Xonia
Encyclopedia
Xonia is an Australian singer, songwriter, actress and dancer of Romanian heritage.
parents. Her full birth name is Loredana Sachelaru but she started promoting herself as "Xonia" since her adolescence. Throughout her childhood, Xonia manifested interest in ballet
and at the age of 7 she was studying under the auspicies of The Australian Ballet School. During the 1990s Xonia toured Australia and Europe with a dancing caravan and collaborated with some highly prestigious schools of ballet such as the English National Ballet
and The Royal Ballet. Through her concurrence with The Dancers Company, a national tour organised by The Australian Ballet, she often played the classic role of Clara in The Nutcracker
.
In 1997 Xonia began showing interest in music and was subsequently signed to a recording contract with a local label in early 2003. Throughout her adolescence she worked with several music producers such as Rob Davis, Doug Brady
and Kevin Colbert
in order to record her debut album. Simultaneously, Xonia graduated graduated the Australian Ballet School (Certificate III in Dance) and was taken under the mentorship of Robert Sturrock, a well-known choreographer and dance coach. In early 2000s Xonia put aside her musical career and focused on acting; shortly after she had a number of cameo appearances in high-profile TV series such as Noah's Arc
, SeaChange
, Holly's Heroes
and Neighbours
.
In 2006 Xonia was selected to represent Australia at the international Beauty Contest "Miss Diaspora
" where she had the opportunity to perform in front of 20,000 live spectators. Same year later she performed in the Melbourne Commonwealth Games
opening and closing ceremonies and was selected to dance with a guest star, the football player Nathan Brown from Richmond
team. Throughout 2007 Xonia showcased her choreography
abilities while working with pop singer Georgina Ward
for her live shows; eventually she was featured as a backup dancer
in some of the music videos produced by Ian Smith
and Laura Gissara
. At the age of 19 Xonia enrolled in at the Hollywood Pop Academy in California, where she studied dance theory
for a short time.
at some social events. Eventually she spent some time in New York
recording music and working on her original material. Whilst living in America, Xonia received an invitation to participate as a jury member at the annual Miss Diaspora
Contest; she accepted the invitation and performed on the stage of the Callatis Festival
same year later. Shortly after this representation, as a reward for her musical efforts, she was given a record deal with Star Management Romania in order to launch her career.
Xonia's debut single, titled "Someone to Love You
", was released in late 2009 and enjoyed moderate success. Same year later she was selected to represent Australia at the international music festival the Golden Stag
, where she performed two songs: "Dirty Dancer" and "Trandafir de la Moldova". Impressed by her vocal ability showcased during the contest, the Universal
Romania representatives offered her a management contract. Eventually Xonia released a single in early 2010, entitled "Take the Lead", which has received favorable reactions and created a significant buzz on the internet.
In early 2010 Xonia collaborated with the Romanian pop band Deepcentral on a new single called “My Beautiful One”. As of November 2010, the track spent 25 consecutive weeks in the top 30 on the Romanian Top 100
, peaking at number four. Xonia is currently working on her debut album with some well-known Romanian music producers including Marius Moga
, George Hora, Mihai Ogășanu and Deepcentral.
Xonia at MusicMall.ro
1989 — 2007: Early life and education
Xonia was born 25 June 1989 in Melbourne, Australia to RomanianRomanians
The Romanians are an ethnic group native to Romania, who speak Romanian; they are the majority inhabitants of Romania....
parents. Her full birth name is Loredana Sachelaru but she started promoting herself as "Xonia" since her adolescence. Throughout her childhood, Xonia manifested interest in ballet
Ballet
Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...
and at the age of 7 she was studying under the auspicies of The Australian Ballet School. During the 1990s Xonia toured Australia and Europe with a dancing caravan and collaborated with some highly prestigious schools of ballet such as the English National Ballet
English National Ballet
English National Ballet is a classical ballet company founded by Dame Alicia Markova and Sir Anton Dolin and based at Markova House in South Kensington, London, England. Along with the Royal Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet and Scottish Ballet, it is one of the four major ballet companies in Great...
and The Royal Ballet. Through her concurrence with The Dancers Company, a national tour organised by The Australian Ballet, she often played the classic role of Clara in The Nutcracker
The Nutcracker
The Nutcracker is a two-act ballet, originally choreographed by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov with a score by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The libretto is adapted from E.T.A. Hoffmann's story "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King". It was given its première at the Mariinsky Theatre in St...
.
In 1997 Xonia began showing interest in music and was subsequently signed to a recording contract with a local label in early 2003. Throughout her adolescence she worked with several music producers such as Rob Davis, Doug Brady
Doug Brady
Stephen Douglas Brady is a retired Major League Baseball second baseman. He played during one season at the major league level for the Chicago White Sox, and one season in the Korea Baseball Organization for the Lotte Giants.He was drafted by the White Sox in the 12th round of the 1991 amateur draft...
and Kevin Colbert
Kevin Colbert
Kevin Colbert is the general manager of the National Football League's Pittsburgh Steelers since the start of 2000. He is widely credited with putting together the World Championship Super Bowl XL team in Pittsburgh along with owner Dan Rooney and coach Bill Cowher...
in order to record her debut album. Simultaneously, Xonia graduated graduated the Australian Ballet School (Certificate III in Dance) and was taken under the mentorship of Robert Sturrock, a well-known choreographer and dance coach. In early 2000s Xonia put aside her musical career and focused on acting; shortly after she had a number of cameo appearances in high-profile TV series such as Noah's Arc
Noah's Arc (TV series)
Noah's Arc is an American cable television dramedy. The series, which predominantly features gay black and Latino characters, focused on many socially relevant issues, including same sex dating, same-sex marriage, same-sex parenthood, HIV and AIDS awareness, infidelity, promiscuity, homophobia, gay...
, SeaChange
SeaChange
SeaChange was a popular Australian television show that ran for 39 episodes from 1998 to 2001 on the ABC. It was created by Andrew Knight and Deborah Cox and starred Sigrid Thornton, David Wenham, William McInnes, John Howard, Tom Long and Kerry Armstrong...
, Holly's Heroes
Holly's Heroes
Holly's Heroes is a children's drama series produced as a collaboration between the Nine Network in Australia and TVNZ in New Zealand. It was produced as a series of 26 episodes and first screened in 2005.-Plot summary:...
and Neighbours
Neighbours
Neighbours is an Australian television soap opera first broadcast on the Seven Network on 18 March 1985. It was created by TV executive Reg Watson, who proposed the idea of making a show that focused on realistic stories and portrayed adults and teenagers who talk openly and solve their problems...
.
In 2006 Xonia was selected to represent Australia at the international Beauty Contest "Miss Diaspora
Miss Diaspora
Miss Diaspora, themed-night at the Callatis Festival in Romania, where young Romanian women from all over the world compete to take the title of "Miss Diaspora".The reigning Miss Diaspora 2007 is Ana Sofia Marcu, a resident of Chicago, USA.-External links:...
" where she had the opportunity to perform in front of 20,000 live spectators. Same year later she performed in the Melbourne Commonwealth Games
2006 Commonwealth Games
The 2006 Commonwealth Games were held in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia between 15 March and 26 March 2006. It was the largest sporting event to be staged in Melbourne, eclipsing the 1956 Summer Olympics in terms of the number of teams competing, athletes competing, and events being held.The site...
opening and closing ceremonies and was selected to dance with a guest star, the football player Nathan Brown from Richmond
Richmond Football Club
The Richmond Football Club, nicknamed The Tigers, is an Australian rules football club which competes in the Australian Football League. Richmond shares healthy rivalries with Carlton, Collingwood and Essendon. After winning five premierships between 1967 and 1980, the club hit the depths in 1990,...
team. Throughout 2007 Xonia showcased her choreography
Choreography
Choreography is the art of designing sequences of movements in which motion, form, or both are specified. Choreography may also refer to the design itself, which is sometimes expressed by means of dance notation. The word choreography literally means "dance-writing" from the Greek words "χορεία" ...
abilities while working with pop singer Georgina Ward
for her live shows; eventually she was featured as a backup dancer
Backup dancer
A backup dancer is a performer who dances with or behind the lead performers in a live musical act or in a music video. Their movements provide a visual symmetry and rhythm to accompany the music....
in some of the music videos produced by Ian Smith
Ian Smith (actor)
Ian Smith is an Australian soap opera character actor and television screenwriter, best known today for his long-running role as the caring, kindly coffee shop owner Harold Bishop in the soap opera Neighbours....
and Laura Gissara
Laura Gissara
Laura Gissara was a contestant on the 2005 season of Australian Idol. She was eliminated from the show on 26 September 2005.- Australian Idol :...
. At the age of 19 Xonia enrolled in at the Hollywood Pop Academy in California, where she studied dance theory
Dance theory
Dance theory is a fairly new field closely related to music theory and specifically musicality used to describe the nature and mechanics of dance. While musicality deals with finding a particular matching pair of dance and music that fit each other in various respects, dance theory is a broad term...
for a short time.
2008 — present: Career breakthrough
In early 2008 Xonia started touring the United States, where she sang for the Romanian diasporaRomanian diaspora
The Romanian diaspora is the ethnically Romanian population outside Romania and Moldova. The concept does not usually include the ethnic Romanians who live as natives in the states surrounding Romania, chiefly those Romanians who live in Ukraine and Serbia. The diaspora does include the people of...
at some social events. Eventually she spent some time in New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
recording music and working on her original material. Whilst living in America, Xonia received an invitation to participate as a jury member at the annual Miss Diaspora
Miss Diaspora
Miss Diaspora, themed-night at the Callatis Festival in Romania, where young Romanian women from all over the world compete to take the title of "Miss Diaspora".The reigning Miss Diaspora 2007 is Ana Sofia Marcu, a resident of Chicago, USA.-External links:...
Contest; she accepted the invitation and performed on the stage of the Callatis Festival
Callatis Festival
Callatis Festival is the largest music and culture festival held in Romania.-Location:Every year the location is the same - a barge that is docked into the touristic harbor of Mangalia. This barge consists of a huge stage and a very large backstage area, enough to hold over 200 people...
same year later. Shortly after this representation, as a reward for her musical efforts, she was given a record deal with Star Management Romania in order to launch her career.
Xonia's debut single, titled "Someone to Love You
Someone to Love You
Someone To Love You is the second studio album by Ruff Endz. It peaked at #27 U.S. Billboard 200 and #8 Top R&B/Hip Hop albums. The Lead single Someone to Love You was released to Mainstream Urban, Rhythmic and Urban AC radio February 11, 2002 and was a huge success for the R&B duo...
", was released in late 2009 and enjoyed moderate success. Same year later she was selected to represent Australia at the international music festival the Golden Stag
Golden Stag Festival
The Golden Stag Festival is an annual international music festival held in Braşov, Romania. The main organiser is Televiziunea Română, Romania's state-run television network. The festival has two main components: an international contest and guest performances by both Romanian and foreign stars...
, where she performed two songs: "Dirty Dancer" and "Trandafir de la Moldova". Impressed by her vocal ability showcased during the contest, the Universal
Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group is an American music group, the largest of the "big four" record companies by its commanding market share and its multitude of global operations...
Romania representatives offered her a management contract. Eventually Xonia released a single in early 2010, entitled "Take the Lead", which has received favorable reactions and created a significant buzz on the internet.
In early 2010 Xonia collaborated with the Romanian pop band Deepcentral on a new single called “My Beautiful One”. As of November 2010, the track spent 25 consecutive weeks in the top 30 on the Romanian Top 100
Romanian Top 100
The Romanian Top 100 is the national airplay-based singles chart of Romania. It is weekly and it started running in 1996. It is recognized as an official chart by the European division of Billboard, Music & Media....
, peaking at number four. Xonia is currently working on her debut album with some well-known Romanian music producers including Marius Moga
Marius Moga
Marius Moga is a Romanian producer, composer and singer, famous in Eastern and Central Europe. He writes and produces music in various styles and genres, especially pop, R'n'B and club music.-Biography:...
, George Hora, Mihai Ogășanu and Deepcentral.
Discography
Singles
- "Someone to love youSomeone to Love YouSomeone To Love You is the second studio album by Ruff Endz. It peaked at #27 U.S. Billboard 200 and #8 Top R&B/Hip Hop albums. The Lead single Someone to Love You was released to Mainstream Urban, Rhythmic and Urban AC radio February 11, 2002 and was a huge success for the R&B duo...
" (2009) - "Take the Lead" (2010)
- "My Beautiful One" (2010)
- "Hold On" (2011)
External links
Official website Xonia at Last.fmLast.fm
Last.fm is a music website, founded in the United Kingdom in 2002. It has claimed 30 million active users in March 2009. On 30 May 2007, CBS Interactive acquired Last.fm for UK£140m ....
Xonia at MusicMall.ro