PHOTOGRAPHED BY GILLES BENSIMON/ STYLED BY KATE DAVIDSON HUDSON/ WRITTEN BY CAROLINE TELL
You could call Teyana Taylor a triple-threat, but that wouldn’t cover half of it. You could label her a creative force whose “star is on the rise,” but that would discount the 15 years she’s spent hustling through the entertainment industry, collaborating with some of the biggest players in the game. You could say her breakout look at September’s MET gala — a barely there Atelier Prabal Gurung dress in pewter — cemented her status as a budding fashion icon, but that would undermine all of her statement-making red carpets past. Sure, with a reality show, multiple film projects and national solo tour on the horizon, it’s easy to say Teyana Taylor is on the verge — but the truth is, the singer-songwriter, actress, dancer, choreographer, director and model has actually been here all along.
I’ve always been the type who’s been into a little bit of everything. I’ve never put myself in one box. I’m not plugged into one outlet, so I’ve always identified with everything.
“I’ve always been the type who’s been into a little bit of everything,” says Taylor. “I’ve never put myself in one box. I’m not plugged into one outlet, so I’ve always identified with everything. Now my main thing is directing, performing and acting. But I’m also getting ready for tour, so I’m right back to being everything. It’s exciting. I love performing. I love going on the road.”
A multifaceted, creative wunderkind, Taylor broke into the industry in 2006, when at age 15 she choreographed a portion of the music video for Beyoncé’s hit, ”Ring The Alarm.” The experience catapulted her onto the main stage, where in 2007 she signed onto Pharrell Williams’ Star Trak Entertainment label. In that same year, she could be seen on MTV’s “My Super Sweet Sixteen” and later appeared in the music video for Jay-Z’s single “Blue Magic.” This was all before appearing on the Kanye West album “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy,” in “Stomp The Yard: Homecoming” and Tyler Perry’s play-turned-film “Madea’s Big Happy Family.” Of her ability to transcend her own teendom at the time to collaborate with such global superstars, Taylor managed to glean everything she could from each experience.
“It’s been an honor to be in a room with such incredible people and so dope for me as an artist,” she says. “I’ve just kept my ears open. I was the student. I’m just me taking my little notes and taking my learnings to become a better version of myself. It’s important to study the people who’ve come before us.”
I’ve just kept my ears open. I was the student. I’m just me taking my little notes and taking my learnings to become a better version of myself. It’s important to study the people who’ve come before us.
Now, as Taylor winds down a national tour that zigzagged from her hometown of New York through Los Angeles, Dallas, Chicago and other major destinations, she’s putting all of her focus back onto herself, as her solo career takes shape. “My ultimate goal for the next few years is just keep maximizing everything I’m already doing,” Taylor says, “[while] always remaining humble and hungry. I’m always humble and always on my hustle.”
“My ultimate goal for the next few years is just keep maximizing everything I’m already doing [while] always remaining humble and hungry. I’m always humble and always on my hustle.”
Taylor’s also keeping busy creating art out of her own life. She stars in a reality show on E!, “We Got Love Teyana & Iman,” with pro basketball player and husband Iman Shumpert and their two small children. Having been in front of and behind the camera for most of her life, she has no qualms about playing the starring role in her own life. Her secret? Just being herself. “We are unapologetically us 24/7 and there’s nothing people on set or with cameras can do to change that,” she says. “You get what you see. That’s what it is for us. There’s not an on or off switch. That’s what makes it dope.”
Even with two young children, ages 5 and 1, Taylor doesn’t feel motherhood has slowed her down at all. If anything, it’s only made her work harder and more efficiently. “I’ve always been big into not half-assing and making sure I’m giving 110 percent on everything,” she says. “Motherhood just brings that out — times-10. You go hard. You have a real purpose. You’re living for these pure, innocent little people that inspire you and push you to work harder and believe in yourself more than ever. There’s no time to look back. You’re no longer grinding just for you, you have people to live for now.”
I’ve always been big into not half-assing and making sure I’m giving 110 percent on everything. Motherhood just brings that out — times-10. You go hard. You have a real purpose. You’re living for these pure, innocent little people that inspire you and push you to work harder and believe in yourself more than ever. There’s no time to look back. You’re no longer grinding just for you, you have people to live for now.
As for what Taylor’s life looks like post-tour, she’s looking forward to a quiet holiday spent with family, probably in ugly Christmas sweaters — a tradition she’s come to love. That, plus a little gifting, of course. Taylor says she and Shumpert are known to go above and beyond each year, and that Shumpert has the unique ability to give her exactly what she needs, for instance, a movie camera for her directing projects. “I’m over material things, but I’m always down for camera equipment,” Taylor says. “My husband gets me the things he knows I need and want.”
But another of her favorite gifts received was from her parents: a custom red and gold microphone set and stand, plus a portable recording studio, so she could be on the road making music.
I have everything already. I have someone I love, I have my kids and success, friends and family. There’s nothing more I could possibly want.
As for this year, Taylor can’t wrap her head around her holiday wish list just yet. There’s the tour to finish, schooling her children on the road, playing director, performer, mommy, wife, producer — the list goes on. But that’s all in a day’s work for this supreme multi-tasker. “I have everything already,” Taylor says. “I have someone I love, I have my kids and success, friends and family. There’s nothing more I could possibly want.”
