Today we’d like to introduce you to Sasha Prendes.
Hi Sasha, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
My story begins as a little peanut born in Elizabeth, New Jersey, raised by my amazing Cuban family, grew up 18 years in Olathe, Kansas, and now I’m back in the east coast-New York City – chasing my dreams! Disney sing-along VHS tapes taught me to sing and read. A dramatic little kid I was, loved being the center of attention and everyone knew it while simultaneously being sort of shy. It was a strange balance that through the years I realized the shyness came from fear/insecurity. Imagine you know exactly who you want to be but you have no idea how to be that? Doesn’t help when others laugh or put down your dreams. Except my parents were extremely supportive. My father would always say, “there is always a way” even when we had no money for bills. My parents came from Cuba, my grandparents barely escaped death by the hands of communist/socialist regimes, and without their sacrifices, I would not be able to be the superstar I am today. I thank them every day for their support of my dreams. The interesting part is they had no idea how to help me. Only encourage me. I grew up in Kansas writing songs on my bedroom floor at 8 years old, shooting videos on an old cam recorder and choreographing dance routines to spice girls and Britney Spears. I was born for this sh*t! I knew it deep down inside, I just had no clue how to get there. Through elementary, jr high, high school and college – I constantly felt like I didn’t belong. 2016 I packed up my car that was on its last limb, my baby cat, and $200 and drove to New York City. Thankfully, I have a home base in New Jersey where my father and many family members live. But they were in Jersey, not New York – I knew no one. Seven years of being used, abused, scammed, taken advantage of, partying, meeting new people, breaking hearts and taking names – I maneuvered my way into the industry and found who I am in the process. I’m still here!! Stronger, wiser, better than ever. Doing what I love every day and sharing it with people I love is my definition of success. Little Sasha would be so proud of Sasha now. Everything she dreamed of has come true and continues to come true beyond what she could have ever even imagined! My story in a nutshell? Never f*cking give up.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Man, where do I even start? Finishing my first record was the hardest thing. It took like six years to find people who knew what they were doing, re-record songs so they didn’t sound amateur, to improve my songwriting, to have someone feel my message and be able to put it into an instrumental that sounds good and represents me as an artist. It’s exhausting when producers want to sleep with you or waste your time working on projects that go nowhere or hold your projects hostage for thousands of dollars after already being paid. I even had videographers hold footage hostage after long shoot days and being paid. It’s mind-blowing the sh*t we deal with as artists. There are so many wannabes! Artists get a bad reputation for being “difficult to work with” and I am not one of those people. I take my career extremely serious. So I may be difficult in the sense of “I need this done now” or “I paid for this months ago. Where is the work?” Then yeah, call me difficult. Oh, did I mention making music is ridiculously expensive?! From one job to another, one side hustle to the next, I truly don’t know how I was able to finesse getting the funds to create my art. God is everything and my relationship with the higher power made miracles happen for me. I also had some help along the way and made some amazing friends who did have my back. The best advice I ever received was “Contracts Save Friendships”. Message to my fellow creatives – make your own contracts to avoid some of the many dramas I had to endure. No one wants to call a lawyer.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a superstar – when I say “super star” I mean in the sense of I do it all! Pop star, actress, songwriter, tv commercial actress, and model. Every song I write is about someone and for someone. It’s my way of saying what I didn’t get to say before. For someone who got a degree in communications, I definitely haven’t been the best communicator haha. Songwriting is my way of saying how I really feel in that moment or about that event that changed my life or how sh*tty that breakup was. I enjoy getting the last word! I’m so proud of myself for not giving up. The thought of not being an artist made me sick. There was no plan B. I’m proud of the commercials I’ve done! Cheesy and all! I love it! I love smiling & making people laugh! I’m proud of my songwriting and being so vulnerable in my music like reading my diary out loud for the world to hear. I’m weird and goofy and silly. I believe what makes me different is I keep it authentic and real. I am a total nut job, hahaha I love who I am and who I have become. It only gets better from here and I believe that resonates with people. We live in an age of false realities, impossible perfectionism and a lot of bullsh*t. I’m here to keep it real. I don’t want to pretend to be anything I’m not. If you see me dressed in a mismatching sweatsuit and a birds nest bun on my head, food shopping at wegmans then dope lol. It’s not breaking news haha But don’t get me wrong – you may also see me in a gown food shopping at wegmans too hahahahaha
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
I could totally give a Ted talk or 3 about this topic. No matter what, you’re going to go through the sh*t. There is no way around it. Every experience will make you stronger, one step closer, bring someone new into your life, friends, and connections. For every sh*tty person, I worked with or dated someone or something incredible came out of it. The universe sees and hears things you don’t. So when she decides to eject someone or something from your life – know that it’s aligned with what you want. Speak out loud. Pray y’all. Pray and talk to god out loud and all the time. Keep your faith. I’m telling you, that is everything. Don’t f*ck anyone over. Allow karma to be your bae & keep your circle small. You will lose friends, family May think your insane and should get a “real job” but f*ck what anyone says. Trust your gut, do what you love, the money will come, and remember that life is short. Stop caring what other people think. You’re not going to care what your childhood bully thinks of you when you’re headlining a stadium tour are you? Probably not.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.sashaprendes.com
- Instagram: www.Instagram.com/sashaprendes
- Facebook: www.Facebook.com/iamsashaprendes
- Twitter: https://www.Twitter.com/sashaprendes
- Youtube: www.youtube.com/sashaprendes
Image Credits
Luka Funduck The Trubina NYC Daniel Ma 02 My Mom
