Music influences so much of our everyday lives we take it for granted. From turning on the radio in our car to slipping on a pair of earbuds to go for a jog, we all need music to entertain us. This year has been one for the history books and incredibly hard on the vast majority of people in the world. It is at this time we need music to lift us up and invoke the emotions needed to get us through these difficult times. Music has been a great passion of mine, and to get a chance to experience some of the world’s great singers is a dream of mine. I was at Coachella in 2006, I was at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 25th Anniversary in 2009, and I was at the Fleetwood Mac “On with the show” tour in 2014 to name a few. But with real life venues canceling concerts and social distancing concerns, finding an outlet for great live music has been a challenge. So many of us need to have music to provide us with the entertainment and hope for a better future. But more than that we need it from great singers that can convey that with the heart and soul that touch us emotionally.
One way to get that live music fix is to attend the myriad of music stages Second Life has to offer. Almost 24 hours a day you can be entertained with exceptional talent from around the world. One of those rising stars is Roxanne Ysabel. She has a vocal range few can match and although she prefers to sing Jazz and Blues, has a wide variety of songs on her list she has mastered.
I was able to catch up with Roxanne one summer evening and with the vast number of talent Second Life has to offer, this is one performer you will want to go out of your way to hear. Her rendition of the song River Deep, Mountain High could give Celine Dion a run for her money!
Roxanne Ysabel arrived in Second Life November 20, 2009, and quickly took to the music scene, starting to perform with a voice that is destined for greatness. Her lyrical style is more comfortable with Aretha Franklin and Frank Sinatra but can venture out to artists like Michael Bublé, Rihanna, and Beyoncé.
Her set that night consisted of:
Fire – Pointer Sister
I wanna dance with somebody – Whitney Houston
Give it to me right – Melanie Fiona
Turn me on – Norah Jones
River Deep, Mountain High – Tina Turner
Chain of Fools – Aretha Franklin
Interview with Roxanne Ysabel (Roxy):
Brooke Blackburn (BB): At What age did you first start singing?
Roxy: Probably since I was about 6 months old lol. My mother said I would hum entire songs from the radio and commercials. But my first performance was of course when I was about 9 in church.
BB: So, you were encouraged by your family to sing?
Roxy: Yes, my father’s family all sang or played instruments in southern Baptist church. When they found out you could sing or play they would stick you right in front of the church and say “Go for it!!”
BB: How long have you been singing in Second Life?
Roxy: Since 2011, singing was the first thing I ever did in Second Life. The first word I typed in search was “Karaoke”.
BB: How much of your life has been dedicated to music?
Roxy: Most of it. I would say I was always in some type of chorus or choir, then went on to do my first year of high school in a performing arts repertory company. As a young adult, I also was in a theater group in my city and we did musical dramatic performances.
BB: Do you sing and perform in Real Life now?
Roxy: Not anymore, for a while when I turned 30, I gave birth to a special needs child and I felt my time was best spent at home with him and so Second Life is my main outlet for performing.
BB: And Second Life allows you the time to look after you child and sing?
Roxy: Yes, it does, and I’m very grateful for this platform.
BB: Is Jazz your favorite style of music or do you prefer something else?
Roxy: Jazz and Blues are like my forte, but I always believed in reaching. You can never better yourself if you don’t push your limits… River Deep is a really fun song. It’s my newest addition to the “Roxanne pushes herself secret song list”.
BB: What artists have influenced you or who are your favorite singers?
Roxy: Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Tina Turner, Chaka Khan, Nina Simone, Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin….
(BB) Do you write songs? Have you written anything original?
Roxy: There is actually an old song on my YouTube channel written by me. It needs to be revamped, maybe it’s what I’ll start with…
BB: Do you sing any original songs in your Second Life sets?
Roxy: Oh, that would be great but it’s scary too.
BB: Well you like to push yourself, and we are always the most critical about ourselves.
Roxy: Yes I do and it’s something I will be considering over the next year. Believe it or not I’m very shy, so something like that has the fear of god in me and yes even after all these years I still get butterflies.
BB: For booking who can fans contact?
Roxy: I have a manager, her name is Sol Mercury, and she can handle all inquiries about me from bookings to my song list.
BB: What is your fee?
Roxy: I ask the venue for L$3000 per show.
Roxanne Ysabel is an act few can follow. Check her out at one of the many venues around Second Life and one of her goals is to perform at the main stage at Second Life Birthday (SLB18). I for one can’t wait to see that happen!!
"Music is food for the soul." – Roxanne Ysabel
Additional Information:
Join my group in Second Life!
Group Code: 32aae73f-8265-5aeb-0532-55653ea58df7
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ItachiOkasan
Calendar: https://www.roxannerox.com/roxanne-s-calendar
Website: https://www.roxannerox.com/
Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/188526654@N02/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/roxanne.ysabel
Bookings Contact: Sol Mercury
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