Episode Transcript
Hello, my name is Aziz and I'm the son of a divorced mother. She is really my superhero. That's why it's important for me to support women to share their uniqueness, their personalities, perspectives, and emotions about life. Too many women in this world feel alone. They worry about the judgment of others and they struggle with their mental health but when they listen to the Rare Girls podcast where empowered women share their voices and tell their stories, many women will feel inspired to live a life of freedom and to overcome all insecurities. They will feel it is a safe space to find their confidence, to remember their unique beauty and to feel their self worth and they will connect with the sisterhood of Rare Girls who encourage their success and support their dreams. That's what this podcast is all about. My guest today is Ksenia Andrienko. Ksenia is a singer, actress, and model based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. She studied history of art. She is Mrs. Moscow and the entrepreneur behind. Angel of Roses and the artist behind My LA Dream. Ksenia, how are you today? Hello, how are you? I'm fine, thank you. I feel great. I feel lucky, happy, and honored to have you here. Very curious to know much more about you and I'll begin with this nice first question which is Ksenia, if your friends and the people that know you very well could describe your personality, what would they say about you? It's better to ask them, not me, but I hope they will say that I'm kind, nice person, and sensitive, emotional, and artistic, something like this. Thank you. That's absolutely great. And so I want to know more because I understand that you are someone who is seen on social media, on Instagram, maybe there are people who expect you to be snob, who don't understand that you're sensitive and artistic. Is there something that people imagine about you and expectation about your personality that you understand is not correct and maybe you wish that the world could know more about you? I'm sure that people who don't know me just see me in the pictures in social media, think something different about me. You know, one time I have a situation, one, Brent, who is actually making clothes and scarves for the church in Russia. They somehow choose me to be the model for this show. And when we came to the shooting, I bring also my photographer, very nice girl. She's Ukrainian. And the lady who was choose us, she told like, Oh, girls, you're so nice. I'm so much surprised. I was thinking to take my child to shooting, but I afraid that you will be very like a snopper, like even worse. That's why I afraid to take my child. But you're so nice. It's so surprised me. And I was thinking like, what do you mean? Why you think that I will be not nice? And if you think like this, why you invite me? It was very funny. Yes. 100%. Thank you for sharing that. And I want to know all parts of your personality and I want to explore the artistic part. How important is art in your life? Is it your meditation when you don't want to be stressed? You want to empty all the emotions on your art? And that's why you do it. Is it different that you consider yourself an artist? And so everything else you do is a piece of art that you are doing. So it's your soul that is artistic or what emotions, what experience, what about art makes it so important in your life? So many questions in one. So okay, let's start from the start. I came from very artistic family. My parents, both artists and all other relatives like architectures, designers and stuff like this. So actually I was born in this atmosphere and I don't know anything else. And my toys was like brushed and colors. And I did it from my, I don't know, one, two, three years old. No, actually I didn't even know what can be different. You know, my parents want me to be like a lawyer or something like this, but from where I need to take these skills. So of course that's why I went to the art academy in Russia. It's one of the biggest one in my country. Not one, the biggest one. And the most complicated to go there, like they're very strong exams and you need to be really very educated and smart and strong before. So that's why for me, this is like something what I know to do from my childhood, but I'm not making pictures now as a profession. Also maybe because of pressure of my family, because you know, when everybody artist, everybody told you like, Oh, this is can be better. This is not so good. And you start to feel like, Hmm, maybe I'm not so good. In the end, you decide not to do this at all. So now for me, it's like more hobby and it's a guess maybe kind of meditation and also for me, it's like, you know, what is it? A wall of dreams for me is actually something like this. For example, I want to go to the sea and I'm drawing sea and somehow I'm going into vacations immediately. It's work like this for me. So if I have something in my mind, I just and also, for example, I have sometimes some idea coming to your mind or you see something very interesting in the street, something beautiful. And you just need to take it out from you and you cannot live without it because it's stuck to your mind and you just need to put it in the paper, something like this. Thank you. So it's part of it is manifestation and the other part. Yeah. And the other part is you just expressing yourself fully and the things that you notice in this world and keeping them on the piece of paper. Correct? Yeah, something like this. Thank you. And you spoke about the pressures of your family. They wanted you to be a lawyer. And also, if you're an artist, they might give you criticism, which is a lot. There are many women and especially younger generation girls who grew up in a different time who feel too much pressure about living their dreams, following their goals. Maybe they have people pleaser tendencies and they don't want to disappoint their parents or the expectations of society. So they live a life they don't like, but they sacrifice themselves for that. What's your advice for them so that they can be stronger and they can choose and say, for example, their parents want them to be a doctor and she can say, no, I will choose to be an artist because I don't feel alive if I'm doing something else. What is your advice so that those younger generation girls can grow up with a stronger mindset to live their dream life? My advice to not listen to anybody and if you think that you need to be an artist, because you know, parents, I don't want to say anything bad about my parents. I think I'm very lucky to have them. But they, of course, have their expectation, they have their experience. And for example, my mom didn't make too much money through her art. So she opened now her gallery and she's selling antique pictures. And probably because of this, she don't want me to be an artist because she understood how difficult this way. But in her imagination, she was thinking like to be a lawyer, it's like not so complicated and making money and stuff like this. But again, it's her opinion. It's her way in life. And parents shouldn't push you to do something what they think because you have your destiny, you have your talented talents, your skills and stuff like this. So you need to do something what really fit you and what you really make, what really make you happy because you cannot make your parents happy if you are unhappy. So anyway, you just need to do something what you feel you should do. And that's it. And not listen to anybody at all. I agree with you. Thank you very much for that. And I want to know about your acting interest. I have interviewed an actress and she said that she used to be an immigrant from a different country and she was put in a box by society expecting of her a specific life, a specific attitude. So she became an actress so that she can be any person in the world totally free. She can be in the morning a lawyer and then a teacher and then a little girl and then a devil and all that kind of freedom gave her a sense of feeling alive and never being bored. Is this similar to your interest for acting or why do you love and practice acting in your life? Okay. So Carol, I just like to change clothes and you know, like all girls and to try some different looks and different styles on you about what she's saying. I actually agree. But for me, maybe more important that really you can know. Yeah, actually she's right. You can be not you. For example, when you're in the stage, what I don't feel that it's me, even when I see my pictures or some video from somewhere, I even when I talk about this, I even call myself like she because I totally it's totally not me. It's absolutely different personage, not Xenia and it's also nice because really you can try something else, something new. But to say the truth to be an actress, it's very, very, very not easy. It's very not easy job. And if somebody thinks that it's like, applauds happiness and good money, no, it's very complicated, especially physically because it's took too much time. You like, for example, you can have shooting 24 hours and 22 hours, you just sit and wait with makeup with everything, don't sleep, don't eat normally and nothing. And after you need to wake up and to show some emotions and emotionally, it's very complicated because sometimes you need to show some emotions. And for example, you don't know how to do or you don't have these feelings or you didn't have such experience and you need to take it from you and to like create in yourself inside such emotions to show this. But it's very complicated. And after you feel yourself very empty, very tired and need to go to some retreat or something like this. So that's why actually I didn't decide it. You know, I tried a lot when I was in Russia and long time ago, actually I was working with a very famous movie director in Russia, but I understood that for myself to choose this profession like my main, I don't want because it's very, really difficult because actually I'm personal, not so much like extrovert. I'm more introvert and I like to be calm, not drawing, actually it's very fit. This I just like to be also in public. I just like to change everything. And you know, this is nice, but in other hands, it's really make you feel empty after this. I understand because as an introvert, if you spend too much time in public with people, you feel very tired during the nap or like you said, to go to a retreat. I want to ask about your singing, but first I want to know why did you choose to be based in Dubai? You spoke about being in Russia in some of the best institutions, knowing some of the best directors and then you go, I mean, you could go anywhere in the world, of course, but I mean, it's a very hard compared to Russia. It's a very different culture. Did you have some culture shock? Tell me about moving to Dubai. How was the experience and what attracted you and interested you in Dubai? Is it the energy of the city, the people from all over the world that you can find? What was good about it? Okay. So because of my work and generally because I like to travel, I was traveling a lot. And you know, in Russia, I always don't like the weather because I don't like cold. I don't like snow. I hate it from my childhood. I just like sun and sea and that's it. And because of this, it was one of the main reason I was thinking all the time to move somewhere. And every time when I was traveling in some different country, I was thinking like, hmm, can I live here or not? So in Dubai, first time, I think I visited 10 years ago. And even this first time I was here, I understood that this really fits me very good. I feel myself comfortable here. I like everything here and why not to move here? So but after, of course, something was in Russia, what didn't allow me to go. And in the end, this year, actually I moved not so long time ago, last January, I just came to vacation here, I stay here three weeks and in the end, I understand that I want to stay here and don't want to come back home. Why Dubai again? Because here, safety, beautiful city, very comfortable, everything, infrastructure, perfect weather for me. For me, it's not so hot. For me, it's very comfortable. And in summer, I was here and I was okay. I was not thinking about like a job or something here too much, because I was sure that I will find something. And just generally, I like this place, really, maybe, and after maybe something fits me good. Thank you. You said that you trusted and you believe that you will find a way to make money in Dubai. And earlier, you spoke about using your paintings as a wall of dreams, which is part of manifestation. It makes me think that you have some spiritual side to you. You said also that there was the brand, which was a church thing that you are involved with. How do you see yourself in this world that allows you to not be having anxiety when you're making such a big, big change in your life? Is it that you see yourself as a princess, a princess and that everything is going to be okay? Or that you are someone who has a big destiny and so you believe always that no matter what, things will become better. Or what about you allows you to feel relaxed and calm when you don't know what the next steps will be and compare to most people who will have too much fear to do such a thing? It's interesting question. And I even don't know what to say. Maybe I believe in destiny. Maybe I believe in myself. I don't know. Just here. I don't know here exactly in Dubai. I feel that everything will be okay. I don't know how. That will be for sure. This is maybe one thing what I can say. Thank you. And about singing, I interviewed some singers, female singers who said what they love about singing is the exchange of energy with the audience that you can feel almost that you are receiving the good energy and good vibes from the audience and then giving it to them through your voice, through your singing that allows you to elevate their consciousness and their level of positive energy. That is for them. But to you, what is interesting and fascinating about being a singer? Why make this a priority in your life? First of all, what these girls say, I think it's very correct. But it's not only about singing. It's the same feeling you have when you're going to the stage in any employer, like a singer, like an actress, like a model when you're making catwalk. Also you feel this energy from people and it's very much attractive and you're used to this and actually you cannot live without it. It's like some kind of drugs that you're having this feeling and after you want again, again, again. About singing, actually I start not so long time ago. That's why I'm in the start of this career. I hope it's going well. So I just generally like to sing. I very much enjoy when I'm making something like this, even in studio or at home, whatever. Or I like very much even to go to karaoke. It's also was like my some childhood dream because I don't know, I just like to sing like many people I sing like this. And I was thinking like I have not bad voice. And when I was a child in school, I was going to some, I don't know how to say in English, actually, not some place for singing where we like band something like this. And we was going to some making some concerts. So and I have some dream, like I listen my songs in the radio or something like this. So but I was put this dream away because all the time I was thinking like, no, maybe not now, maybe after maybe I'm not so good, maybe I'm busy or whatever. And in some point, I decided if not now, when so and I start to study, I go take some teacher for singing and somehow she make me feel belief in myself. And she told me like you for sure need to make some such unique voice, blah, blah, blah. And she pushed me very much and I start. Thank you. So this is important because you said, for example, about becoming a full time artist, if your family will give you negative criticism, it can make you stop. And now you're saying that you're singing teacher because she encouraged you and tell you that your voice is unique and special. That gives you more motivation to start. Well, one, you know, when you are in Dubai and are making new friends, new networking connections, new relationships, are you looking for such people for the people who motivate you have the good vibe, the good energy or in general, let's say there is a Russian girl, maybe she lived in Russia all her life. She's moving to Dubai. What's your advice to her about finding how to know the right people from the people who can be good at talking, at pretending, but maybe they're not very the right people to have that they can maybe at some point be critical and say things in the future that can stop their evolution. So how do you know who is your person and who maybe should be a distant acquaintance? For example, if I talk about myself, for me, it's very important that people support me and tell me that I'm good, everything I'm doing well. Why? Because I'm such kind of person who first very perfectionists and second, you know, all artistic person, people, they all the time have doubts about themselves. This is good. This is masterpiece or so. So it's I think for every artistic people, everybody have these feelings and actually in one hand, it's good because because of this, you will make better, better, better because you all the time want to make everything perfect. But in other hand, sometimes it can kill your wife and you will think like, Oh my God, I'm not Leonardo da Vinci. So maybe not to be artist or something like this. But it's okay. It's normal thing. It's you just need to work with it about people who move here. No, anywhere you move and you have like new surrounding, of course, you need to find good people, friends and people who motivate you and support you and you can do the same for somebody else. And it's no matter where you live, you know, in your country, in another country, it's everywhere important and necessary. And anywhere you need to find life, people who will be like your family, not by blood, but by family, who have the same interest value and wife and you will support one another giving advice, giving support. So this is the answer. Thank you for sharing that. And I'm curious, how do you spend a typical day of your life in Dubai? Maybe some people are curious and maybe it's different during the week and the weekend. But when do you wake up? Where do you like to go? Do you go do some yoga and meditation or go to the beach on the weekend? Or what is a typical day for you that makes you love Dubai so much and live life that you think, yes, I'm living exactly how I want. No, I don't have typical day. Every day is different. For example, today I wake up and make some exercises to work a little bit. And after I went to the studio for recording song and now I'm with you. So it's not a typical day. I'm not every day giving interview and record, recording new songs. But usually I wake up like around nine, maybe in the morning and I'm trying to convince myself that I need to go every day to the pool at least because it was my dream to wake up with the sun and go to the pool and drink coffee in Shiraz. I know now I'm not doing it every day, but I'm trying to do because for me, it's very important that you wake up really and you can sit in this russ during coffee and take a sun and swim. Unbelievable because when you live in Russia, you have these possibilities at maximum three months, three year. But even if you live in some apartment in cities, social because we don't have pool in every building, actually anywhere. We don't have pool at all in any building, only in gym, maybe. And I like, of course, to go to the beach. But now I think I'm going like a few times per week maximum or weekend because I also have a lot of friends already here and, you know, half most crossing moved to Dubai and who not move for the coming all the time. For example, tomorrow, my friend coming after tomorrow, second friend coming. So they will call me and say, let's go to the beach, some pool or whatever. And what would I like to do here also? You know, I have also a lot of girls stuff like going to salon, making hair, shopping, something like this. And yes, of course, some sports I make and not yoga, I'm not so good in this meditation. It's for sure every day, of course. I don't know how in other way to make money and everything without meditations. And that's it. I think. I'm curious about two things. One, you said half of Moscow is in Dubai. I noticed that there are many people who are maybe Russian. They tend to stay with other Russian people. They speak Russian to each other. Are you that kind of person or do you have friends who are from all cultures, Arabic friends, French friends? Because you said personas, which is a French word that you spoke some words that are French. I know that the Russian language as well has some words that are in French. So tell me a bit more whether you are someone who prefers to stay within those people that you already know because you develop and make those relationships deeper or you're constantly meeting people from different backgrounds. And a small thing you said, you cannot make money without meditation. Explain that a bit more. Maybe people cannot know exactly what you mean. Okay. About friends. Of course, I have a lot of Russian friends because a lot of people who I know from Moscow, they move here and I have no other way than to be in contact with them. And second, a lot of, I told you friends coming from time to time, actually often. And some friends introduced me to some other friends. So I have here a huge community of Russians. But what I like here, very good casting for Russians because not every Russian can come. So coming only the best ones. And I have very good and talented people here around me. About different nationalities I have also, of course, but not so many because with someone, you can have some issue with language. So from other nationality people, I can choose somebody who speak very good English and who can understand me with my Russian accent also. And I have a few, I think Arabic, about French somehow or not. But by the way, about language, yeah, we have in Russian, actually a lot of French words because if you go a little bit back to history, you know, when it was, I think, 19th century, it was popular in Russia to invite some French teachers for the kids who was not like rich family and a lot of Russians, they will not speak Russian, only French. And for example, you know, Alexander Pushkin, the most famous Russian poet. And when he started his career, he even don't speak Russian because he's a nanny. She was French. But after he learned Russian also, but even you read some his or other guy's literature, you can find a lot of like part of the right in Russian part in French, for example, left of the toy who write Vinai, a war and peace. There is a huge part of the book really in French. So even when I was reading it in school, I was trying to understand and remember something in French. And I was living actually a lot of my time in Paris. So I a little bit speak French, but very bad. So about what else? Meditation and money. So I don't know how it's work. But when I make meditation, especially to attract money, it really will work like crazy. And really, money is coming all the time. I don't know. Maybe it sounds strange, but people who didn't try, they probably will not understand, you know, when it was current time, and I sit at home, and everything was closed. And my job was totally connected. Most of the time I'm working as a model and money making as a model. So was no shooting nothing. And I was in stress because money can finish. And we don't know how much time we need to sit at home. And one of my friend told me like, do you know, like this kind of meditation to attract not money, it's a different word, but I forgot how it's in English. So and I don't feel like joking how it can work. Meditation really, she say, yes, yes, just don't talk, just try. And I tried and after this, it's like everyday practicing because really, it's really work. Thank you for that. Okay, no, first of all, what I think that you need to believe in yourself and trust your intuition and do what your heart told you to do. For example, if you want to, I don't know, draw, think, whatever, to be a doctor, you should listen yourself and do what you want. And don't trust somebody else's opinion. If somebody told you like you're not enough talented or something like this, because for example, when I start to think, I had people who told me like, you're not selling the on what, what do you mean? But after when I make a song, they change their mind easily. So first of all, don't listen to anybody, just do what you think to do. And we have especially women, great intuition, and our heart or soul or whatever, will really give advice to us what is good for us, what is not good. So about other stuff, I think that all people really need to make some meditation or go to church, mask, wherever everybody will find something for them, what they think better. And the most important, it's our energy. And we need to work for this. And for somebody praying in the mask will give this energy for somebody in meditation, for somebody to walk in the forest for somebody drawing for somebody, I don't know, swimming, wherever, everything what you feel is good for you work for you make your mood better, make your energy more strong and better. You just need to do this, something like this, because when you are in good mood with good energy people, other people will feel it. And they will contact you and you will have more possibilities to, I don't know, make your job or whatever you want to do, because everybody have different goals in life and different dreams. But just you need to understand first, which steps you need to do to go more close to your dream. And second, you need to be in good condition like you need to be all the time in good mood and good energy happy and look good and everything what you make and feel good, just do it. Don't think much just do everything what make you feel good. I agree 100% energy is everything. Thank you so much, Xenia. It was my privilege and my honor to have you here to share your voice, your perspective, your thought. I wish you all the success and everything you do. I wish you all the manifestation and you have two ways now. It's when you're drawing and painting, you manifest experiences and when you meditate, you manifest money. So that's a really cool way. And thank you again for participating. Thank you very much. It was very big pleasure to be with you. Thank you.
