Boy Pretty: Finding His Voice, His Vision, And His Peace
- Tammy Reese
- Oct 26
- 3 min read
For Boy Pretty, music isn’t just a dream , it’s a language. Before he ever recorded a song or stepped into a studio, he was creating his own way to communicate, long before words came easily. Born Mohammed Salem Thiam, the son of music legend Akon, Boy Pretty grew up surrounded by sound, but his connection to it runs deeper than family legacy.
“Music was how I healed,” he says. “When I started writing and recording, I didn’t realize I was processing pain. I was really just trying to make sense of everything I felt.”
That sense of honesty threads through his work — you can hear it in every beat, lyric, and visual. His single “Double Back” shows that he’s not just chasing a hit; he’s building a world. One that blends R&B, pop, dance, and emotion into something deeply personal.
Outside the studio, Boy Pretty’s creativity shows up in every corner of his life. He studied fashion design, sketches in his downtime, and has a lifelong love for storytelling through visuals. “I’ve always been drawn to art,” he shares. “Even when I couldn’t write because of my dyslexia, I would draw. That’s how I communicated.”
What some would see as a challenge, he calls a gift. “Dyslexia taught me to see differently. I process the world visually first — through color, texture, and feeling. That’s how I make music too.”
When you talk to Boy Pretty, it’s clear that his journey isn’t about chasing fame — it’s about self-discovery. His upcoming projects, an EP titled Pretty and an album still taking shape, are pieces of that exploration. Pretty pulls from the sounds of the ’70s and ’80s — a mix of R&B, pop, and rock influences — while the album captures the emotional spaces in between.
His creative circle stays close and grounded. Collaborating with his best friend and creative director, David Quinn, the pair often build visuals from scratch, shooting scenes across Atlanta, California, and even the desert. “We’re not waiting for big budgets,” he laughs. “We just go out and make it happen. It’s about passion over perfection.”
Ask him what keeps him going, and his answer is simple but powerful:
“Belief. I didn’t always have it. There was a time when I didn’t think I’d make it to high school. I had low confidence and didn’t see a future for myself. But every time I pushed through fear and doubt, I realized I could actually do it. That changed everything.”
That quiet determination shows in his work. It’s in his voice — tender, layered, intentional — and in his message: it’s okay to not have it all figured out, as long as you keep creating.
“Be a little delusional,” he smiles. “Believe in what you see for yourself, even when nobody else does.”
With every note, Boy Pretty isn’t just introducing his sound — he’s letting people into his story. And that’s what makes his music hit differently. It’s not about image or expectation. It’s about being human — and being brave enough to share it.
Catch the full video interview with Boy Pretty here:
Boy Pretty’s playlist is lit with musical influences across various genres, including but not limited to Daddy Yankee, Beyoncé, Rihanna, Prince, Frank Ocean, Kim Petras, Charli XCX, Timbaland, Missy Elliott, Cocteau Twins, and Madonna. Each artist brings a spark that inspires him to experiment with rhythm, emotion, and storytelling in his own sound.
Watch Boy Pretty’s latest music video here:
Follow his journey on Instagram @iamboypretty His music is available across platforms: vyd.co/BoyPrettyAddiction