Kriti Mehrotra
With 8 pairs of contestants facing a series of trivia questions for a chance to walk away with significant prizes, Netflix’s ‘What’s in the Box?’ can only be described as a game show of a lifetime. It actually comprises elements of smarts and strategy because the duos can become each other’s alliances or enemies at any moment, all the while having to deal with decoys and wildcards too. Amongst those to thus take part in this extravaganza are Keira Smith and Car’dell Smart II, best friends from college who are aligned musically, personally, as well as spiritually.
Keira and Car’dell Are Proud of the Bond They Share
It was back in 2019 that Atlanta, Georgia, native Keira first met Car’dell at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, while they were both pursuing their Bachelor’s degrees. While the former majored in Music Therapy, the latter studied Music Business and Songwriting, which is how they ended up running in the same circles before becoming best of friends. They had no idea their foundation would be so strong that by the time he came close to graduating in 2023 (she graduated in 2022), he had decided to return to the city they both call home.
Since Keira and Car’dell have not only rehearsed and performed together over their six years of friendship but have also experienced life together, they know they are two peas in a pod. In fact, they even have code words; because they love singer Jill Scott, they always use the phrase “Jill, for real” whenever they are “serious, serious,” otherwise they just say “Jill” with a tone. They believed this would enable them to excel in the aforementioned original production, and it did, as they ended up walking away with a luxury trip to Las Vegas and $10,000 in poker chips.
Keira Smith is Finding Herself as an Artist Today
With Keira hailing from an incredibly supportive household, she was able to dive into her passion the moment she realized it at the age of 9, thanks to the beautiful world of musical theatre. According to her accounts, she took vocal lessons and deliberately practiced difficult songs at every opportunity to hone her skills, which ultimately led to her landing her first paid gig at the age of 12. She was hired to perform at an official event for the then-Mayor of her hometown, Atlanta, following which she happily continued pursuing the path she had chosen for herself.
Keira did audition for ‘The Voice’ soon after graduating from high school, but she sadly never even made it to a live taping. The rejection hurt her, yet she managed to turn it into motivation. That’s when she truly began exploring who she can be as a singer-songwriter and realized she needed to deepen her knowledge of music in general, driving her to enroll in Berklee College of Music. Formal education significantly shaped her perspective on navigating creative artistry, both inside and outside the studio, encouraging her to take on various opportunities.
In 2023, Keira embarked on a national tour as a background vocalist for the indie-rock group TV Girl, which subsequently led to an international tour and appearances at music festivals such as Lollapalooza. These events subsequently inspired her to headline her own show, Sofar Sounds, in her hometown, before she started dabbling in acting as well. Since then, the 25-year-old has made appearances as an extra in ‘Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist,’ ‘Beauty in Black,’ and ‘She the People.’ Moreover, in August 2024, the skating enthusiast and vocal coach released her debut single, “Fantasy,” which she has been performing at events such as the My Music Making Family and Friends Artist Showcase. Today, Keira is actively focusing on how to continue evolving as both an artist and a person while working on her debut album.
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Car’dell Smart is an Artist With a Distinct Tone and Voice
Car’dell Smart realized his passion for music relatively early on. After all, from what we can tell, he enrolled at Berklee College of Music almost as soon as he graduated from high school, following which he jumped right into trying to make a name for himself as an artist. He released his debut EP ‘Lost’ in February 2022 before performing at his first-ever show in March of the same year, and then went on to continue presenting his originals in studios as well as official Berklee events. Then, before he had even graduated, he got the opportunity to serve as the Vocal Director of the Janet Jackson Experience in February 2023 and present his show, The Evolution of Car’dell, in March.
Car’dell even won the Career Jam Vocal Performance Award by the Berklee Career Center, which encouraged him to perform at Sofar Sounds alongside Keira after he had graduated and resettled in Atlanta. He subsequently released a single titled “Explore” in March 2024, evolved into a professional vocal arranger as well as private instructor, and is still focused on finding his path as an R&B/Soul/New Jazz singer-songwriter. He was also part of the September Artist Showcase by the My Music Making Family and Friends community. The 24-year-old has also been serving as an Office Manager at Penguin Embroidery. He started as an Office Assistant in April 2024 and was promoted in August.
