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XIOMARA MEDINA
MULTI-TALENT
BY: Luis Vazquez
February
2010 - Xiomara Medina is the kind of person you feel you have known
for years. She has quite an accomplished background in music, acting,
and writing. Born in Puerto Rico but raised in Florida, this young lady
went it alone when she came of age. She traveled to New York City and
the rest is history. This businesswoman has learned to be smart about
her projects and the methods of achieving them. The fruits of her efforts
bloom in her second album release, “So Alive.”
“This album you are going to find a transition form the first
album “Temperatures of My Life.” That one was more hip-hop
and the limited resources available to me at the time. That was more
this is what I can do. I can sing and read in both Spanish and English.
This project was more of what I want to do.”
Being an independent artist is difficult. It takes an iron will to proceed
with your project while finding ways to support it. “The second
time around you know what the steps are. At first you’re stepping
into new ground. You make mistakes. You always want different ears listening.
You want fresh ones to collaborate with different people. You are more
aware of what needs to be done.”
Xiomara enjoyed the challenge of learning different aspects of her craft.
After pursuing and achieving major in business and minor in art at Westchester
Community College, she found that it was good to be well-rounded. “You
can call me a queen of all trades because I try to master them all.
Growing up in Puerto Rico in a poor neighborhood you sort of do whatever
is available whether its sing or dance or act. I was at all the talent
shows. The other stuff comes from being involved.”
Xiomara Medina came to a period where she nearly decided to give up
the dream. Having to wear all the hats was getting weary. But a break
came along which could be considered a turning point. While songwriting
for a girl group called Aphrodite when the single she wrote “Sex
in New York City” was used in the hit series “Sex
and the City.” It was luck. It just happened. It was
good because I was going to give up. We have to be creative and worry
about the business end. It gave me some hope. I took the money for it
and financed my first album with it. I promised myself that I was never
going to quit.
As a woman in the business Xiomara was going to have
to be mentally tough and smarten herself in the music industry. “There
are obstacles for everything and everyone. You have to be good but that
only comes with experience. You have to adapt to the business to achieve
these things.” Xiomara is on the right track. Whether it’s
taking movie roles here or a hosting gig there she is moving forward
at all times.
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