Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with Team Kaylie’s Bryana Salaz

Bryana Salaz is one of the breakout stars of 2019. She’s playing the title character in the comedic family series Team Kaylie, which follows a celebrity influencer who must complete a year of community service after having a run-in with the law. Throughout the first season, we see Kaylie transform in front of our eyes, and it’s Bryana’s multifaceted performance that brings it to life. Pop Culturalist caught up with Bryana to chat all things Team Kaylie.

PC: Tell us about Team Kaylie, your character, and what drew you to this project.
Bryana: Team Kaylie is about a celebrity/influencer-type who gets in trouble with the law and in exchange has to do a year of community service. Her community service is taking care of this after-school program for kids in East L.A., which is part of the town that’s not the best or the safest. It basically follows a girl who’s put in this new position where she has to learn about life. She learns so much from these kids who are only twelve or thirteen years old. It’s a really special show.

PC: How did you prepare to tackle Kaylie’s transformation?
Bryana: In the beginning, Kaylie is so different from who I am. So, it was really fun to tap into my really girly side and go into hair and makeup, get those extensions, the lashes, the cool clothes, all the things I didn’t have growing up because that wasn’t my life. At first, I thought it wasn’t going to be easy for me or it was going to be hard to relate to the character because of who she is, but I think the best part about transforming into Kaylie was bringing elements of myself into Kaylie so that she didn’t come off as someone people didn’t like or someone that people would expect her to be. It was really important for me to tap into that side. The character development between the first episode and the last episode for Kaylie is so special.

PC: Was there any pressure being the lead of the series? What was the biggest takeaway from this process?
Bryana: There was definitely a lot of pressure being the lead of the series. It’s still so weird for me to say because I never thought I’d be in that position. I think the best part about our show is that we’re a big family. We had so many great moments. For me, I think the main pressure was making sure we had a great, loving, and safe environment for all the kids. They’re growing up in front of millions of people. I wanted to make sure they didn’t feel the pressure and had a safe environment to grow in. I took that on because I genuinely care about all the kids and I care about everybody on our set.

PC: With your character at the heart of the story, which of her relationships was your favorite to explore and why?

Bryana: Oh gosh! I’ve never been asked that one before. It’s such a hard question. I genuinely feel like in each episode, Kaylie has a moment with each kid. There’s a different episode for each kid. They not only learn from Kaylie, but she also learns from them. I think that’s what makes Kaylie so special. By the end of the show, she’s not the same Kaylie.

She has a piece of each kid in her, and she has a piece that they’ve taught her. She’s growing through them. So I think her relationship with each child is very special and unique in its own way. That’s what I love about our show. I think it gives a lot of light to a lot of topics that a lot of kids don’t really talk about. I feel really, really empowered to be a part of those messages and to be a part of that conversation. 



PC: You’re an actress and singer. How did you discover your passion for the arts? Is there one that you naturally gravitate towards?

Bryana: I get asked that a lot, and genuinely I’ve never been able to pick one. I feel incredibly lucky to have had the opportunities I’ve had in both music and acting. I hope that never stops. Even with Team Kaylie, I was able to sing on our show. I sing our theme song. There’s an episode where there is a music video, and I always feel like it’s going to be intertwined, and I’m so passionate about both that if I had to choose, I would go crazy.

I’m super, super blessed to be a part of both. I got started because my mom signed me up for a local singing competition for military kids in Hawaii. I’d never done anything music-related before, and so I was terrified. The second that I stepped onto stage, I realized that this is what I’m meant to do. Even though I was only twelve years old, I knew in my little heart. I kept going for it, and thank God I did because I never in a million years thought I’d be sitting here talking about myself.

PC: You also competed on The Voice. What did you learn from that experience that you’ve been able to apply to your career moving forward?
Bryana: The biggest thing I’ve learned on The Voice, as cliché as it sounds, was to never give up. I was only seventeen-years-old at the time. After being eliminated, it would have been easy for me to be discouraged and feel like I’m never going to make it or that I wasn’t good enough. It’s very easy to get in your head. I thank God that I had a strong support system and I had Gwen, my coach, send me really encouraging messages. If I would’ve let that discourage me, I would never have made it out of Illinois. I’m always preaching that message and will always say to keep going no matter what.

PC: You’ve had a lot of success already in your young career. When you look back, is there a particular moment that sticks out to you?
Bryana: Honestly, anytime that I get the phone call that I booked something. I don’t think there’s anything that will ever top that. It’s an indescribable feeling. I don’t think there’s been a time where I got the phone call where I was in a normal setting. I’m always in public, and I always end up bursting into tears in public, every single time! It’s almost like that pat on your back: “Hey kid, you did it. Keep going.”

PC: Where were you when you learned you landed Team Kaylie?
Bryana: I just finished working out. I looked horrible. I was with my two girlfriends, and we were in Walmart getting some stuff. I was carrying our giant pack of water bottles, and I got a phone call from a number that I’d never seen before. I normally never answer phone calls like that, but something was telling me to answer it. I was literally in the middle of Walmart, and it was the executive and creator of Team Kaylie on the phone. They were like, “Hey, it’s us!” My heart was racing. I knew it was down to me and one other person.

So I was either getting the first phone call that I booked it or the second phone call that they had gone with someone else. I was terrified. After them beating around the bush for a minute, they were finally like, “You’re our Kaylie.” I dropped the water bottles everywhere, and they exploded! I started crying in the middle of Walmart, and it was so bad. But it was such a special moment, and I’m so happy my friends were with me.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Guilty pleasure TV show?

Bryana: The Bachelorette



PC: Guilty pleasure movie?

Bryana: Superbad



PC: Favorite book?

Bryana: The Fallen series

PC: Favorite play or musical?

Bryana: Wicked



PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?

Bryana: Sleeping With Sirens

PC: Last show you binge-watched?

Bryana: Stranger Things



PC: Hidden talent?

Bryana: I can fart with my hands and turn my arm a full 360 degrees.

To keep up with Bryana, follow her on Twitter and Instagram. Binge-watch the first season of Team Kaylie on Netflix today.

Photo Credit: Photo Credit: Krissy Saleh // Hair: Gui Schoedler // Make-up: Anton Khachaturian // Styling: Matthew Peridis