The Exotic World of Roxanna - Host Joanne Mathis

“My music is romantic adult contemporary pop flamenco,” Roxanna states emphatically when she describes the muses for her debut album, ‘Exotica’. Indeed, it is. The songs are filled with lush orchestrations, sweeping pop sensibilities and simmering sensuality, all with a decidedly Spanish flair. 

While it may have looked easy to get to where she is today with the release of ‘Exotica’, the reality of it all has been years of hard work, determination and perseverance. “As an independent artist, I’ve accomplished things that many developed artists haven’t,” Roxanna says. “Including making a music video with Matthew Rolston, having an actor from a soap opera, or having Chris Botti, the best trumpeter, to perform on my album, and all the musicians who perform on my album and in my concert. Money doesn’t buy all these things, you have to have the talent and people have to believe in you.”

Roxanna uses her considerable vocal gifts to tell stories of romance, heartache, healing, passion and sensuality. She debuted her first single, Unforgotten, a year ago. The song garnered acclaim and was just a hint of what was to come. Her followup single, Close Your Eyes, is a sweeping ballad that starts with a gentle piano and soars on the lifts of a huge orchestra like an eagle on an updraft. “Close Your Eyes was originally written by Lindy Robbins and Mark Portmann,” Roxanna says of the song. “The reason I chose to sing that song was I love the lyrics, I connected to the lyrics from my days as a nurse. The line, ‘I’ll be here till the sunrise’, that’s what the nurse’s duty is, to be there until the end, until they need you. It was originally written for Celine Dion and she didn’t want it so I took it.” Celine’s loss was Roxanna’s win as the song has become her first Billboard Top 40 Chart hit.