Conversations with the Inspiring Shaina Wexler

Today we’d like to introduce you to Shaina Wexler.

Shaina, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
My journey began when I was very young, but I didn’t know at the time the ways in which my career endeavors would inform, impact and lead to each next beautiful, growing, evolving season of my life. My journey has, thus far, lead me to a life of such fulfillment, adventure, freedom, opportunity, growth and true contentment.
I began my careers at age eight as a national level gymnast. The first major point of inspiration in life came from watching women’s gymnastics in the 1992 Olympics, I immediately began training myself in my basement, trying to emulate the movements I had seen on tv. Day after day, I trained. My motivation never waned. I wanted to be a gymnast, so I trained myself. Once it became clear that my inspiration and motivation was not diminishing, my parents decided to have me try out at a true training center. That was all it took to spur an intense gymnastics career that lasted eight years.

I didn’t know at the time that the intensity in which I feel inspiration/passion, that laser focus/dedication, and my ability to teach/train myself would be the key ingredients to every major success I had in life!

After retiring from gymnastics, I delved into the world of professional musical theater, using my gymnastics skills to begin as a lead dancer/acrobat. I quickly fell in love however with the musical/vocal aspects of the medium. I began training classically in voice, eventually taking on many lead roles. I adored expressing my heart through song; singing connected to something profoundly deep within me.

Over time, I found myself absolutely enamored by the musical theater spectacles created in Paris expressed through the incredibly emotive French language (which at the time I did not speak at all). For five years, five hours per night, I studied French on my own. I trained myself day after day until I had gained a full fluency in the language I was so passionate about! I then spent many years living half time in the USA, half time in Paris.
While, I still enjoyed musical theater, and expressing myself through the eyes of the characters I portrayed, I couldn’t help begin to feel as though I wanted to share more of MYSELF through music and song. Thus began my current career as a singer/songwriter! Two albums (“Tout ou Rien” and “The Truth of Fantasy”), and two international concert tours later, I am passionately living this amazing career that I truly adore!! I write, compose, arrange and perform my songs and have tracks in both English and French. Through my music and in concert, I am able to share an unveiled, authentic glimpse into who I am as a human, my experiences, etc.

Being able to connect to other people by expressing myself through the mediums that are most profound to me, is the most incomparable and fulfilling of experiences!

Has it been a smooth road?
There have been multiple challenges along my path, absolutely! I think the most challenging was realizing that the career I visualized, and the way in which I wanted to do it, was not really a career and road that already existed in this world. I needed to forge it for myself each and every step of the way.

My greatest advice would be to continually check in with yourself and the purity of the vision you have for yourself and your life. CONTINUALLY make sure that you are taking steps, making choices, and choosing directions based upon what you genuinely desire, as opposed to choosing a road just because it is easy or momentum is moving you in a certain direction.

Life/career balance and fulfillment takes constant vigilance, work, and advocacy.

Make checking in with and reassessing your path a habit! It is important to always have a clear understanding of what is motivating you to move in any certain direction.

Forging a new path takes integrity, passion and a TON of work, haha!

Please tell us more about your work, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
I am a singer/songwriter who creates music in both English and French. I take pride in being 100 percent hands-on in every aspect of my career! From writing lyrics, composing music, arranging the pieces, performing, teaching other musicians my compositions, recording, directing, production, graphic design, marketing, packaging, merchandising, to booking, scheduling, etc. I am the creator and fill each role. I love that who I am as an artist and the entirety of my work is 100 percent as I determine it to be. Every aspect is an authentic expression of me and what I value!

I am so so very proud of my most recent album, “The Truth of Fantasy” which was just released June 1, 2019! It is available on Itunes, Spotify, Bandcamp, Google Play, Amazon Mp3, Deezer, and as a physical CD on ShainaWexler.com

I am in the midst of “The Truth of Fantasy” international concert tour, and the experience has been beyond amazing and so inspiring so far! I’m thrilled to continue traveling, performing, doing what I truly LOVE, and meeting incredible people along the way!

Looking back on your childhood, what experiences do you feel played an important role in shaping the person you grew up to be?
Seeing the ways in which each skill set I learned throughout my life has ended up being useful for this career has been fascinating, haha! Each skill seemed isolated at the time I was learning it, but they now all work together in a beautiful conglomeration that I could have never seen coming haha!

Pricing:

• Albums are available for purchase on Itunes, Spotify, Bandcamp, Amazon Mp3, Google Play, Deezer
• Physical copies of albums $15 + shipping (shainawexler.com)
• Official Shaina Wexler music t-shirts $25 + shipping (shainawexler.com)
• Concert tickets $20 (dates and locations available at shainawexler.com)

Contact Info:

• Website: www.shainawexler.com
• Email: shainawexler@gmail.com
• Instagram: @shainawexler
• Facebook: Shaina Wexler
• Twitter: @shainawexler
• Other: shainawexler.bandcamp.com

Image Credit:
Teresa Lee Photography

Getting in touch: VoyageDenver is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.