This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UPR chapter.
This week’s Campus Celebrity is the recent winner of Idol Puerto Rico and this girl isn’t anything you’d expect. She has a lot of vision, goals and passion for what she does. With being the winner of a national competition, to launching her first CD Desde Hoy and now having her first ever concert, this girl has had an amazing career so far. But…who is she really? Read on to find out!
Name: Marileyda Hernández Hernández
Age: 18
Hometown: Manatí
Relationship status: It’s complicated!
Zodiac sign: Leo
Major: Psychology
School Year: Freshman
HCUPR: Describe yourself in 3 words.
Marileyda: Optimistic, loyal and social
HCUPR: We understand that you’re the recent winner of Idol Puerto Rico. How has that experience helped you in your personal and professional life?Marileyda: This experience has helped me in so many ways, specially my self-esteem and made me more confident. Also, thanks to this experience I have been taking more risks.
HCUPR: Is singing something you’ve always wanted to do?
Marileyda: Definitely! Ever since I was a little girl.
HCUPR: What was your favorite experience during the whole Idol Puerto Rico competition?
Marileyda: My favorite experience was getting to know different places and doing things I never imagined to do. If you watched the show, you may know that we flew to Dominican Republic and Culebra… We even went to Toro Verde! Regarding the show, my favorite performance was when I sung “Girl on Fire”… I loved it!
HCUPR: Having the experience of working with famous singers… What advice woud you give aspiring singers that want to “make it big”?
Marileyda: Just live in the moment. Don’t think of yourself as the next big thing, work for it. We always have something to learn, so always keep that in mind, but most importantly, love what you do!
HCUPR: What are your plans for the future?
Marileyda: Career-wise, my main goal is to keep working to be a great singer. I’m learning to play the piano so let’s see how it goes.
HCUPR: How do you deal with negativity from people? Any advice?
Marileyda: Just ignore what makes you insecure or doubt yourself… Negativity will always be around so just ignore it.
HCUPR: Do you still get nervous when performing live? If yes, how do you deal with your nerves?
Marileyda: Every time! Usually I get nervous before the show, but the nerves go away the moment I step on a stage. If I’m nervous, I just take a deep breath and stop thinking about it. Also, listening to your fans screaming your name helps.
HCUPR: If you could sing a duet with anyone, who would it be? And what song would you sing?
Marileyda: I would sing an acoustic version of The Edge of Glory with Lady Gaga.She’s a great musician and an even better singer.
HCUPR: How would you describe your style of music?
Marileyda: I would describe my style as a pop-rock. I love ballads, but rock pumps anybody up.
HCUPR: Have you ever considered making a cross-over to music in English just like Ricky Martin and Shakira have done? Are you nervous of making such a move?
Marileyda: Taking such a risk is always nerve-wracking, but I would do it! I love music in English and most of my covers in Youtube are in English.
If we can say one thing about this girl it would be that she’s going to go places! Her first concert was a complete success. Don’t forget to check out her music, you won’t regret it!
*all photos were taken from Marileyda’s Official Facebook Page.
