Today we’d like to introduce you to Torera.
Hi Torera, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I am the Editor behind XBlaze Magazine; however, I am also a full-time college student, singer, writer, and overall creative! I began sharing my gifts and talents before I was even old enough to go to school. Once I started school, I made a number of attempts to professionally pursue music and acting as a kid, but nothing stuck. Fortunately, that never stopped me from being enthusiastic and hopeful for the future! Outside of my natural love for music, I had always enjoyed writing. I use to write a lot of stories, skits, and plays as a child and film them, though many of those films and series have become lost footage, they allowed me to remain in love with entertaining others. Some short years later in middle school, I saw an opportunity to make an impact, solve an issue, and learn from people that I admired at the time. I constructed my very first magazine, put it up for sale and that is how XBlaze Magazine came to be!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Days, weeks, months, and years of passion and dedicated work are what have gotten me and my outlet to where we are today! The growth and achievements since then have been incredible and surreal. As the saying goes, “If it sounds too good to be true, then it is!” From the outside, some may think that it has been a smooth path, but life is a journey that teaches us through experience. Thankfully, my journey with XBlaze Magazine has not been a smooth one. I am grateful for the many obstacles I’ve had to overcome because they have built me and my outlet in several positive ways! The challenges I faced as an aspiring singer and actress led me to keep working to find a way to fulfill my passion. That search, in turn, gave me the fuel to pursue XBlaze Magazine!
A few challenges I had to overcome included gaining respect, networking, and expanding. Starting as a teenager in middle school, many people did not think XBlaze Magazine would get far. Though a lot of unique and wonderful talents and their management team took a chance on XBlaze Magazine, a greater amount of them often made attempts to take advantage of me and my work, question the worth of the outlet, or try to decrease my outlet’s reputability with their audience. The only way I was able to overcome these hurdles was by working to prove them wrong each time they made these assumptions and attacks. It was also hard to build credibility within external communities. Spreading word of mouth and networking was, and sometimes still is, something that I had to put extra work into. In today’s time, prominence via word of mouth and how you are being spoken about also speaks about your credibility. Thus, I had to work on circulating the word about XBlaze Magazine. I was a lot younger, so I networked the best way I knew how by showing support, respect, and professionalism to the talents, managers, and managerial teams I’d encountered!
Expansion is a current obstacle that my team and I are working continuously to overcome, but slow and steady often wins the race! We have expanded our services and specialties over the years, but we want to continue expanding in various aspects. Overcoming this challenge is currently a work in progress and I would rather not say too much, but I do hope that soon, all of the hard work taking place in silence will speak volumes for itself!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
XBlaze Magazine is a D.M.V. (Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia) rooted multimedia outlet that is concentrated on delivering positive, timely, and inspirational content. We shed light on ambitious individuals who are part of various professional industries! We aim to enlighten you by broadening your awareness of new, underrated, or underappreciated creatives and leaders that have earned the right to be heard and seen!
In addition to traditional publications and magazines, XBlaze Magazine is also known for its filmed interviews, graphic designs, and live interview series, in addition to many things yet to come in the future! We specialize in custom publication/catalog production, biography & press release construction, and custom interview production, to name a few. I strongly believe our efforts to share positive content and unique stories make us stand out compared to other media outlets. Our versatility in content production is also notable.
Something I am most proud of regarding XBlaze Magazine is the growth it has incurred over the years! XBlaze Magazine began as a hobby with no intention of transforming into a brand or business, yet it has become a brand recognized across the country! We went from having no credibility or repute to an outlet that has worked collaboratively with and for networks like Lifetime, STARZ, TV One, and Central City Productions while also being permitted to work in rooms with icons and legends such as Kirk Franklin, Ginuwine, Marvin Sapp, Eric Benét, Michelle Williams, Angie Stone, Vivica Fox, Ne-Yo, and Meagan Good, to name a few!
When it comes to this media outlet, I want people to remember that XBlaze Magazine is beyond a traditional publication and media outlet. We are a business and brand with a vision and many more goals lined up to achieve! More importantly, it’s imperative to note that XBlaze Magazine functions because of the support, love, and interaction of our viewers, readers, and audience! They make XBlaze Magazine the welcoming and inspirational platform that it has been. As far as offerings and services go, we have expanded our services, and they are available via our website, www.XBlazeMagazine.com! If you, or someone you know, may find any of our services beneficial to an event, brand, or personal growth, we would love to receive an inquiry from you and/or your team!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.XBlazeMagazine.com
- Instagram: www.Instagram.com/XBlazeMagazine
- Twitter: www.Twitter.com/XBlazeMagazine
- Youtube: www.YouTube.com/@XBlazeMagazineTV
Image Credits
Kyle Pompey (Photographer) | @NiceShotKyle
