We recently connected with Alina-Sari Vasquez and have shared our conversation below.
Alina-Sari , so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?
I didn’t always feel like I had a purpose. When I first began songwriting at the age of six, I didn’t really grasp the idea of song form I just wrote whatever came from my heart while I sang the melody flowing through my mind. I still remember that day. The afternoon I picked out a piece of graph paper and a pencil. I sat on the floor of my parents room and got inspired by the melody I heard of popular song playing on the radio during that time. Since I had no idea what the correct structure of a song was, I just wrote out sentences in a long paragraph. It was a song I titled “Beautiful” about my mom. I spent my childhood in dance classes and performing on stage. I’ve always loved the feeling of being under the spotlight, knowing there’s an entire audience looking at you through the blackness. Yes of course sometimes it was nerve racking, but after a minute or two there begins to feel a sense of belonging for you on that stage. When I was seven I understood that I could sing, but I was far too shy to sing anywhere else other than the safety of my own room. I remember purposely singing awful in front of my mom, but I would often come to her begging her to take me to singing lessons. After lots of begging she finally complied but before I went into my first lesson she made sure to tell the instructor that she wasn’t sure if I really could sing and asked her if I wasn’t good to please let her know because she didn’t want to waste her money. I finished the lesson and the instructor looked at my mom and said “she can sing”. Months passed and it’s my first time on stage for something other than dance. The audience was just parents in a small room, but if felt big for my seven year old self. I sang my heart out to a Disney song while my family was so proud. One year later I was eight. I had a good group of friends in my dancing life until a new girl showed up. She took all my friends away even the one I called my ‘best’ friend, and made sure to exclude me from everything. Every night when my mom would pick me up I would break down in the back seat of her car. Wishing for guidance on what to do. By the time I was nine I left my dancing days behind and recorded my first song “Fire in Me” which was about my bullies and experiences with them. Making music and being in the recording studio gave me a new sense of belonging. I then went on to write and record my first five song EP and released it at ten. At twelve I started working with a vocal coach and performed in front of a larger audience. Filled with family members of other performers. Grammy award winning artists and producers and I’ve worked with a few of them. After I sang my song and heard the cheers of the audience that’s when I knew this would be my life. I was fifteen when I sang an original song about the experience of bullying I went through in middle school for a youth program and I was shown so much love and support. The moment everything was over I had people come up to me telling me how they loved my song and how it resonated with them. I remember this guy crying stating how much it touched him. It was in that moment I realized how much I wanted this. How much I wanted to write not only for myself and a way to express my own emotions, but to heal others with my lyrics. For my songs to inspire people and fill their hearts with love instead of the pain they are suffering. Now that I’ve found my purpose, it’s time to put it into action.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
Professionally, I’m focusing on releasing new music. Early 2023, I released another 5 song EP. Most recently, only singles. Washing fair, move on, and want you back. Several more will be releasing this year, while I still continue to write new music. All with the intent of getting signed one day. This is my dream.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Knowing how to correctly format a song is very important. Also working working with the right people who appreciate you, believe in you, and always let you be yourself.
Alright so to wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?
My mom has been the most helpful. She is a strong woman who has a huge impact on my life. She’s shown me what it takes to become a successful woman and the steps it takes to get there. I’ve watched her overcome the most struggling obstacles that came her way. She is extremely smart and will always be there for me no matter where I am in the world. She’s given me so much knowledge when it comes to work ethic and I learn something new from her everyday. She’s taught me to be kind and love others. I wouldn’t be who I am today without her.
Contact Info:
- Website: Alinasari.com
- Instagram: Alinasari___
- Facebook: Alina-Sari
- Youtube: Alina-sari music
- SoundCloud: Alina-Sari
- Other: Tik Tok @alinasari__ Alina-Sari
