Crystal Renay finds it weird to see herself on television again.
After a few years away from the spotlight, she’s back on the small screen as the star of Bold And Bougie, a new WeTV reality series that follows the lives of her and other dynamic women in Atlanta.
This is her first TV stint since the 2017 docuseries The Platinum Life, a show that depicted her outsized experience as the wife of Grammy-winning R&B artist Shaffer Chimere Smith, better known as Ne-yo. The two married in 2016 and immediately welcomed the birth of their first child together. It was then that viewers saw her proudly navigate the role of full-time homemaker while attempting to launch her own business endeavors, mostly to no avail. She says that during the marriage she was encouraged to focus on her domestic duties while all financial concerns filtered through her then-husband.
In 2023, Renay filed for divorce following claims he fathered a child with another woman during their marriage. According to court documentation, Smith was ordered to pay Renay a $1.6 million lump sum, $12,000 a month in child support for their three children, and $5,000 per month in alimony for three years, which technically will soon come to an end.
Renay isn’t worried though. She knows how to hold her own, always has.
“I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit, and this new show really showcases that,” she tells me. “I’m very proud of myself. But I’m not going to lie, it’s weird watching myself back after all these years.”
Renay said she never intended to step back into the world of reality television after The Platinum Life series ended with just one season. She shsared that “things got crazy” with the other cast members in an interview with Bold And Bougie producer Carlos King on his podcast Reality With The King. But because of her close friendship with King, she gave it another try. Also, candidly, she said she was financially motivated as well.
“I’m a single mother now—I’m about my bag,” she shares honestly.
In Bold And Bougie showcases her life as a solo mompreneur juggling many hats. Along with caring for her children and navigating the complex social scene among Atlanta’s Black elite, Renay is busy running Johnny’s Chicken USA, her fast casual food franchise that’s in its fourth location expansion. She’s also focused on growing her medical-grade skincare brand, Nude LuxeRx. Both were projects that were in their ideation phase while she was married, but didn’t fully come to fruition until after she parted ways with her ex-husband.
“Throughout the years I worked, I did different projects but every year and a half to two years, I was pregnant,” she says. “It was always an issue for me to be more at home with the kids because he obviously is on the road all the time. I always knew I capable of more, so I’ve always fought to try to work, but family has always taken the higher priority.”
She says she’s never been one to rest on her laurels, despite being married to a superstar. Renay explained that she pressed for a speedy divorce and wasn’t interested in fighting for any additional financial support outside of his first offer.
“He worked for that money—I didn’t want to take anything else. I just wanted out. Whatever I needed I knew I could get on my own,” she tells ESSENCE.
That sense of innate independence is what she says carried her through “one of the most devastating” moments of her life.
“I’ve always known how to depend on myself—this was no exception.” She adds, “My worth is not of a monetary value in any capacity. Most women would have stayed because it’s comfortable, the lifestyle and all those things. But I’m a person that knows I can provide those things for myself, and I have no problem working for those things. And I’m not going to sit and take someone to court to argue about money and all of those things, at the end of the day, my peace of mind and my worth is invaluable.”
One of the ways she reclaimed her peace is through cooking, a passion she says organically sparked her Johnny’s restaurant franchise. Along with her culinary and beauty endeavors, she’s focused on sharing her story to any women going through tough romantic separations, particularly for those who are financially dependent on their partners.
“Always save for a rainy day, ” she shares emphatically. “Even if you’re partnered, save your money because you never know what’s going to happen. We can plan and strategize and think the future is going to be one way, but we don’t know how things are going to turn up. We just don’t know what’s going to happen.” She adds, “finances are so important, especially for women, because a lot of times, one, we don’t get the pay that men get. We don’t get a lot of the opportunities that men get. So, of course, they’re usually the breadwinner. Secondly, we get with these men and splurge and we don’t think about what could happen in the future. Thankfully, I was smart. I had what they call the mad money account,” in reference to the colloquialism about women keeping a small amount of money available for times their relationship goes awry.
“My advice women always have your own plan, because a man is not one. Have your money for a rainy day, because unfortunately, it’s going to come.”