#OnTheRise

About ten years ago, KJ Smith was an aspiring hungry, actress with hopes of being the next Tasha Martin-Campbell.

Today, the Tallahassee, Florida native is secure in her own brand and is fast becoming a household name, with the help of Tyler Perry.

She is one of the leading stars in his newest television series, Sistas. The show follows four single, professional black women as they juggle ‘adulting’, their love life, careers and friendships.

Smith plays Andy, who is the lawyer and businesswoman of the group.

“I’m the voice of reasons, ” she says. “I am single but in love, with a person and I’m really just trying to balance out my life and what that looks like and what I want it to look it.”

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Smith says Andy reflects parts of her real-life because like her character, she is very career-oriented and has great female relationships with her friends.

“What I think I learned on my journey with Andy is that sometimes a strong friend needs help too.”

Perry is premiering Sistas and The Oval on BET.

“It’s my hope and prayer that you all will watch these shows and encourage everyone you know to watch these shows, be there with us, for us, through us, be there with BET as we go through this whole new coming together, this whole new transition. I need you like never before,” he said to a crowd at the Southern Exchange in Atlanta on Sunday night (October 20).

 “I love [ Tyler Perry] so much, he has changed my whole life,” KJ tells RoyalTee. “He put our name in the world. He’s responsible for putting so many people on.”

Sistas premieres Wednesday, October 23 at 10/9c after The Oval.

*KJ Smith is one of our Royal Women featured in our Fall/Winter edition set to be released on Nov. 22.*

Watch the trailer for Sistas and The Oval below:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8criNF35Oqw]

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4LAVC8BsPU]