By Felecia Ford
FF: It’s an honor to interview you Lady Zen. Welcome back to San Miguel de Allende! What have you been working on lately that you’d like to share with us?
LZ: Thank you! This past season I worked on a Billie Holiday Tribute that has been performed in several venues that included the Querétaro Chamber Orchestra as well as performances in Vallarta. Also, a live house music project called, The MiX, that fuses our original work and classic house music together. I have been able to build a small recording studio and take some time to write new work and curate some of my life’s work.
My producer and I will release a new full length album in 2025. I am part of the cast of a new musical in December called, Love Beyond Borders, an intriguing story of an organization that provides refugee for political prisoners around the world doing work in LGBTQ rights. There is the annual Holiday Show with world renowned pianist, Ken Bischel. And for the first time, I released music on all the streaming sites that brought a lot of national attention, landing me on the Billboard Hot 80 top musicians to listen to in 2024.
FF: That’s impressive - you made billboard Top 80 accolades, Felicidades! Who or what is your muse?
LZ: My muses change from time to time, but the biggest are music, poetry, fashion, and film. Working with El Negro Wadpro, a music producer from Cuba has been my full-time job, as we work closely on our unique treatment of lyric fusion poetry and music. My deep connection to meditation keeps me grounded…I have learned a lot about myself this year as an individual and as an artist
So, I guess in many ways it is Lady Zen that keeps Alzenira Quezada inspired to create; to take the things I study and feel and give back as much as I can so that others benefit from my triumphs and mistakes. I have lots of help and great teams I work with. I could never be who I am without those behind the scene.
I am also involved with the Deep Drag family as well. We release radio dramas and we have a short film called “The Rise of the Kung Fu Drag Queen”, that brought in awards too and features this beautiful cast of multi-continetal arts who do great voice-over acting. Nathan Feuerberg keep us busy working with that project.
FF: I know your last film, “What’s In A Name?”, won multiple awards in film festivals across the world. It’s a masterpiece. Any plans for making a new film?
LZ: I will be releasing a new short film this year! We have been in the planning stages of telling the story of being a ‘Dandy’, (which I found out is the theme for the Met Gala this year). I will present my new line of men’s wear with designer, Sergio Cerjudo. The short film will talk more about female bodied persons who wear traditional men’s clothes. It comes with the release of a book on styling. The book will be shot with my personal photographer, Sean Reagan.
FF: Love this for you! You seem to be a very goal-oriented person. You have a degree and or multiple degrees in music business, correct?
LZ: I wonder if people would be surprised to find I am well studied in business and in poetics. I love learning and I have several degrees and had amazing jobs in my life in the entertainment industry. I am a performing artist more than a recordings artist. I wrote a book some time ago that we plan to self publish on the business of art. With ‘Broadway in the Park’ and with my own students, I will work on sharing more of this knowledge.
FF: It is a fulltime job for you! How do you maintain the energy level needed to pull off all the things you do?
LZ: I love coffee! (Lol). I got sober, that gave me a new kind of energy to work on my character and get to the roots to heal and find tremendous strength in self care. I have been meditating consistently for over 25 years and I do my best to be in service to others. This keeps me young and happy and energized. To see the faces of love surrounding me and reflecting that same love right back.
Find out more at: https://ladyzen.world
