1999–2003: Psykosoul and departure from Hollywood Records Smith moved to Los Angeles in 1997 and signed with Disney's label Hollywood Records in 1999. On October 26, 1999, she released her first single "Gladly", which charted at number 79 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. In early 2000, Smith released the second single "Good N Strong". The album psykosoul was released in 2000. In 2001, Smith was dropped from Hollywood Records. In the same year, Smith made a cameo appearance in
All About You as the restaurant singer. She has since written for Santana, sung backup for Whitney Houston and with Vonda Shepard on "Ally McBeal". After talking to the proprietors of a coffee shop in Los Angeles' Leimert Park neighborhood, Smith established B!tchcraft in 2001. The monthly showcase ran for nearly two years. The showcase featured three to four female acts, unsigned and signed singers, and comedians. Between releases, Smith served as a temporary lead session singer for British funk group
The Brand New Heavies on their album ''We Won't Stop
. In 2001, Smith released a single "Welcome Back (All My Soulmates)", which later received an Emmy nomination for "Outstanding Music and Lyrics". In 2002, she released her extended play One Like Me''.
2004–2007: The Syberspace Social In 2004, Smith received a minor role in
The Seat Filler as Fitz (VJ). Smith also signed a recording contract with Kajmere Records and began recording her second album in 2004. Later that year, Smith starred as Rose in the independent film
Black Rose. In early 2005, Smith began her own recording company, Psyko! Inc. In early 2005, Smith released a single "Fa'Sho". In September 2005. Smith released her second album,
The Syberspace Social. and producers such as
James Poyser and Victor Duplaix. In December 2005, Smith released a deluxe edition of her first album entitled,
Psykosoul Plus, which contained three additional songs. In the same year, she also appeared in the theatre ''If You Don't Believe: A Love Story''. She received an
NAACP Theatre Award nomination for Best Supporting Female – Local. Smith, along with Sharlotte Gibson and Kenya Hathaway, were featured backup singers on
American Idol. Smith also appeared on
The Article 3, a 2006 EP release from bass guitar impresario
Me'Shell NdegeOcello in addition to opening for the artist. In mid-2006, Smith recorded a single "Fill in the Blanks", which was featured on the Airpushers'
Themes for the Ordinarily Strange. In 2006, Smith released a deluxe edition of her second album,
The Syberspace Social. The album featured two additional songs. While embarking on her tour in 2006, Sy Smith released her first live DVD
Sy Smith Live: Worship At The Temple, recorded live at Temple Bar in
Santa Monica, California. She also appeared in the theatre
Body Language in the supporting role "Holt". She received an
NAACP Theatre Award nomination for Best Supporting Female – Local.
2007–2009: Conflict In April 2008, Smith released her third studio album,
Conflict, with "
Fly Away With Me" as the lead single. The song "Fly Away With Me" charted at number 38 on the Top 40 Hot Adult R&B Chart. In late 2008, Smith's album
Conflict received an "Album of the Year" nomination from Soultracks. In 2009, she made a guest performance at the Live in Boston show of
Chris Botti where she sang the Burt Bacharach classic "
The Look of Love". She also features on the DVD release of this concert and is seen in his tour in Europe. Sy Smith also serves as the voice role of Aisha in the
Saints Row video game series, recording three tracks as the character for the games' soundtracks.
2010–2011: Syberselects In April 2010, Smith appeared on ''
The Mo'Nique Show to perform her single "Fly Away With Me" and promote her album Conflict. She later announced that she was planning to release a new project in 2010. In July 2010, Smith went on tour with Mark de Clive-Lowe. In mid-August 2010, Smith released a single "Truth" to iTunes. In October 2010, Smith received a Soultrack Readers Choice Award "Song of the Year" nomination for her song "Greatest Weapon of all Time". On October 26, 2010, Smith released her best of album, SyberSelects: A Collection of Sy Smith Favorites''. In December 2010, Smith confirmed in an interview, that she will be doing a jazz album. In January 2011, Sy Smith and Mark de Clive-Lowe recorded a version of
Teena Marie's 1984 hit "
Lovergirl" and went on the tour with
The Foreign Exchange.
2011–2015: Fast and Curious In November 2011, Smith began touring with
Sheila E. and the E Family. In December 2011, Smith announced her fourth album,
Fast and Curious to be released on March 6, 2012. In January 2012, Smith and The Decorders released a remake of
Minnie Riperton's song "Inside My Love". On March 6, 2012, Smith released her fourth studio album
Fast and Curious. She regularly appears as a guest soloist on tour dates for trumpeter
Chris Botti. In 2013, she performed regularly as a supporting vocalist for French musical icon
Johnny Hallyday. Smith also re-joined Chris Botti as the featured vocalist for his tour. In September 2015, Smith released a cover version of
Janet Jackson's "
When I Think of You".
2016–present: further albums Smith's fifth album,
Sometimes a Rose Will Grow in Concrete, was released in February 2018. In 2022 Smith led a tribute to jazz music in the neighborhood of South Los Angeles's Central Avenue. ==Discography==