Music
Press
"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?"
- - Jay Carter, 24hourhiphop.com (Apr 14, 2008)
"Here's a hot new cut by a really hot female artist, Selena Serrano feat Pitbull, "Waiting" on 3 Music Inc. Great vocals by both artist & the tracks are very hott! We've had great success with Selena's music in the past & this should be even better. Let's keep the universe dancing."
- - Captain Kirk, Starfleet Music Pool (May 15, 2008)
"Well it's about that time for Kingz to sprinkle the Artist 2 Watch once gain. Here is my new Artist 2 Watch, and she goes by the name of Selena Serrano. This sexy sultry Latina was originally born in Bronx, New York, and now resides in Miami. "
- - Young Kingz, The Young Kingz Daily 2.0 (Mar 12, 0008)
It's not everyday that an up and coming, local Miami artist hits the billboard charts with a remix of a popular song. But that's exactly what happened to Selena Serrano when "Sound Killa", a remake done dubplate style of Rihanna's top downloaded hit "Umbrella", debuted at number 12 on the Bubbling under R&B charts this week.
Miami, FL June 30, 2007 - It has been a large underground hit with Jamaican Dancehall selectors internationally and has been garnering prime airtime on major radio stations across the country. Enough so, to land her on the charts as an independent artist. What's even funnier is that she is a Puerto Rican girl doing what most Jamaican artists do. "We figured we needed a new and interesting way to get people's attention and break into the industry."
Well, if attention is what she wanted than attention is what she is getting and she seems ready for the undertaking. Singing R&B since she was a toddler, Selena moved to South Florida six years ago with one goal in mind: to take the Miami scene by storm. After the 9/11 tragedy, she made a critical decision to move from Denver, Colorado to fully pursue her dream. Ever since, she has been songwriting for local artists and popular resident producers like Diaz Brothers and Jim Jonsin, teaching voice lessons, and singing backgrounds for major record label artists who come to record in sunny Miami.
Time and time again, collaborators would ask her why she wasn't an artist. "After pursuing it for years I had become jaded and began to question my abilities. I almost started to settle for remaining in the background". After regaining her confidence level, she made the leap with the help of mixing engineer/manager Nikolas Marzouca, who convinced her that she should once again step to the forefront where she belongs.
"When we began recording my solo project, it was such a rush to finally be able to write and record the music that was true to my heart, but we had to brainstorm a way to market it." The local scene in Miami is completely over run with Southern rappers and has no real market for R&B singers. "It's sometimes difficult to find anywhere to perform". Pulling from his Jamaican heritage, Nikolas suggested Selena sing Jamaican style dubplates, where Selena would rewrite all her originals in a sound boy style specifically for DJ's to play.
The idea worked. They sent it off to DJ friends they were familiar with and eventually to radio DJ's to get their feedback. The DJ's loved it and began requesting remixes of popular songs, so they could easily blend this into their sets on the mix shows.
The Bronx, NY born and Colorado raised Selena, says she is "poised to become a crossover powerhouse in the industry. I think I have enough experience and maturity under my belt now that I can write and sing my songs with more emotion while being able to navigate the industry with better business savvy. I'm having a lot of fun right now and I hope that when people hear my music they can feel the same way."
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- http://www.pittradio.net
Discography
Radio Airplay:
"Waiting"- WEDR, WPOW, WMIB, WMBX
"Sound Killa" (Umbrella Remake)-WEDR, WPOW, WMIB
"Don't Go"-(Blind To You riddim)-WEDR, WMIB
"Go Out"- (Tremor RiddimWPOW
"Girlfriend"-WEDR, WMIB
"No Sound"-(Alicia Keys No One remake)-WEDR, KZZP, KPWR, Hot 104.1FM Caymen Islands
"So Hot"-WEDR, WMIB, WMBX
"Take a Bow"(Dubplate Remake)-WEDR, WMIB, WMBX
Photos
Bio
Selena has been a large underground hit with Jamaican Dancehall selectors internationally and has been garnering prime airtime on major radio stations across the country. Enough so, to land her on the charts as an independent artist. What’s even funnier is that she is a Puerto Rican girl doing what most Jamaican artists do. "We figured we needed a new and interesting way to get people’s attention and break into the industry." Well, if attention is what she wanted than attention is what she is getting and she seems ready for the undertaking. Singing R&B since she was a toddler, Selena moved to South Florida six years ago with one goal in mind: to take the Miami scene by storm. Born in the Bronx, New York as an only child to Puerto Rican parents, Selena can be considered what most people would call a “Nuyorican”. Moving to Colorado at the age of 8 shaped Selena in a way that would open her mind to a whole new world of cultures and music. As you can imagine, growing up as a Puerto Rican girl in the middle of Denver took quite a bit of adjustment. As a result though, her musical influences and experiences were given an opportunity to flourish in a way that would create her soulful, yet jazz infused style. “Being an only child, I would sit for hours alone in my room listening to the likes of Whitney Houston, Faith Evans, Ella Fitzgerald, Amel Larrieux, Tamia and Mary J. Blige”. Singing in many girl groups along the way, Selena developed a love for songwriting. In order to hone her talent she attended the Denver School of Arts and after graduating high school she made her dream of moving to Miami a reality. “I think Miami is the perfect combination of island culture and climate along with the nightlife of New York. You can’t beat it. See I’m really an island girl at heart”. While songwriting for other budding talents, Selena has had the opportunity to sing background and reference vocals for nationally and internationally known recording artists such as Nicole Sherzinger of the Pussycat Dolls, Soca artist Kevin Little, Pitbull, Scarface, and Guru of Gangstarr, making a small name for herself around town. She has performed alongside Ziggy and Stephen Marley, Baby Cham, Jr. Reid, Capleton, Mr. Vegas, Keyshia Cole, Li'l Wayne, and Akon. Selena says she is "poised to become a crossover powerhouse in the industry. I’m having a lot of fun right now and I hope that when people hear my music they can feel the same"
For more information on Selena Serrano
log onto: www.selenaserrano.com
www.myspace.com/selenarnb
www.youtube.com/selenaserrano
or to request an interview, please contact Nikolas Marzouca at 305-450-3688 or Nikoshouse@gmail.com
Links
