Actress KJ Smith (Courtesy of @kjsmithofficial/Instagram)

Actress KJ Smith is living her best life. Fresh off an engagement with Actor Skyh Alvester Black, the BET “Sistas” star is having the polar opposite experience of the character she plays, Andi (a successful attorney and supportive friend who has it all, except a healthy relationship.) But after an exclusive Instagram Live interview with Black Love, here’s what Smith wants the world to know about Andrea “Andi” Barnes: she’s proud of her. 

“I want everyone who watches the show to remember that every season is like a week of time. And in a week’s time, she’s having all these events happening, she’s learning, and she’s trying to implement them. So sometimes when it seems like she’s going backwards, it’s because she’s reverting back to old habits, but I’m proud of her growth. I can honestly say, as someone who’s trying to grow in my personal life as well, personal, professional, spiritual, all the lives, I know that that takes time. And I know that people come down on her ’cause they’re, like, ‘It’s been four seasons.’ And it’s, like, yeah, but that’s four weeks and I know people who haven’t changed in four years. So I’m proud of her growth, I’m proud of, like, the woman she’s becoming. Even from her wardrobe, to her hair, to her make-up, you’re watching an evolution of who she’s becoming.”

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Speaking of evolution, KJ’s fans have seen her go from a single woman looking for love, to finding the love of her life, and she says that love came at the perfect time because she did the work. 

Newly engaged couple Skyh Alvester Black and KJ Smith (Courtesy of @kjsmithofficial/Instagram)

“It feels right. It feels like, you know, when you know that perfect puzzle piece just fits, you just know it. So, I feel good, even more so proud of myself because I came into it doing the work as a whole person. Like, I had done so much work beforehand, and having to look inside and be, like, ‘What is wrong with me,’ you know? Because as people, we can try and blame anyone. I can blame my mom, my dad, my ex from high school.  Or say oh, I got bad advice from friends. But, really, the only person I had to blame was me, because I had to work on the things that I needed to work on to get to this point. I could’ve met Skyh at another point and not have appreciated what a blessing he is, or I could’ve met Skyh at a point where I was so desperate for love that I would do anything and it didn’t matter what he did, but I met him right at the right moment in life where I was a whole person and I had been loving on myself unconditionally. If you’re looking for love, look within and then God will bring it to you. So that’s all I have to say, ’cause if I say anymore I’m gonna get emotional.”

As for Andi, KJ is excited about this season of “Sistas” on BET (which airs Wednesday nights at 9/8c on BET) and says we’re in for some good surprises with Andi.

“I think, what we can expect in the second half of season four is that she’ll just be more secure, like, she’s becoming a more secure version of herself and realizing that she is the prize, and she doesn’t have to clamor for this idea of a lifestyle that she thinks is glamorous or what she’s always dreamed about, you know, ’cause that didn’t work before, you know? So that’s the definition of insanity for me. It’s gonna be a different Andi than we’ve seen before and I love that for her. It’s gonna be great, it’s gonna be juicy, you’re gonna love it.”