all. People wrote in on a show that she did. And we had. It had went from Top Model that morning to the talk show. Those two Worlds don't match.
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Right.
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When you're doing hair.
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Yeah.
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So I did this crazy editorial thing, and she was like, I'm tired. I just. I just can't today. I got. I gotta. I just. I can't. I just got to go on. And I'm doing. And she had these two. A ball here, a ball here, ball here. And a million people wrote in.
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Oh, my God.
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Two months later, they come to me. They say, kya, I just wanted to come to you and ask you. You know, 2 million people. A million people wrote in about this one episode that Tyra's hair was a little crazy.
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Oh, my gosh.
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And they said, would you mind if we do a show on this?
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Oh, wow.
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And I said, yeah, but we're gonna give you your own show afterwards. And I have footage of this.
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Okay. We're gonna insert the footage here.
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It was. Even when I looked back, I was like, ooh, that was kind of crazy. But anyway. And it was like, the first time on tv, I realized, like, the two worlds don't mix. So editorial and daytime TV hair are two different worlds. I learned a big lesson.
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Yes. And then you got your own. Got another show out of it. So it worked.
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Exactly. It worked exactly. So, so many life lessons. Just with the journey, you know.
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So you made it to LA and you decided to open up your own salon, I think it was in 2016, Muse Suites. And with. Everybody knows, with the entrepreneurship and with owning the salon, it has its ups and downs. You were faced with a pandemic. You were faced with the strike, and a lot of people didn't realize how this strike just didn't affect people like me who were in front of the camera. It affected people like you who worked with other actors. It affected our grips, our electricians, our PAs, everyone who worked on set behind the scenes that people don't even know about that actually make everything come together and actually work. It affected you all as well. Can you tell us how your faith had to take a. Take a seat. How your faith had to play a part in getting you through? Because I know pandemic was rough for everybody, but then a few years later, you hit with the strike, girl. Because we talked during the strike and you were like, girl, yeah.
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But let's not forget, right now, we're on a strike. Hair, makeup, and teamsters are. Could possibly. Right now, today, June 2023. We're on strike right now. Oh, my gosh. Right now. But we. I don't know if we're going to actually strike, but we're in heavy negotiations. I remember if the Teamsters do not go to work, there will be no one going. So they're not going to play games with them.
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No, they're not.
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You know what I mean? And I would say, like, even for hair and makeup, how important we are. So we come out of COVID You know, that was a big time for me because I'm, like, right now, I'm about to launch my line. It's 2019. I done got my big loan. I'm ready to, like, launch.
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Yes.
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Kaboom. I would never forget the day when I. And my salon is not a big salon. I've never been big on owning a salon. I just never felt that that was where the money was.
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Was.
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I am. You know, I'm. I'm about products, education, like, things like that. That's really where I see the next part of my career path. I've always saw it there. So I opened up a suite here in Beverly Hills. The. The salon business has really changed. First off, it. It went from, like, salons. They're more in the south and things like that. But now with the salon suite business. Yeah, that has really taken us.
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Everybody. Yeah.
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Forefront in the.
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In.
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In business. You know what I mean? Entrepreneurship, boss, women. Everybody want to be a boss. So the suite business is, like, the perfect transition. So that's what I kind of moved into back in 2016. I went from a salon, Warren Tracomi, my dream salon, right into a suite. And so I get my money I'm about to go through, and I just go. Go through, you know, funding my own brand and the strike habits. I never forget the day because I was, like, always praying for, like, time off. Like, damn.
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He's like, you want it?
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Oh, God. Time off. B.
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Be careful.
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I never forget it because it felt like, wait a minute. Like when you watch those movies, like that Will Smith movie. When the world. When everything went out in the world.
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I am legend.
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Yes. And everything just stopped. When I tell you when that happened that day and they said when all the noise kept happening about they may shut down the businesses. Da da da da da. And you kept watching the news and it just getting worse and worse and worse. But you're like, this is not real life. This is just what I see on tv, right? And when they said it that day and they. And the salon closed and they said, you will be shut down indefinitely. And Beverly Hills didn't play no games. Louisiana. Didn't play no games because actors were like, whoa. Like, they were just, like, super paranoid. Yeah, it was like, COVID death. It was like the two words went together.
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And then Atlanta was like, wow.
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For the day.
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No, really, like, what?
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Covid and Florida? Yes, and Florida.
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Everybody's going to Florida. I definitely went to Florida. Memorial Day for 2020. On the boat. Open air.
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We're good. No mask.
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We're outside.
- [23:25]
B
It's good, right? We outside. No, out here. We were like, death, girl. Like zombies walking around here, like. And I was just like, God, what is going to happen? And I just remember crying. Crying like, boohooing on Instagram. I was like, well, guys, it's for real. Today's the day. I'm like, going, ham. Like, crying. I was like, whoa. And it was real because then you felt like, I'm never going to get to do hair again. I'm never going to use my hands again. So I had to take my home office, turn it into office, get some wallpaper up, build it up. I remember, and make it like. And I got a deal, a deal with another deal with Procter and Gamble. Six figures. I gotta do this. God, thank you. So now I'm like, oh, my God, thank you so much. And I'm like. And they made me, like. I just went online and I talked to families about, you know, like, hair makeovers at home or I just spent it any way that I could and just. I had time off to think, ride my bike, hang out with friends.
- [24:27]
A
Exactly.
- [24:28]
B
We were going to bars on the bike every day, child. We was. No masks.
- [24:31]
A
I haven't rode my bike since 2020.
- [24:33]
B
Literally, I was on my bike every.
- [24:35]
A
Day that you year.
- [24:36]
B
Exactly. Like, it was a really good year for me. It went by really fast. Yeah, I think the next year was even harder because now it's 2021. You know, it's. The fear factor is lessening a little bit. Yeah. We're getting ready to go back to work in 2022. We were just going back. Then boom. Yeah, you hit. Hit us with a strike. So faith is the only thing that you have that's standing forward. Like, really? Like, I have to. When my mom died, my mother died in front of me. So it was like, boom. Oh, shit. Like an aneurysm. She had an aneurysm.
- [25:14]
A
My mom died of an aneurysm. I didn't know that she died of an aneurysm.
- [25:18]
B
So when she died, it was, like, sudden. You have to shift immediately. Your mind has to shift. Like, I gotta. You gotta take care of yourself. Like, what you gonna do? You gotta take care of yourself. Like, there was no mom, grandma, nobody. Like, everybody died in five years.
- [25:34]
A
Yeah.
- [25:34]
B
Mother, father. Well, father wasn't really there. Grandmother. Thank you. I knew I was like, I'm not gonna cry today. Everybody says that, so it's okay. You have to immediately take a shift in your mindset. I'm 14. Yeah, I'm 14. So I'm becoming a young woman. I'm seeing what she's going through. An abusive relationship. And just having to pull out a knife to stab this dude. Cause he's trying to beat my mom up. Like craziness. And she's like, I'm out of here. I'm moving. So we move in with my whole family. And that's a combustion. So it's like six bedroom house. And it's just like way too much. And my mom fussing at my aunt about sitting her fat ass on the couch. I'll never forget it. And then boom, she falls on the floor. Cause my mom had the white couch child with the plastic on it. Yes. And my aunt used to just sit on it every day and watch tv. So she was just not having it. And she just falls out of an aneurysm. And that was the last day. And that's the day where my mom was the type that was like. She didn't say I love you. She never said I love you to mean it. It was always, I'm gonna show you I love you, then to say it. So that's the energy that you take on as a young child. You take on that armor. That's your armor. That's your defense. That's your, you know, that's how you make it through life. Like, you know, I have to show up. I gotta be. I gotta. I gotta be whatever it is. Like, she. She raised me with self esteem. Hold your head up high. You know, she put me in hair school. Like all these little things just like fell right into place. So when she passed away, it was just like, you're on your own. You got to figure this out. And I think I was already raised. She was like, and take care of your brother. And my mom, literally like three days, two days after Christmas passed away. And I remember them saying, go in there, tell her you love her. But we never said that. So it was hard. Oh, my goodness. You know, And I never said it. And she passed away. And then I was that. And I didn't get to see her or anything because she was at the hospital. And I don't think families understand, like, mental health therapy.
- [27:34]
A
Yes.
- [27:35]
B
None of that. So you Just functioning in life. Oh, yeah, My mom died yesterday, right. I'm back at school, you know what I mean? Like, it was just nothing.
- [27:42]
A
It was then. That was. Yeah, literally just had.
- [27:44]
B
That was that. I remember graduating and throwing the test, the trash. I threw my last test in the trash and I passed. I don't even know how, you know what I mean? Like, life has always sort of covered me in a sense. Like she's just watching over my life, you know what I mean? So it's gone through many highs and many lows. And one thing about the journey for me has just always been about just staying relevant. You've done that, staying relevant. It's going to be times where you super popular. You're all the way at the top. But my whole goal was always to stay good. Just be a good hairstylist and be well known and be easy, you know what I mean? Easy to be in the room, easy to get along with, like, you know what I mean? And just be really good about what you do. And that's really, really is what's kept me working, you know what I mean? And you're not gonna be popular all the time.
- [28:40]
A
So true.
- [28:41]
B
That's the thing. It comes in waves. Yeah. My game was going in one route for 20 something years. Now I'm on a new route and it's very, very different from the route that I was taking. Because when you're on the road to become a celebrity stylist, I'm yours all day. I can't work on Kite. Right. That's why a lot of celebrity stylists don't have anything because you're on someone else's journey the whole time. I can't sit over here and be working on Kyre Wright while I'm with you. Because I'm an attentive style stylist. I'm making sure every curl, everything. I'm your shirt, I'm your clothes, I'm everything.
- [29:16]
A
Yeah.
- [29:17]
B
To you, I'm selfless. When I'm with you as an, as a real, real select, as a real celebrity stylist. To me, these new ones on the phone, child, I gotta get up to do the touch up, right? Girl, don't give me that's a conversation, right?
- [29:34]
A
I was very triggered because I'm looking.
- [29:37]
B
Crazy and I'm sweating. You ain't see I'm looking nice. You ain't see the hair.
- [29:41]
A
Like your job is to make sure I look good.
- [29:42]
B
I'm pressed, I'm behind every camera. I'm looking, see I'm Shooting.
- [29:45]
A
But you are like a celebrity's favorite type of stylist, right? Because you never had to worry, am I looking crazy or is like, my hair sticking out? You know what I'm saying? Whatever the case, you gonna tell the makeup person, hey, do you see this? You pay attention to the whole world.
- [29:59]
B
We all are together. It's not the Kya Wright show, It's our show. Because we all gonna look good together. Like, even when you have to share clients, you might not always be. So Sierra not gonna call me all the time no more. She's gonna call another artist.
- [30:14]
A
Yeah.
- [30:14]
B
You can't be feeling away about it. You have to just know that you're good in your art. And you gotta move on and on and on and move to the new lane and pivot. Like you said. Just keep pivoting. And that's really been my goal, is to stay relevant and to pivot and not to compete. Compete. Oh, that's a.
- [30:33]
A
That's a nugget. Pivot and not compete.
- [30:36]
B
Pivot. But don't be so competitive. I'm competitive with. With Kaya.
- [30:41]
A
Same, like, with myself.
- [30:42]
B
Really? Like, even, like, looking at Instagram, unfollowing people. I don't do that. I'm following people is nuts. Keep watching.
- [30:48]
A
But if you don't follow me, I'm gonna follow you.
- [30:50]
B
I don't even be knowing. I'm so up.
- [30:53]
A
I don't need it until somebody. But see my fans watch all day. Like, oh, so and so and all they did.
- [31:00]
B
I'm following you. You might be the sweetest woman I know. Girl, you surprised, you know, so, like, really, Period. Call me petty P. Yeah, listen. Cause I will. Yeah.
- [31:15]
A
As soon as I find out something, probably I'm like, oh, okay, cool.
- [31:17]
B
Exactly.
- [31:18]
A
So can you tell us anything about your product line? Anything specific that you want us to know about?
- [31:22]
B
Yes. So basically, Muse Hair is my line. A muse for me is someone that inspires you. So I've always been inspired by my artists, like yourself, different talent. And I'm your muse as well. So Muse Hair was inspired by just you being my muse and inspiring me to create. That's number one. And I decided as a stylist, I wanted to have styling products. So a styling line is really what I focused on with my product.
- [31:55]
A
I love that.
- [31:55]
B
Muse Hair styling products.
- [31:58]
A
I love that. I love that. You also wrote a book called From Beauty to Business, the Guaranteed Strategy to Building, Running and Growing a Successful Beauty Business. Can you share some of the nuggets in your book that really can help People who are trying to jump in any type of entrepreneurship, but specifically in the salon business.
- [32:16]
B
Well, as a stylist, I think that first you should work on your craft, perfect your craft, be good at what you do first. Let's just start right there. Yeah, let's start with like really perfecting your craft, spending time with it. I say three years is really what you should really, really focus on as a stylist. Three to five to be good, to find your niche, Find out what it is that you love about styling hair. Because don't do it to hustle and to just to make money. You know what I mean? And also I think now with Instagram University, I think that, you know, a lot of, a lot of these stylists now just find one thing that they're good at. Like, I only put on lace front wigs. And with their soon find out is like, that's going to play out. And now where are you going to lie? Where are you going to find yourself in this world of beauty? So finding your niche is a real big deal. And the big question is always, what is your. Why? Like, why are you doing this? Where is it coming from? Like, what are you, what is it that you're passionate about in this whole thing? What keeps you going every day? Mine is making women feel and look their best, best. After every styling, there's a hug to get a hug is so endearing from a woman. Like, she feels beautiful. Like, and she start dancing and she start dancing. That means she happy. And that's what you want when your clients leave you. And if you're not doing your friends, you're probably not that good. Yeah. So. And just for me also, it's no plan B. Like, this was it for me. And I'm not gonna stop, you know what I mean, till I get to where it is I want to be. And I think that's what you have to know as well.
- [34:02]
A
That's incredible. Yeah, I love that. Thank you, Kya Wright.
- [34:06]
B
Thank you.
- [34:06]
A
So happy we got to do this.
- [34:08]
B
Yes, yes.
- [34:09]
A
This is so good.
- [34:10]
B
Yes.
- [34:12]
A
So when I think about your journey, I see a very driven woman who's been so focused on her career. How have you balanced that with love?
- [34:22]
B
Well, I think there has been some sacrifices. I always wanted children, so I haven't had any kids. I did freeze my eggs, so there's still a possibility. Making space for love is funny enough that you said that when I was younger, I used to be obsessed with Tony Robbins and he asked a really, like, for me at like 1819 years old. I'm like obsessed with this guy. I'm like, grandma, please can I get the 48 CDs, you know, about motivation and D D. So he taught me really early on, like about manifestation and like, really like putting it out there. Whatever you believe and see you can have. And so he asked this one question. He said, what are the priorities in your life? And this is intense for like an 18, 19 year old. But I'm like, okay. Because I used to journal. So I wrote it down. It was success, money, power, something. And family is number five. This five is so symbolistic to my. I don't even know if that's a word, but this word. Symbolic, symbolistic. This is so symbolic to my life because I'm at the. At the fifth chapter of my life. I'm 50.
- [35:38]
A
Wow.
- [35:39]
B
And family was number five.
- [35:41]
A
Wow.
- [35:42]
B
And my current boyfriend now always says, I love you. He stops me and my. I love you. And I'll be like, I love you too. I guess I should say that.
- [35:51]
A
Yeah.
- [35:51]
B
Oh, you know what I mean? Like, but I feel it in my heart. But. Because my mom always said I can show you better than I can tell you that always kind of is kind of my love language is showing you my love of some sort of. You know what I mean? I think that now that's all I am made up of, is looking for love. Not even looking for it, just being like, let me be more love. Let me have more time for people. I miss weddings, I've missed big dates. Just being so detached from those things. Because when you lose someone so significant in your life, it's like you deal with a little bit of abandonment.
- [36:31]
A
Yeah.
- [36:32]
B
And the abandonment is masked by this protection that you keep around yourself so that you're not hurt. And you don't even sometimes allow yourself to be loved because you don't even know how. You don't even know how. You don't even know how to be loved because you're like so busy moving, going, dodging and ducking it because you gotta. And whatever comes has to fit in my life. It has to. In my life. Yeah. And I had to realize, like, you know, I. Even with dating certain men, if it didn't fit in my life, because if you take me off my journey, I don't know if this is gonna work out. It has to fit in my life. So, like, even when I talk to women about relationships, I don't like women that help that. That encourage me to bash or talk bad about men because I have to be encouraged to love Kyah, you know, I have to, like, if you be like, girl, he ain't shit. Da, da, da, da. Like, I know he ain't shit, but I have to be encouraged more the other way because I could be tough on that side. I like to be, like, be more loving and be more this. Yes. I like that conversation better than, like, the bashing kind. So I have to keep it in my life. I put it on my priority board, I write it on my inspiration board, my journals. It's all around me, just like, love. Like, so it's been a sacrifice, but now it's kind of like it's time for it in my life.
- [37:53]
A
I can attest to that too.
- [37:53]
B
Yes, definitely.
- [37:54]
A
People asking. I do feel like a part of success is sacrificing love. Because sometimes what a man needs, you can't really give that to them when you're so busy trying to make your dreams come true or to strive after certain things. So I definitely. I'm in that same boat. Still don't have a man still single. But I feel like that's a part of the sacrifice. And I know that when it's time, God will make provisions and everything will be in place.
- [38:20]
B
Yes, he will. And I believe he will make space. Like, when people. It's a saying in la, they always say, there's no men in la, there's no men. I'm like, that's not true. That might be true for you and your truth, but the truth is really what you believe. It really is.
- [38:36]
A
You think the same thing for Atlanta. I don't think it's.
- [38:41]
B
No way Atlanta. I believe it. I believe. Because if that's. That's the mantra in your head, your man could move to Atlanta.
- [38:46]
A
Come on now.
- [38:47]
B
He could move there. He really could move there. And he's just. For you. That's just how God is. Like. And even, like, you know, I'm dating now the man that's in my life, he was sent here for me. Even if it's for a time, he's here for me. And God will only give me what I need.
- [39:04]
A
Absolutely.
- [39:05]
B
He really would. Like, that's. It's like, he's done that for me in my life so many times. So many times. So, hey, thank you, God. Period.
- [39:15]
A
I love it. I love it. This has been amazing.
- [39:17]
B
Thank you so much.
- [39:18]
A
No, thank you. I'm so proud of you.
- [39:19]
B
Yes. Give me hugs.
- [39:23]
A
Love you so much. I love you.
- [39:25]
B
I love you, too.
- [39:27]
A
Now I can say, there we go, There we go. So we're gonna do at the end of the show, we do what is called Paul Positive outcomes.
- [39:36]
B
Okay.
- [39:37]
A
This is where our listeners write in and we give them advice.
- [39:40]
B
Okay.
- [39:41]
A
So this one says, Crystal, I absolutely loved Eva's episode and I love how she makes it a point to wear her locs no matter what character she plays on screen. Locs get such a bad name and have been reluctantly associated with beauty. I have a 23 year old daughter who works in corporate and is having a hard time coming up with professional ways to style her locks. I constantly reinforce that her locs are beautiful and, and she shouldn't have to wear a wig at work to fit in. Can you please give her some advice on how she can feel comfortable going to work rocking her natural hair? There's a law passed called the Crown act where now that we can wear our hair however we seem fit and it's okay, you know, So I would tell your daughter, to one like you, tell her your natural hair is beautiful. It's what God bless you with. And we as African Americans have certain ways that we show our blackness. And a lot of times it's through our hair, you know, whether it is walking, a wig or wig. Yes, Braids, locks, our afro, our curly hair, whatever the case may be. For so long, we thought we had to straighten it to feel pretty. And I had fallen into that for a long time because I worked on Capitol Hill, so I felt like I had to wear my hair a certain way to fit in. So I totally understand where she's coming from. But I think it starts within knowing that you are beautiful the way God made you and understanding that. However, no matter. I think it was India. I am not. My hair. Yes. Like, however you rock it, it's good, you know, so what we're going to do, since we have the legendary kya, right. I don't have locs, but I got braids. So Kai is going to play with my hair and give you a little, you know, idea.
- [41:18]
B
Should we do it right here?
- [41:19]
A
Yeah, let's do it right here.
- [41:21]
B
Let me get behind you. We can talk about this.
- [41:23]
A
Okay.
- [41:24]
B
Okay. I'm gonna start here so that I get a little dramatics.
- [41:27]
A
Okay, we're giving some drama. Okay, we're giving a little dramatics here. So, Kai, do you have women that work in corporate America that have natural hair that you may have to help style?
- [41:38]
B
Yes. One of the things that I'm loving about from braids all the way to locs right now is first things first. What I would appreciate is if you keep them groomed because sometimes I think people feel like because they have locs, protective styles, they can just grow it out. It looks a little unkept, and I feel like just keeping it fresh. A little bit of edge control can refresh them. Even if you do just the hairline, keep them fresh, keep them groomed, and shape them. I like shapes. Shapes really do help. You just have a style. You can kind of create your own crown. I think perception is still perception, no matter what. You know what I mean? They're going to still see you having locs no matter what the crown X is or anything like that. Yes, it's okay, but the perception is still the same. Oh, you have locs, people. Because it's still new. It's very new. And I'm loving how the girls are putting. Look at this. They're putting hair in between so it softens up the braid look, and it takes a little bit of that beach summertime effect off and just kind of create shapes. As long as it's not in the face, they're not hanging down, and you create some sort of look with them. I think that kind of will help people see you differently. It's almost like wearing, like, a ponytail, but you kind of creating a shape of whatever you like with these locs. I mean, that's what I think when I think about locs. I just want to see, like, beautiful shapes, and I want to see the edges groomed really nicely and just shape that hair to match your face. That's really what my goal is, is, like, not too many pieces hanging down. I think that also makes people feel like, you know, they can see your locks. You should be able to see them, but I think they should feel shaped of some sort like yours. They're so nice.
- [43:18]
A
Yes. We love Chanel. I should have pulled you in here. Okay. While you're doing this, Kia, we're going to do what I'm going through and what I'm growing through, and this is a part of the show that we do. And right now I am going through balancing everything that is on my plate. I feel like if I'm not working, people are like, what did you do on your time off? I'm still working, so I feel like right now it is balancing everything that I prayed for. We said before we sat down, Kya, like, girl, you're so busy. I'm like, yeah. And you're like, this is what you prayed for. And I'm like, it is so going through, adjusting to how busy I am, but also balancing it all. What about You.
- [44:08]
B
I would say mine is you hit it. Transitioning, I would call it. I'm going through the big transition.
- [44:18]
A
Wow.
- [44:19]
B
And it is extremely uncomfortable. And I know that God wouldn't give me anything that I couldn't handle.
- [44:27]
A
Yeah, it won't. Yeah.
- [44:28]
B
And I think transition is good. I think it's next level, too. You know what I mean? Like, if you just stay in the same place, you won't grow. So transitioning is obviously a part of the next level.
- [44:43]
A
Yeah, for sure. For sure. And if we had to leave the people with fill in the blank, we call it keep it blank, sweetie. If I want to leave people today, I would say keep it. Oh, that feels good, too. Nice and secure. She didn't even have no.
- [45:02]
B
I can't see on the.
- [45:02]
A
She didn't have no tools or nothing.
- [45:04]
B
I can't give you the swoop boozle. You know I can't see.
- [45:08]
A
I would say keep it fly, sweetie. So how would you fill in the blank? Keep it blank, sweetie.
- [45:13]
B
Keep it reinventing, sweetie.
- [45:16]
A
I like that.
- [45:16]
B
I like.
- [45:17]
A
That's what you do. You do it very well.
- [45:18]
B
Exactly.
- [45:19]
A
You do. Kaia, thank you you so much. Oh, yeah.
- [45:21]
B
She cute. She cute, period. With a little hair down, a little half up, half down.
- [45:27]
A
Thank you guys so much for tuning into this episode of keep it Positive, sweetie. If you want to write into our positive outcomes, listen, letter write into keepitpositive, sweetie gmail dot com. And that is sweetie with an ie. You can follow me on all platforms at lovechristrene. And that's luv. Chris, Renee, Kai, tell the people where they can find you.
- [45:44]
B
Kya1 on Instagram. Instagram or kyaright.com.
- [45:48]
A
All right, guys, in the meantime, in between time, you know what to do. Keep it positive, sweetie. We'll see you guys next time.