24: Introduce yourself to our readers
and let them know who exactly is Selena?

Selena:  My name is Selena Serrano and I’m a female
R& B singer in Miami trying to get my music out to the masses.   I’m originally from the Bronx, NY and grew
up in Denver so when I finally moved to Florida in 2001. I came to pursue my
dream.  There were more opportunities
available in Florida and I had always wanted to move here because of the
beaches and culture anyway. 

24: Tell me a little about your long
road up to this point in your career?

Selena:  Oh Boy! 
I’ve been singing since I can remember. 
I don’t remember wanting to be anything other than a singer.  I always had my backup plan of course, but
music is in my heart and soul. That’s how I’ve always expressed myself.  I’m an only child so music is what I felt
most connected to when I was lonely. 
When I moved to Florida I made a lot of great contacts and had some opportunities
to sign to a couple of independent labels. 
I ended up passing on those and instead focused on honing my songwriting
skills and doing hooks, backgrounds and reference vocals all around town over
the next couple of years.  After a couple
of years of teaching voice lessons, I decided it was the right time for me to
get back to being the artist.   It was
funny too because the producers, artists and label execs I had worked with
would always ask me why I wasn’t an artist? 
So I got my amazing team together and started working on my own
project.  We recorded like crazy and began
promoting an original song to radio. 
Unfortunately at that time we were very naïve to the whole process and
didn’t understand the politics. So that didn’t go very far but after a year and
a half of grinding and learning I feel like I have what it takes now to
overcome more obstacles now.

24: What I really like about you is
that you are crating your own lane by re-doing records like Rick Ross’
“Speedin”, 50 Cent’s “I Get Money” Rihanna’s “Umbrella”
and making it yours?

Selena:  That’s a funny story.  After trying to knock down doors with an
original song and having no luck my manager Niko suggested that I do special
dubplates for DJ’s. It’s really common for Jamaican artists to re-write their
own songs or take a popular song and make a sound killing version of it for
sound systems.  So I would re-write them
with battle lyrics and put the DJ’s name in it for the DJ’s to use against
other DJ’s.  It was my “Sound Killa”
version of Rihanna’s Umbrella that blew up. 
It came out crazy and the DJ’s loved it! 
Who knew, that would be the thing to have helped my career tremendously
and to gain my buzz.  Then we decided to
go the mixtape route instead of an album because we felt that it was important
to get my name out more before we did that. 
Those songs are all on the mixtape and I am very proud of it. It was a
labor of love!

24: Describe your sound and style?

Selena:  I am honestly a simple girl.  Of course I like the finer things in life
just as much as the next person but I think that my music reflects that
balance.  I would describe my music as
R&B Soul when it comes down to it.  I
mix in everything that comes my way in life. 
I’m Puerto Rican so there is Latin & Caribbean influences too. 

24: What do you feel like separates you
from other female singers in the music industry?

Selena:  I’d like to think that my songs have a
different point of view that nobody else is coming with.  I want to take people on an emotional ride
when they hear my music.  I want to touch
people, and make them fall in love or help them with their problems. I want to
be able to do that all through my music. 
I miss that type of music.  I want
to create the kind of music that inspired my life growing up.

24: How has DJ’s been responding to you
and your music because in today’s industry having DJ support mean everything?

Selena:  Oh my goodness!  If it weren’t for the DJ’s I would be
nowhere.  Are you kidding me, I am all
about the DJ’s.  They have shown
incredible support from the beginning and I appreciate that so much.  It was the DJ’s that got “Sound Killa” onto
the Billboard Charts; it’s the DJ’s that help promote me like crazy. 

24: Tell me so far what has been the
hardest part about trying to get the attention of a Major Label that will help
you take your career to another level?

Selena:  Well I haven’t actively tried to pursue a
major label deal yet.  I have been so
busy recording, promoting, performing, distributing that I haven’t even looked
at that possibility yet.  I feel like
it’s important to build a street buzz and a following first in order to attract
that attention.  I understand how many
artists get signed to major labels every year and unfortunately some of them
never see the light of day. I hope that when it is my turn I can have a large
impact.

24: What artist would you want to have
a career similar to?

Selena:  There are so many, like Mary J. Blidge’s
longevity and her emotional impact on people is something I strive for. Also
Sade because she was able to carve a niche for herself and has become a staple
in everyone’s CD collection.  I respect
Beyonce business mind to the fullest and I think she has created a brand that
has expanded beyond music.  Most
importantly, I love all the music these ladies create.

24: Any last words for the readers?

Selena:  Yes!  I
finally have released my official debut single “Waiting”.  Please come check it out on
www.myspace.com/selenarnb.  You can also
download my mixtape “Sound Killa” for free from my page.  I’d like to stress to my fans that I love
hearing from them, so please do not hesitate to message me.