Today we’d like to introduce you to Raquel Ramirez.
Raquel, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
I’ve always felt that I had a childhood like no other. While other kids had parks and playgrounds, I had concerts and backstage passes. As a child of young parents, wherever they went, I went too. They strived for us to always be a family that did everything together, and that meant bringing my brother and me along with them for the ride. Whether their friends were opening up at a local gig on a Friday night or their favorite bands came to town, it was the 4 of us in the thick of it all. For us, family bonding took place in the waves of people that surrounded the main stage. No matter where we went, music was always a part of us. From my father’s childhood stories about following his musician dad all around Colombia to my brothers love of singing and acting, it was all we ever talked about. All of this led me to discover that I had a huge passion for music in a not-so-typical way. I was intrigued by the inner-workings of the music industry and always found myself digging deeper into why artists and creatives pursued their dream so relentlessly. I was infected by the unwavering ambition that these artists had to live life on their own terms and have been on my journey to find my place in this creative world since.
We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
My art is largely based on the collaborations of different voices & perspectives. You can find me hosting and curating a local music competition called The FLEX, modeling for photos & videos, and showing everyone what Miami has to offer via Verge Magazine, a UK lifestyle blog. My ultimate goal with everything I do is to connect the dots within the community. The FLEX allows me to provide a platform for aspiring artists looking to get a foot in the door of the music industry; something that I am so grateful to be able to do because it is unlike anything I’ve seen done yet. Working with so many talented photographers & videographers has put me in the position to collaborate with some of Miami’s most trained eyes while giving their portfolio an interesting twist thanks to my unique look. Every shoot is a chance to work towards an end result that is truly a masterpiece of two minds. Being born & raised in the Magic City, I feel that there is no one better to share their view of what makes the bottom of the map so breathtaking, devoid of the manufactured glitz & glam that the tourists have been led to believe is what we’re all about. I crave to bring out every gem of Miami that has yet to be seen.
What do you think it takes to be successful as an artist?
Success for me is largely based on how I have accomplished my goals. Did I accomplish them in a way that I am proud of? Am I better than I was yesterday? Did I try my best? I measure my successes in quality, not quantity. I believe that a successful person has to be both ambitious and forgiving. So much of success can only be accomplished by wanting to reach a goal, but forgiving yourself when you fall short and starting again without losing an ounce of drive.
Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
Coming out to my events is always an amazing way to support my work and the work of aspiring local artists. Keep up with everything I have going on through my Instagram page!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.flexmusic.biz/
- Email: RaqRamirez05@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rraaqqzz/
- Other: https://vergemagazine.co.uk/
Image Credit:
Anton Tito Kirindongo
Marc-Anthony Cherubin
Melody Timothee
WillyDade
Jorge Castillo
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