TEYANA TAYLOR COVERS TRACE MAGAZINE
Friday, September 7, 2007

The newest protégé of Pharrell’s Star Trak label, Teyana Taylor, covers the new issue of Trace Magazine (on stands now). Alexandra Phanor kicked it with the 16 year-old Harlem native and they spoke on how she taught Beyonce how to dance, her crush on Shia Labeouf, and her ‘Sweet Sixteen’ experience.
Snippets from the article, as well as more photos are after the cut.
TEYANA ON TEACHING BEYONCE
Beyoncé even enlisted Teyana to teach her the dance for a segment in her “Ring The Alarm” video.
“She was mad focused and really wanted to learn,” recalls Teyana.
TEYANA ON HER CRUSH
“It’s Shia Labeouf! I’ve got my eye on him. I mean, for real. He’s so cute and I looove his swagger.”
But she makes sure to note that her career is her boyfriend
“Yeah, I do have my eye on Shia, but to be honest performing is my boyfriend right now. That’s just what I really love and we’ve been together for so long.”
TEYANA ON HER LOOK
“I always stood out as far as dressing,” she says. “I like to look different and people know me for that. My look is a mix of old-school hip-hop and skater.”
TEYANA ON PHARRELL
“I sang for the Senior Vice President of A&R at Universal, and he asked me the top five people I would really want to work with and my first three were Pharrell. It was crazy to meet him. I mean I love that dude and we connected,” Teyana recalls.
Pharrell couldn’t agree more, “I heard about how talented she was, and I wanted to meet her. I was impressed she could, sing, dance and rap, so we gave her a shot.”
TEYANA ON RECEIVING FREE CLOTHES FROM ‘HEATHERETTE’
“I love their clothes. They make a dress, and it’s not like a pretty princess dress. It’s not girlie but more rock star and out there. That’s like the only dresses I’ll wear. They are just like me – they are unique and don’t care what people say. I fell in love with them, and them with me,” says Teyana.











185 Comments
COMMENT PAGES: [1] 2 3 » Show All
1.
NYCLatinaQT
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
I thought she was a brat when i saw her butt on MTV.
2.
NYCLatinaQT
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
TGIF mofos
3.
ballers wife
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
IS THAT THE GIRL FROM SUPER SWEET 16, FARELL’S ARTIST?
4.
NYCLatinaQT
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
Yep … thats her
5.
ballers wife
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
I MEAN PHARRELL’S ARTIST
6.
BABYGINA
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
Learn how to read people. That information is provided above.
I like this chick. I think she should battle Lil Mama. That would be funny.
7.
dctrinigyal
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
I CANT LIE SHE HAS A NICE SWAGGER…..HER SHOES ALWAYS ON POINT.
8.
ballers wife
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
YOUR RIGHT THAT DAMN SURE IS HER, I LIKE HER I CANT WAIT TO HEAR HER MUSIC.
9.
pittbboi
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
I like the girl’s style, and she’s got some talent…but she was a little beyotch on Sweet Sixteen..
10.
ballers wife
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
@ #8 SHUT THE HELL UP MAYBE I JUST LOOKE @ THE PIC AND THEN POSTED MY COMMENT WHATS IT TO YOU?
11.
Mz,Washington
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
Uh O watchout lil mama I think u might have some competiton! She’s cute in a different way! Damn I miss bein 16 my stomach used to look like that too! Lol That all went away in college & after a havin a baby! Lol
12.
the_one
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
I like her but I am not too sure who her audience will be, I hope they keep her young. Her mom seems likes a momager, so God knows what that will be like. What does her mom do? If anyone knows because she was kicking out some serious loot for that child’s birthday and unlike every other child they never said how her mom made her bank.
the one has spoken…
13.
TGS
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
Awwww…Don’t really know who she is, but someone needs to tell her that her “look” ain’t nothing new.
lol @ most of these youngsters thinking they’ve invented some shit. lawd
14.
That's Right
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
You’re right, Pittbboi. All of them act like little beyotches on Sweet Sixteen. Spoiled brats!
15.
MissEnvied
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
She can really make it to STAR potential with the right dream team. It’s crazy to see her & then listen to her…I’d never expect that voice to come out of her lil self! BTW her hair is ultra FAB~
16.
Jamilah
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
Her swagger is huge and I thought her episode of MSS was great. All of the kids are bratty but she was less extreme. But her style reminds me of Kelis and Gwen Stefani while its dope I dont think she is re-inventing sliced bread with her style.
17.
Ms. TANNA
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
Her style is sick. I like it.
18.
Mz,Washington
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
# 1 I didn’t see her on sweet 16 I can’t stand them spoiled lil brats so i don’t watch they’re never thankful 4 anything! I hope it don’t all go 2 her head!
19.
DAPHNEYVETTE
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
She’s a raw talent, but who is her audience?
20.
Stacy H
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
she is strange. it seems like in the industry either follow the same formula or try to be so ” different” to set them apart. it is all so staged and fake. there is nothing new about her wanting to be different with her “new” sound and “new” look. phlueez…sit down.
21.
sxcighanamamii
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
ive been waiting for her to come out since her sweet 16 aired!
hoping she would battle it out w/ lil mama & her lipgloss.
i dunno. but, this girl is seriously flyy. and her lacefront is
serious.
22.
LOL
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
#3, Reading is fundamental.
23.
NYCLatinaQT
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
@ #18 yeah there are some clips online , check it out
24.
cat4everrr
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
thank God somebody’s not scarred to look afrocentric
25.
cat4everrr
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
i wish i had her lips
26.
Chanté
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
I’m not impressed.
27.
SUPERCENT
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
I really like her caue she has a different unique style. Most of those kids on the MTV show MY SUPER SWEET SIXTEEN are not fully responsible for their actions. Did you check out how stupid their parents are? I mean its over the top. So it’s not totally their fault. The parents should be responsible its their money. But I do like her.
28.
charlee
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
ummmmmmmmmmmmm okay whateva am not impressed
29.
bklyn-bella
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
I like this girl, she’s bringing one thing for damn sure..originality
30.
Softest Place On Earth
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
She did a pretty good job on her performance @ her sweetsixteen. I usually watch sometimes even though I don’t like the show, because they go through the same formula as cribs, nobody introduction or party is different. They pick out high priced clothes and @ the end they get a high priced car. Congrats to her success and hope she brings something different to table other than her style.
31.
JoRo
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
*Shrugs*
32.
Leslie
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
HEADS UP EVERYBODY
September 25, 2007 - Congress to Hold Hearings on Negative Portrayals Of Black Women in Media. Go to for more info
http://www.whataboutourdaughters.blogspot.com/
33.
JoRo
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
I just listened to her track on MySpace and to be honest it’s kinda rubbish. And what’s so “afrocentric” about her? Her frizzy lacefront?
34.
tianni
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
I know about this chick! Out of all the spoiled Rotten kids on the MTV show “My super sweet 16″ I loved her episode the best. Eventhough, it’s so obvious that her mother has spoiled her Rotten to the core as with the rest of the kids on that show, she still has some sense of being well grounded & level headed.
I remember when Pharrell put KELIS on the map. This girl kind of reminds me of KELIS. I am sure she is going to blow the walls of the MUSIC INDUSTRY down! & you know what it’s about time for a NEW FACE! She is adorable. She is only 16 but she has this “MATURE GROWN WOMAN VOICE”–lol! (So many females have these really pretty faces & bodies…but when they open their mouths they sound like “little girls”…annoying, squeaky, tiny voiced females—& many aren’t even teenagers-I realize they can’t help that they have a little voice, but uuugh! How annoying is that voice on a dudes voicemail or on the other end of a phone)? LOL!
Anyway, this girl is the next HOT thing!
35.
Korina Love
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
Is her dad someone big in the industry? does anyone know what her parents do for a living cause that sweet sixteen party did not look cheap??
36.
BelleFemme27
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
I don’t think she was that bad on MS16, compared to a lot of them brats.
37.
thick n tha thighs
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
I thought she and the girl that have the LIPGLOSS song were the same
38.
EZElmo
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
Man, that’s one ugly kid.
If by unique she means fugly then she is VERY unique.
Another talentless nobody trying to get by on a gimick.
39.
NYCLatinaQT
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
I read somewhere that her father was the founder of the clothing line Fubu and also Heatherette (the clothing she wore to her party) and also multiple other clothing lines.
40.
Indygirl
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
Everyone is trying to get in Shia’s boxers…who would’ve known the little runt from Even Stevens would become a sex symbol. *shrug*
41.
complexndope
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
She has the BEST swagger out there. I was JUST literally talking to my ex in NY about her. He always sees her out SoHo. We LOL’d at how our friend “Fly Ty” aka baby Trey Songz tried to put the mack on her & got shut down. LMFAO.
LOOOOOOVE her hair.
42.
ME141
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
SHES A RUDE, ARROGANT HARLEM HOODRAT THAT WALKS AROUND THE HOOD EVERYDAY, NO RANGE, NO TALENT, JUST STOLE THE PHARELL LOOK AND THREW A WIG ON, THATS RIGHT WIG!!!! I KNOW HER PERSONALLY, SHES LIVES ON 144TH STREET WITH THE RATS JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE
43.
grlnva
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
When I saw her on MTV, I wondered, what was her claim to fame.
44.
grlnva
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
Thought she probably had famous parents or something.
45.
NYCLatinaQT
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
LOL DAMN
46.
itsmesnitches
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
LOL at #41 my dude got shut down cause her entourage came out of nowhere and just cock block the whole situation LMAO
47.
SUPERCENT
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
Everyone whom have curly or wavy hair is not wear ing a lace-front wig. That’s her HAIR. It is so annoying when you see a black chick with nice hair or really thick hair and ASSUME it a wig or weave. Not all black chicks wear weaves. My hair is very similar to hers but longer and I always have someone approach me asking if I am wearing a wig. I must admit sometimes it looks like one, but it not. So please stop assuming that everying is wearing fake hair.
48.
Qat
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
I thought she was horribly ugly when I saw her on MSSS. Not to mention that horrid voice. She carries herself like a dude.
49.
itsmesnitches
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
Agrees with # 48 about her voice LOL she do sound like a dude though in person real talk my home boy was like her voice was crazy deep deeper than his LMAO
50.
CRAZIER_THEN_A_FISH_WIT_TITTIES
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
IM sorry but she is not attractive or talented to me. ive heard her voice and this is old news cl late wit this one yall slippin for real. but i guess its good cuz it gives time to check for accuracy unlike other sites that just post and post and little truth to anything being said. but anyways HER HAIR IS REAL GEEZ!!! she even gets it blown out on some occasions. i would go crazy trying to control that damn hair.
51.
ModelGurl817
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
^^^she does carry herself like a dude. i thought the chick was gay.
black chicks love some shia now lol. he is a cutie and hes funny
she kinda ugly but then kinda pretty . . .ionno. . . her voice was definitely annoying on the show too. i like her hait tho! i dont know if she will be the next thing cuz i cant picture her having a core audience
52.
ModelGurl817
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
excuse the spelling and gram. errors
53.
TEYANA IS ADORABLE..
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
OH TEYANA .. I HEART SHIA TOO..
Black girls have a thing for Shia.. When I went to see Disturbia, the theatre was packed with preteen/teen/18 - 25 black girls - some screaming his name..
He has us hypnotized! LOL
Teyana is original.. A girl not afraid to keep it kinky and different!
54.
reessezz
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
lmfao @ #49….dun really care bout her either wayyy but whoever sed her && lil mama shud battle is riiiite……they shud release a album on the same day…lmao THAT wud b entertaining
55.
Sheena
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
Why did she go to Star Trak? Don’t she know that all of their albums get pushed back and never comes out. She should have just signed to Interscope period. By that one song on her myspace page Lil Mama would eat her alive.
56.
The Most Beautifullest
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
She’s nothin more than a KELIS clone. Tell me she’s not!…I peeped her myspace after she did sweet 16 and she didnt start rockin the swag she got now until she hooked up with Pharrell. I love me some KELIS and she is unique, she cant be duplicated so ole girl needs to go back to the drawing board.
NOT HATIN just statin the facts. Peep the milkshake video, Kelis got the hair and the sneakers on lock!=)
57.
H-Town Chic***
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm no
58.
Sweetneesee
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
Question: Can someone please tell me why haven’t I heard a thing from this child. I mean I like how her lablel is promoting her but seriously in a nice way, WHY AM I READING ABOUT HER?
And lastly, was Beyonce dancing in Ring The Alarm, the most physical thing I remember was her laying on a table and getting taken away by cops! LOL!
59.
Dat_dOod
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
lol @ how ugly she is.
60.
pittbboi
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
“You’re right, Pittbboi. All of them act like little beyotches on Sweet Sixteen. Spoiled brats!:
O-K!! I can’t stand that show! I don’t know WHY those parents put up with that shit, those kids just be the RUDEST. Shit, if I was one of those kids’ parents, I’d have been like,
“Hold UP! I KNOW you didn’t just step to me like YOU the one payin for shit up in this bitch! Helll no, this about to be MY sweet sixteen, keep fuckin up…”
61.
mrs sands
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
Uhhh, ok.
62.
billionheiress
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
Shia Labeouf is MINE girl!!!
63.
Tempestt
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
Who the F posted that what about our daughters BS under this headline?! This is a 16 year old girl who cares more about her next pair of ICE CREAMS, Than shakin her ass in the next hip hop video. Come off it!
64.
Knuck
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
I went to her myspace and I HATE HER RAPPING VOICE.. but her singing voice is really nice!.. It’s like 2 different ppl (unfortunately)… The only person that could pull off a high pitched rapping voice with me was Left eye (when she first came out) When her singing voice matures and loses some of the air, it will be great..
Her style.. hmmm.. its kool
65.
THE ONE
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
I LOVE HER WHOLE LOOK & STYLE! I HOPE HER MUSIC IS HOTT…
66.
ms_mac
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
She’s ….. different. Or at least tries real hard to be. Not in a good or bad way. Just different.
I didn’t think she was that bad on MSSS. She was a lot better than that little chubby bitch who practically cussed her momma outfor not getting her Dunkin Donuts. Rude ass heffa.
Who are her parents anyway?
67.
Ashes
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
Theres a dance sequence is the ring the alarm video? Did I miss something?
68.
TWANI
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
this girl is strange. are yall sure that’s her real hair? cause it doesn’t really suit her face to me. however her sense of fashion is def hot!!!!!
i listened to her song on her myspace it sounds nice. i was surprised that i liked it cause when she was singing on sweet sixteen she sounded like crap.
69.
DO THE POCKET-KNIFE
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
I L-o-o-o-o-o-v-e this lil girl’s style. She is ORIGINAL …tom-boyish yet punk rock/skater/grilled out…cute. At least she’s not one of them 16 year olds runnin around with their A-Cups hangin out…again cute!
70.
Mz Coko
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
Whatever..if you are random and off the wall people call u original…
71.
ModelGurl817
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
OH YEAH and what dancing did BEY do in ring the alarm???? someone please answer me cuz nothing comes to mind
72.
blackisbeautiful
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
Umm?..This girl is not ugly to me she hs a unique beauty about her…but the only problme I have with her is that she acts like a dude!.I mean damn!..lol..they needed to put some make-up on her not alot but you know just some make-up because looked bland in the face..she cool but she’s not the best singer nor dance to me she kinda average but her look is fab!..but due to the fact she on startrak she sin’t coming out that’s no diss that’s the truth
73.
Mz,Washington
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
# 39 Heatherette was founded by Richie Rich & Traver Rains they’re outrageous! Not her dad I dunno what he does!
74.
Libra86
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
she sounds like a fake ass Vita when she raps but her singing voice is definitly better
75.
bklyn0423
Friday, September 7, 2007 /
She is a cute girl with her own style. She was really good on MSSS.@ 66 Sophie was the chubby girl that was awful to her mother. Erin EzE’s daughter was the worst. Teyana’s mother’s is real good frieinds with Darnell from MSSS father he owns a record label. So I think her family may be in the music industry
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