Good Vibes Only: Rising 12-year-old artist earns Grammy recognition

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA)— 12-year-old Arykah Brown has been recognized by the Recording Academy, the music industry’s highest honor.

The 7th grader at Spec. Rafael Hernando III Middle School is heavily involved in fine arts. She sings and plays piano and guitar.

She’s also a member of Sound Stage 9, which offers performance-based music education. During middle school, she was also involved in theater and choir.

"Since I was a baby, I've always loved music. It's just like I'm really passionate about it," she told ABC-7.

Arykah and her sister were invited to sing background vocals on the children’s album “Brillo, Brillo” by Lucky Diaz and the Family Jam Band. She learned the songs in just two days and recorded the musics tracks at an El Paso music studio. Arykah said the songs were fun and entertaining.

"So me and my sister did it, and we didn't think much of it until, like, a couple months later,”

The album would go on and win Best Children’s Music Album at the 2025 GRAMMYs. Arykah was shocked when she learned the news.

"My mom was like, ‘You won a Grammy.’ I was like, ‘Oh.’ So, like, that's how that happened. It was like really unexpected because I didn't know it was like that big of a thing,” she said.

The preteen already has a manager, and she even has her own stage name, Chriz-Ti.

Arykah is proud of her official Grammy certificate she received. It currently sits in her family’s home entrance.

"I'm really proud of it because I know not a lot of people get the opportunities that I do as a 12-year-old, and that I've done it like this soon in life, and a lot of for a lot of artists, it's like a lifelong goal.”

Arykah also thrives in the classroom. She’s a straight-A student and a member of the National Junior Honor Society.

Middle school math teacher at Hernando Middle, Ruby Cervantes, said Arykah occasionally sings to the class.

“It's so exciting. It's exciting for her and her family. And just goes to show how hardworking she is and how self-driven she has to be at 12-years-old and go on to such a wonderful accomplishment,” she said.

She described Arykah as creative, brilliant, self-driven and humble.

“It's so exciting. It's exciting for her and her family, and just goes to show how hardworking she is and how self-driven she has to be at 12-years-old and go on to such a wonderful accomplishment,” she said.

Jesse Sepulveda, the principal of the middle school, said Arykah’s success can be largely attributed to her involvement with Socorro ISD’s Fine Arts Programs.

“She is going to be a big hit one day. We're going to hear her name somewhere, and then we're all going to remember that we had the opportunity to meet her," he said.

Arykah said she enjoys performing and seeing the joy it brings others.

"I love being on stage, and I love performing. And a lot of times I'm performing with bands, whether it's my band or other bands that they put together. I love that because then you can, like, look around, and you see like other people,like, enjoying it as much as you do, and you're just surrounded by people who, like, have the same passions as you. And so it's a great thing,” she said.

Arykah wants to pursue music after high school and become a touring artist. Until then, she’s focused on her academics and releasing new music of her own.

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