23 Yr Old Brandy Lynn Talks Divas & Wildflowers Non-Profit, Fashion, & Her Plans to Change The Outlook of Black Females [Exclusive]

A lot of you may not be familiar with 23 year old Brandy Lynn, but if you’re in tuned with reality television you soon will be. She’s the adopted daughter of Nicci Gilbert, singer and R&B Diva’s star/producer.  Although we were briefly introduced to Brandy Lynn in Season 1 of R&B Divas Atlanta, we will soon see more of her this season (in Season 2 which premiered on May 1 on TV One).

After speaking with Brandy Lynn over the phone, her interview with STACKS Magazine was very professional and kind of surprising.  Not many young kids are making the business moves that she’s currently making. So it was great to hear Brandy Lynn discuss her non-profit organization Divas & Wildflowers and the impact it has had on other young women in the Atlanta area. She herself is the product of a drug addicted mother. Through God’s grace, her cousin Nicci came in to save her and raise her as her very own.

With Nicci’s guidance and own life’s experiences in the entertainment industry, Brandy Lynn is thankful.  Becoming a full-blown entrepreneur, television show producer, fashion guru, and mentor to young girls are some of Brandy Lynn  future goals. It is good to know that she’s currently making huge steps towards those. From the looks of it, the young business woman is ready and eager to take the world by storm.

What will see from Brandy Lynn on Season 2 of R&B Divas?

Brandy Lynn: In Season 2, you guys can follow me through my non-profit organization called Divas & Wallflowers. You all can visit me on www.divasandwallflowers.org. Basically, I came up with my non-profit organization last season. Talking to Monifah’s daughter, Kimmy, I came up with it for young women who need some type of motivation or who have any type of struggles in their life. Also, it is also to bring young women and their mothers closer together.

I have done a couple of events actually. So you guys get to see one event on R&B Divas. I’m so excited that Brownstone performed. That’s just so exciting…and also Keke Wyatt. But, I did a makeover for women who’ve have been through cancer and homelessness, and just different types of things. I did a total makeover for them so they could feel beautiful, outside and in. It was just awesome. It was the bomb girl.

Also, I have an online boutique coming very soon that I am so excited about. It should be out by the first [May 1], no later than the 5th of May. I sell all types of stuff. It’s so cute. A portion of the proceeds go to Divas & Wildflowers.

Being 23 years old and African-American, what are some of the things you believe are plaguing the young black females? Why is it important to have these other positive outlets?

Brandy Lynn: A lot of the young children nowadays look at these videos, listen to this music, and they want to be what they see…which is not good. I just really want to help. I just want to be able to talk to young people to tell them that’s it’s a new generation. You have to work hard. Right now, it is a good thing to work hard and try to get your own business and get mentors to talk to. I had to get a mentor to talk to. I had a lot of people to talk to and it helped me so much. It helped me so much that words can’t even explain. Young people go through a lot. They really don’t know which way to go. So it’s up to our adults right now to really teach us and point us in the right direction. We really need help right now. This generation needs help. I would say that the best thing for us young adults to do is get a good mentor. Be around positive people and listen. Like my mom say, “stop talking and listen.” I just think that it’s a great thing to have a mentor. You can’t do it by yourself. It’s teamwork and teamwork makes the dream work. I’m happy I learned that at a young age.

I also decided to do a charity event for prom makeovers. I picked two young ladies and I custom made their dresses. I totally made them over for prom from top to bottom. I help anybody that needs help.

So, do you design clothes?

Brandy Lynn: Yes, that is my passion. Helping people is my purpose in life and fashion is my passion.

With the new boutique, what exactly will you be selling? Any custom pieces?

Brandy Lynn: I’m definitely going to have some custom pieces with the Wildflower brand. I’m going to have custom scarves. Scarves are coming out first. I’m going to start off small, but work my way up though. I’m going to have lipsticks, lip-glosses, cute little different stuff, Wildflower stuff. I will also have a blog on the website and six different ways you can wear my scarf. I’m going to show everybody how you can wear the scarves. I’m going to do updates of makeup and fashion, and just everything that teens need. I’m going to do inspiration speaking on it. I’ll have poems. I’ll have all different kind of things on there.

Who inspired you to get into fashion and to start the non-profit organization?

Brandy Lynn: I definitely got all of my inspiration from my mom. Every since I was little, growing up and watching her get up and do her makeup and go perform, going shopping and seeing all of the different clothes, I was in love. I am in love with clothes and everything. She inspired so much with my fashion and with my business and doing my non-profit. I don’t know if you know. But last season I mentioned that she [Nikki Gilbert] is not my biological mother. I am actually adopted by Nikki. She is my biological cousin, my real cousin. But that’s my momma because she raised me as a baby. So I came up with the non-profit because I longed for my real mother. I do talk to her from time to time but she has a drug problem. I like to talk to young people to inspire them that no matter where you come from or what you been through, you can still be what you want to be in life. You can grow and bloom into this Wildflower and that you can be beautiful and do whatever you want to do.

As far as your future goals, what do you aspire to do in the next five to ten years?

Brandy Lynn: I plan on having multiple businesses. I plan on having my own TV show. By then, I may be producing. So, I’m learning from miss Nikki Gilbert. I plan on, in the next five to ten years, somewhere being married, having my businesses and being okay and good. Living life and being happy. Maybe open up a couple centers, Wildflower Centers to help the youth.

To stay updated on Brandy Lynn and the Divas & Wildflowers organization, go to www.divasandwildflowers.org.  You can also follow her on Twitter  @IAMBrandyLynn.

Shout out to Jakeem Smith for making this happen. Thanks!