Meet Sabrea Aijalon Curiel

We recently connected with Sabrea Aijalon Curiel and have shared our conversation below.

Sabrea Aijalon, thank you so much for joining us today. Let’s jump right into something we’re really interested in hearing about from you – being the only one in the room. So many of us find ourselves as the only woman in the room, the only immigrant or the only artist in the room, etc. Can you talk to us about how you have learned to be effective and successful in situations where you are the only one in the room like you?

I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t difficult. It’s just constantly comparing and doubting yourself. Growing up in California I was known as like “the singer”. But here in New York, everyone is an artist you know? No one cares that you were in your high schools highest choir. All those achievements and status you thought you had was really insignificant in the grand scheme of things. On top of that, being the only mixed person in your college classes and being surrounded by a majority of white people that have decades of training on me, it was extremely taxing on my mental. It truthfully wasn’t until I graduated college is when I just stopped caring. Cause I had to. I was letting it consume me and define who I was as a person, and as an artist. The second I stopped caring and just chose to put my songs and films out there without expecting anything in return, is when people took notice. I learned at a very young age that someone that looks like me has to work twice as hard just to get half as far. Once I just accepted that and took it on as a challenge verses a disadvantage, thats when a switch just clicked on me. It started becoming my drive and motivation. It became my mission to succeed so that the second I was in that position, I could create more opportunities solely for the people that looked like me. Everyone deserves a fair shot at their dreams.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

Hi! 🙂 My name is Sabrea Aijalon Curiel! I’m currently 21 years old and I’m a singer-songwriter, film maker, and artist based in New York City! I do quite a few things but I currently curate a musical theatre cabaret series, Solstice Sessions, held at 54 Below & Don’t Tell Mama through my production company, Solstice Productions. I’m also about to record my fourth EP, Uptown to Downtown, which I’m so extremely excited for as this will be my first EP that’s recorded with my band for when I perform gigs live! Always writing new films, songs, as well as actively auditioning for musicals, shows, movies, etc.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

I think three qualities that were most impactful in my journey has been resilience, passion, and patience. My advice to other artists is to learn how to wait. Us, just humans in general, are so used to instant gratification that anytime we have to wait for something it feels insufferable. If you believe in your art, then your time will come when it comes. I truthfully believe that everything happens for a reason and creatives wouldn’t have these amazing gifts and talents if it wasn’t for a greater purpose. Unless your a nepo baby, there’s no short cuts. It takes time and your art is worth that time. The only way to get to the front of the line is by staying in it and waiting for the people in front of you to drop out.

One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?

I’m always looking for artists to collaborate with! Artists, producers, mixers, anything! This year was the first year I’ve collaborated with artists a lot and in my opinion, it’s such a great way to expand the horizons on what your own art can be. For example, I was rehearsing with my band the other day and we were going over one of my songs off my new ep called ‘Jack’s Interlude’. We ran through it and it sounded okay but something wasn’t right. I told them I think the drums sound off, maybe this songs just doesn’t need it. My drummer (Nathan Whitman aka Malewear) and pianist (Nora Jean) agreed. Just as we were about to try the song again, without drums, my guitarist (Seb) chimed in, and said “I actually hear a drum line for it. mind if I try?” Seb showed Nathan the drum line he had in mind and we ran the song again with it, and it was perfect. My ears would have never in a million years heard that pattern over my song, but he did, and it worked so well and the song wouldn’t be the same without it. I also recorded and released my first official duet with my friend and artist XANDER (Xander Azevedo) this year and that whole process was also so fun. So please any artist out there that wants to collab hit me up!! And artists, never shoot down an idea! Be open to any suggestions cause you never know when it can make your art that much more special.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://sabreaaijaloncuriel.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sabreaaijalon
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@SabreaAijalon
• Other: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6c9RaDtxMAPFguxZ2BMSfi?trackId=2RlgNHKcydI9sayD2Df2xp

Image Credits

Benny Ethan Pham, Olivia Lattimer, Roni Trypucko, Tyrelle Kelley