In The Passenger Seat with Alethea Crimmins
From the front seat of her car, Alethea has motivated millions—reaching hearts around the world and even catching the attention of icons like Rihanna, Kesha, Madonna, and Viola Davis. Now, she’s bringing that same energy, wisdom, and unshakable confidence to the podcast realm—inviting special guests to ride along and share their own journeys of resilience, purpose, and self-discovery.
No scripts, no filters—just raw, powerful conversations filled with gems, laughter, and the kind of motivation that makes you sit up a little straighter. You never know who will be in the passenger seat next, but one thing’s for sure: every ride is a step toward something greater.
So buckle up, tune in, and let’s take this journey together. 🎙️🚗✨
In The Passenger Seat with Alethea Crimmins
Dancing Through Life with Briannagh D
Meet Briannagh D, the 23-year-old musical powerhouse who defies expectations at every turn. From earning her master's degree at Columbia to collaborating with hip-hop legend MC Lyte, she's built an impressive career while maintaining an authenticity that's genuinely refreshing.
The conversation begins with Briannagh sharing her remarkable journey, which started at age 8 singing in church choirs and releasing her first single by 11. What stands out immediately is her uncommon poise and wisdom, something host Alethea Crimmins quickly notices. When asked how she stays so grounded, Briannagh offers a perspective that resonates deeply: "I keep God as the main center and focus of my life." This spiritual foundation, alongside a supportive family, has helped her navigate the inevitable rejections in her entertainment career.
Perhaps most compelling is Briannagh’s candid reflection on failure. Rather than viewing rejection as defeat, she sees it as redirection—protection from what wasn't meant for her. This philosophy has served her well through auditions, competitions, and career setbacks. She admits to being a perfectionist with "plans that have plans," yet works daily to embrace life's unpredictability.
The conversation shifts to her latest single "Realest Wine," featuring MC Lyte—a vibrant dancehall track that fulfills Briannagh longtime dream of creating music that makes people dance. Beyond her musical pursuits, we discover her philanthropic partnership with The Thirst Project, where she's helping provide clean water to communities worldwide.
Throughout the episode, Briannagh demonstrates that success doesn't require sacrificing authenticity. Her closing advice—"Take it one day at a time. Expect three things will go wrong daily"—reveals the balanced perspective that's allowed her to thrive across multiple domains.
Stream "Realest Wine" now and follow Briannagh D across all platforms @BriannaghHD to witness firsthand how this young artist is redefining what it means to live your dreams while staying true to yourself.
Have a Good Day On Purpose...
YA' Welcome
yeah, hello, hello, hello, and welcome back to in the passenger seat with your positivity. Queen aletheia crimmons, how y'all doing? Did you miss me, baby? Now let me tell you something. I'm excited to be sitting in this seat right now because my guest today, honey, when I tell you she is going to make you get up on your feet and do a little something, something y'all know I love me some music, y'all know I do. And, baby, dance hall is my jewish, because I like to whine and whine and whine and whine. And this queen that I have today, baby, she is 23 years old, 23. And the things that she has accomplished a college graduate, mtv, vmas, bet awards and so much more. She is a boss, she is a force, and I am so honored to have her on my show today. Can you please give it up to the fearless, the vibrant, the beautiful Brianna. What's going?
Speaker 2:on.
Speaker 1:Oh my goodness ma'am. I'm wonderful. How are you? I am good, and can I say that you are looking fabulous. Honey, you are looking fabulous.
Speaker 2:Thank you, as are you.
Speaker 1:Thank you. So tell us a little bit about who Rihanna is, because, listen, you are 23 years old and you are doing all of this like you are, you have a degree from Columbia. Like you have hits after hits after hits. You're working with icons. You did a campaign with Nike. You are working with the legendary MC Lyte. How do you manage all of these things?
Speaker 2:Thank you. Thank you. Yes, I recently graduated from Columbia with my master's and prior to that I graduated with my bachelor's from UCLA. I have been just working on music pretty much since I was like I put on my first song, I want to say when I was around 11 or 12. Really, and just been dropping yeah, yeah, just been dropping singles pretty much since then. And, yeah, I've been songwriting, acting, singing. I play the piano and the steel pan. I have worked kind of, like you mentioned, with MC Light on my most recent song, realist Wine. I worked with Jadakiss on a track in 2022. And Edie, the dance hall celebrity, on Feel the Beat, that feeling, with Cassidy. So I've been collaborating with a bunch of different people and just continuing to grow through my music. To grow through my music and, you know, as a person, while still doing the schooling and the entertainment career.
Speaker 1:That just sounds like a lot like you wear a lot of hats and it seemed like you knew at a very young age what you wanted to do and what your goal was. Like you, you knew from starting at 11. You said that you put out your first single at 11. Most most people don't don't know. I know I didn't know what I wanted to do at 11. So how did how did how? Did you know that? You know that you knew music is what I wanted. What did that start from?
Speaker 2:Yeah, so I started singing really when I was around eight years old. I sang in the church choir, the school choir, just in my living room at recess, anywhere I could sing.
Speaker 1:Everywhere, everywhere, you know. In my living room, at recess, like anywhere, I could sing everywhere, everywhere yes, I just I loved listening to music.
Speaker 2:I always had my iPod touch with me.
Speaker 2:I know that was a thing back in the day, not really yes, yes you know, had my iPod touch, was always listening to different songs, um, but I knew I wanted to sing because I loved being on stages, I loved being in front of people, even if it wasn't a physical stage, I just liked being in the presence of others and singing and performing and entertaining in any way, shape or form. And so that feeling that I had within me when I was performing in front of others was pretty unmatched, and so I knew that that meant something significant and that it would potentially it potentially is my calling and could be my, you know a career path that I could take for the rest of my life, and so I definitely was delving deeper into it as I got older and, you know, started accumulating a resume, going on auditions, really taking it seriously, around that same time that I dropped the single when I was in middle school, like 11 years old, and started competing in talent shows all sorts of things.
Speaker 1:You seem so grounded like you. You seem like you have this soul that has been here before, like you. Just, you're just so like poised and so demure like you. You just have this like thing about you, Like how did you, how do you stay grounded, Like, how do you stay true to who you are at such a young, vibrant age where most people 23, they do not have it all together, but you just seem like and I may be wrong, but from from where I'm sitting, you just seem like you just have it all together. Girl, how do you do that?
Speaker 2:Thank you so so much. I mean, I'm definitely still figuring out my own way, definitely don't have like all the answers to like this is how you should live your life or this is what you should do, and I'm, you know, so structured and everything is, you know, perfect. I definitely have failed, been rejected multiple times, you know, throughout my career made many, many mistakes, but I think, just through it all, I keep God as the main center and focus of my life. You know I'm a Christian. I know that. You know people have their other views and beliefs. I definitely respect that as well, but for me, I just think it has kind of helped me to remain grounded, just because I know like okay, when things are going wrong, at least I know that you know God is with me and I can just.
Speaker 2:You know, I think I have a great family as well, who are really supportive and wonderful, and you know they're just my biggest cheerleaders and I'm so blessed to have that and I just try to wake up every day and remember that I have a roof over my head, I have clean water to drink. I have so many things to be grateful for, even the little things that we often forget about. We have to just like come back and remember okay, wait, I'm actually so grateful to be living in this moment right now because someone else has it worse. Someone else is, you know, probably on their deathbed right now, and we have health, we have strength, we have, you know, people who love us. So, you know, there's always something like a what at least there's an at least I think I've said this on another podcast at one point but there's always like an at least, you know, and there are people who have it worse than us. So I definitely think about that on a regular basis.
Speaker 1:So, yeah, I love, I love, love, love, love, love. How you worded that, how you put that, because it's so true. Like oftentimes we don't think about the things that we do have, because we're so focused on what we do not have that we don't see everything that we do have, like we're waiting on blessings to come, we're waiting to be blessed more, not realizing you have already been blessed, like you have every day that you open your eyes. That is another gift, and I love how you said it's the at least. I may not have the best vehicle in the world, but at least I have one. At least I can get from point A to point B. I may not have the best job in the world, but at least I have a job where I can pay my bills. I may not be living the best life, but at least I'm living life. So I love how you said the at least part, because I think a lot of people need to hear that you may not have it all. You may not have it all. You may not have the best of the best, but at least. At least you are not what other people are, because there is somebody that wishes that they had what you have.
Speaker 1:A lot of people do not like to openly talk about God and their faith and how they feel about it, but you're very open about. Look, I'm a Christian. Other people may not be, but I am, and I know that God has blessed me with this, so I'm going to give him the glory. Can you give us like a little bit more about how you became so grounded in your faith? And also you mentioned about you you failing. A lot of people feel like when I fail, that's it when, when I fail, I just I just need to stop. So how did you overcome your failures?
Speaker 2:stop. So how did you overcome your failures? Yeah, so I um, definitely I've been experiencing like rejections, failures, uh, for you know, ever since I started, really, um, and I at first, you know, especially since I was 10 years old, nine years old, like really, really young I definitely took it to heart and I, I knew that it would be a part of it. I knew that, like, okay, every audition you go on, you won't get the role or you won't book the gig or whatever the case may be, you won't win the competition in. You know, in every instance, like you will have to deal with those failures and those rejections. And you know, in every instance, like you will have to deal with those failures and those rejections.
Speaker 2:And, um, you know, there were adults who would remind me of that too, um, professionals, and I, I definitely listened to those around me. I wasn't just kind of like, you know, hearing things goes in one ear and out the other. I really listened to what people were saying and made mental notes, and so I learned pretty quickly just through being a very observant person. I've always been very observant, even as a child, and just kind of hyper aware of things that were happening around me. You know, and I think it's important to kind of soak things in and, uh, just be being observant, because sometimes we're just so caught up in other things and we forget to pay attention to what's happening in that very moment. And so you can learn a lot now, yes, yes, you can learn a lot from being in the now, like you said, um, and so I I just knew that rejections would be a part of the game.
Speaker 2:You know, it's not everything is going to be all positive and all you know, and as, even though we love positivity and it's, it's a great thing, just realistically, um, there will be those moments where we face rejection, we face criticisms, and we can't just look at it through that lens of, oh my gosh. You know, the world is over, I can't do this anymore, Just because this one time it didn't work out. Okay, it didn't work out this time, but at some point something else is going to work out and it'll be at the right moment, at the right time and it'll be the right position, and it'll all just be what it's supposed to be, because maybe this is something we wanted, but it wasn't supposed to be.
Speaker 1:I just had a conversation about this yesterday Cause, like granted, I am the positivity queen, but I do it in a very realistic way, because rejection is going to happen. It's something that we can't get away from, like everything won't be rainbows, sunshines, roses but it's what you do after you get that, it's what you do when you're in the midst of it. What are you going to choose to do? What are you going to choose to do after you get that? And a lot of things that we think that we want in life. You are absolutely right. Life, you are absolutely right we're not ready for, because we have to be in a position to receive it. And oftentimes we think that we're there and we're not there yet. We're just being set up.
Speaker 1:So sometimes that rejection is the protection that we didn't even know that we needed, and oftentimes we think that this is something that we want and we need so bad. Yes, but you have to understand that everything comes in time and it might not be your time, and oftentimes we overlook, we say that we didn't get results. No, you got them, but it just didn't come in the package that you wanted them and that's why you overlooked it, because it didn't come in the package that you wanted. So what? What happens when Brianna wants results, but it doesn't come in the package that you want? How do you handle that and what? What do you choose to do when that happens?
Speaker 2:oh, I actually love that question so much I am, honestly, I am still working on that, because I'm very much yes, I am still working on that I'm very much a perfectionist. I like for things to I, I like to pre-plan things and be like okay, this is how it's going to be, and this, this, this and this, and I have a whole plan and I'm organizing.
Speaker 1:You one of those, you, you one of those that they have to have all their ducks in a row. You're like plans, have plans.
Speaker 2:Yes, yes, my plans have plans, and then I have to pre-check those plans and then, once those plans are finalized, I have to go back and look at them again. Oh no, so I, unfortunately, am one of those which means that it takes a little bit of extra work to get to that place of like. Okay, I'm fine, it didn't work the way that I wanted it to work out, but it's okay, because I go back to that same pattern of thinking of like okay, but it's what's meant to be will be.
Speaker 1:And so I have to let it go and be okay with it being this way, because get what we want. How does your tantrum and hissy fit look like when? Whenever it's like oh I was this close and I don't understand what happened, like, how does that look for you?
Speaker 2:Yeah, so there are definitely. There've been moments of like frustration, for sure, I think for me, when one of those moments hits like the absolute worst. I feel like they always come in at the worst times when I like I I'm either really cold and really tired and, you know, haven't eaten in many, many hours.
Speaker 1:And like everything, just like aggravates you and it just takes that one more thing to push you over the edge.
Speaker 2:I, I literally, I think like I had got like some disappointing news and I, I guess I was kind of bottling up those feelings and then, like, what sent me over the edge was like I was in the kitchen and I like dropped a fork on the ground and I just lost it and that was it. That was it. This is the final straw. Me dropping this fork on the ground is the final straw and I just sent you over the edge. Personally, that I, I work hard and I push myself and it's great, but also, you know, it's great until it's not, and so you have to just give yourself that grace and that leeway to take a little rest, you know, and the world's not going to explode if you, if you take a break and slow down a little bit, you know, here and there. So, um, I am constantly working on myself and open to hearing new methods of how I can work on myself and how I can become a better individual. So just learning and growing through it all.
Speaker 1:Is music one of those things that helps you get in your zen space, like is. Is that because I remember you saying that you were a songwriter? Do you find that in those places, like when you were like really frustrated, or on those places of rejection? Places of rejection because I know, like Adele, like one of her best albums came from a place of hurt and a lot of artists write when they're in their like darkest moments or the hardest moments. Do you find that that happens for you or is it the opposite?
Speaker 2:for you, or is it the opposite? I think that songwriting definitely takes me to a place of like peace, and sometimes when I have just like too much going on and I feel a bit overwhelmed, I'll just like listen to different beats and I'll try to be creative, come up with different melodies, lyric ideas. So it does kind of work in that way where it soothes me and it calms me down for sure.
Speaker 1:Well, this single that you have, it is like. It gives a layer of pop, dance hall culture and empowerment. So the realest wine you brought into you brought a legend in to this like one of the greatest female rappers in the game mc light. How did this collaboration happen? Like what?
Speaker 2:I honestly I love MC Light so much. She is the queen, she is a legend, and it kind of it came about because we were actually working on the set of a TV show and we were filming on the same episode and so I spoke with her while I was on the set that day and, um, you know, I loved her energy.
Speaker 2:She's just like very kind and very down to earth and, um, you know, so that's also important to not just super talented but also really down to earth woman. And um, so I had this song, realist Wine, and I was kind of thinking like, do I want a feature for this song? Do I want to just rock out on my own for this song? And I just kind of felt like it might take the song up a notch a little bit if I had someone else's flow just coming in. And since she is a hip-hop artist, I thought like this I feel like MC light, if, if anyone can do it, mc light can hop on like a dance hall pop track like she is versatile and she did yes, she killed it, so I think it definitely was she did?
Speaker 2:I was just like okay, Definitely.
Speaker 1:How does it feel to create that type of music that has this type of energy that just makes you feel good, that just makes you want to dance? Has this always been the type of music that you love to create? This dance hall.
Speaker 2:Oh, 100%. I just love like vibrant music, like energetic. It makes you want to get up and move and dance and just feel amazing. So I've always loved that kind of music, even since I was a kid, even throughout different genres. I was just one of those kids who loved music that I could dance to.
Speaker 2:And so, yeah, no, I've always wanted to create a song like this. I didn't know what it sounded like, I didn't know, but the feeling I knew. Once I heard the final version of the track, I was like this is what I've always wanted to put out. I've always wanted to put out a song like this, and it made me feel so good once it was completed, because I was like I really I think that I checked something off the bucket list, like I put out a song that gave me that feeling that I had as a kid growing up listening to like those energetic pop tracks and this, this just felt so right and it felt perfect for the summertime and it was just everything that I wanted it to be, and so I'm really really proud of it.
Speaker 1:Yes, I love it. You know, I know that you get asked these these types of questions a lot. I pride myself on this podcast because I want to get to know you outside of the artist Brianna. I want to know you and I want my audience to know you. So tell me something about yourself that we can't find or hear on blogs or podcasts or in interviews, like something about you that makes you who you are, that you've never been able to say out loud on on any type of media outlet, but that you've always wanted to let people know about you.
Speaker 2:I honestly just love to see other people um to to kind of share my happiness, and so I love when I can see, you know, children, adults, people, young and old, who look completely different, just diverse groups of people feeling a sense of extreme happiness, like it makes me feel good to see that other people are feeling good. And you know, I know that you know, even just being a part of different nonprofit organizations, for me that makes me feel happy because I know that it's making a difference in someone else's life. And recently I actually partnered with Thirst Project and they are a nonprofit organization that kind of helps give out clean drinking water to different kids, adults in different countries, which I think is really, really amazing. You know, a fun fact about them is that they actually, if you give a $25 donation, it can give one person clean water for life, which I thought was like super incredible, like just $25.
Speaker 2:And you, you know the there is kind of like an issue with people not receiving clean drinking water, and it's it's not even a small number, it's like the number is, I want to say, 700 million people that do not have access to clean drinking water. So it's something that I definitely got more into um as of late and just being involved in that and seeing like videos that you know friends have shared with me, of people having to go walk miles to like find water and it's not even clean drinking water and it, you know, it's contaminated and it makes them sick and they wind up in the hospital. Some end up dead, like it's. It's such a real thing and so I think for me, just being a part of something that's bigger than the music and bigger than the entertainment industry and that goes outside of this, this like bubble is so, so important to me personally, important to me personally, and it makes me feel good to see that other people can, you know be bettering their situations.
Speaker 1:I love that and I love that you do all of this outside of your music. Speaking of putting people in a better situation, it is time for one of my favorite segments of the episode Ask Alethea, where you send me your questions and I answer them in real time on my podcast. Ok, this one comes from somebody who is anonymous, okay, and it says Alethea, I am in a relationship and I have a very demanding career. I travel a lot and I do try my best to focus on my relationship, but at times it does get hard. Recently, my partner asked me if we can have an open girl. Recently, my partner asked me if we can have an open relationship because he does not want to cheat on me. I don't know what I should do. Please help. Oh, baby. Usually I give my guests the the honor of answering first, cause they I need. I need to collect myself before I answer this question. So what are your thoughts on this? Rihanna?
Speaker 2:I know that for me personally, um, you know, everyone's situation looks different, but if I were in that situation, I I would prefer to just be single. Um, you know, have that person figure out what they want to do. And you know, I know that the anonymous person mentioned that they're very focused on their career. They have a lot going on in their career and they might actually find a lot of fulfillment in just going full force down that path. So maybe that's something that they could explore.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I totally get that. But the thing is, most people think an open relationship is a quick fix, and it's not like. This is a lifestyle. This is this, this is your life. Like this man is coming to you with I don't want to cheat, but I still want other options like that, that's pretty much what what I'm hearing. I don't want to cheat, but I also want other options. So what he's really saying is that he's not fully fulfilled, but he just doesn't know how to work it out with you. He just does not know how to work it out with you, and that is an issue.
Speaker 1:I don't feel like you should make life altering decisions based on guilt or pressure, and I feel like that what he's trying to do is guilt you or pressure you into, ultimately, a lifelong choice that you will have to end up dealing with, and that is not okay. So, before you agree or disagree, you need to be clear on what you want, on what you want and what you want out of this relationship. Does it align with your values, with your emotional needs? What's your vision for love really is like. This may not be what love looks like for you, and that's okay. So you have to figure out what you want, because, honey, it is okay to say no. And if this is not what this looks like, if, if you want to focus on you saying no to somebody else's, saying yes to to yourself, so give yourself that yes that you deserve. And if it's not for you, sometimes you just got to let people go and focus on you.
Speaker 1:So, if you are watching, if you are listening right now, I hope that this helps. Do not abandon yourself for other people's pleasure, all right, so listen. If you want your questions answered, send your emails to pimpinpositivityatgmailcom and you might be the next person that we answer your Ask. Aletheia question. Live on the podcast. So I always close out with a segment called pass it on, and this is a message that you can give to somebody else, or this is a message that you can give to a past version of yourself. So what message would you give to your past version of yourself that somebody would need to hear?
Speaker 2:I just want to say, like, take it one day at a time. Every day, you should expect that there are going to be at least like three things that will go south, three things that will just not go your way. That has to be the expectation, because not every day is going to be perfect. And then, when things are better and there aren't so many things going wrong, you'll just be pleasantly surprised, and I feel like it's always better to be pleasantly surprised than to just be let down. So we want to just give ourselves that grace and not put too much pressure on ourselves.
Speaker 1:I love that. Oh, you are such a breath of fresh air. Can you please tell everyone where we can find you?
Speaker 2:Please tell everyone where we can find you, Absolutely. So I am on all social media platforms. I'm on all streaming platforms, just at Brianna D. That's B-R-I-A-N-N-A-G-H-D, so a little different spelling. But yeah, I'm on Instagram. My YouTube channel is Brianna D. I have the music video for Realist Wine on there. Yeah, the music video is super, super cool. Lots of party summer vibes, which is actually shot in St Kitts, St Kitts and Nevis and yeah. So all social media, just at Brianna D. And Spotify, Apple Music, anywhere you download, stream, listen to music. So, yeah, Brianna D.
Speaker 1:You have definitely shown us that success does not have to mean losing yourself in who you are Like. You can still be authentically you like. You can still be yourself. In light of all of this, you can still be you to everybody that's listening right now. Take notes. Take notes. You can live your dreams. You can still be authentically you. You can still keep your values intact. Thank you for being such a blessing today for me and for other people listening all over the world. Family, go stream Realist Wine right now and follow Brianna on all platforms. Support artists who create music from their soul, who create music that make you happy, because this is a time that we need this more than anything else. So go and listen to this music that just makes you feel good, and you don't have to choose between who you are and where you're going. You can do both. You can do both. So listen. Thank you so much for being here today. Y'all continue to go out there, be great in they face and, as always, you have a good day on purpose here.