Meet Xavier Bernazard | Musician

We had the good fortune of connecting with Xavier Bernazard and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Xavier, can you share a quote or affirmation with us?
“May your heart be your guiding key”

It is a quote from one of my favorite video game series “Kingdom Hearts”. I like to think of the heart or the soul as the key to everything. It helps unlock and achieve our biggest dreams. It guides us to like-minded people. It gives us the courage to face any tribulation. It helps us carry on even when our body is weary. This quote reminds me to trust myself and to listen inward to what I truly want to achieve.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’ve always loved music and its storytelling capabilities. Back when I lived in Puerto Rico I begged my parents to enroll me in a specialized music school called “La Escuela Libre de Musica Antonio Paoli” there I took voice, music theory, & piano lessons. From there I went to study music at Oklahoma State University and later at the University of North Texas. While at both schools I studied classical music & opera repertoire but although it was incredibly beautiful music, I felt disconnected. I then pursued a career in songwriting and formed a band.

I would describe my music as theatrical queer punk rock with influences such as My Chemical Romance, Paramore, Evanescence, Panic at the Disco, and The All American Rejects.

I definitely had to learn a ton about being an independent artist and the many roles it takes such as brand manager, social media manager, booking agent, stylist, etc. It is not easy and takes a lot of trial and error to get the hang of it. However, it is incredibly fun and a rewarding process. Since graduating in 2019 I’ve released my first EP “Anastasis” which plays with the concept of resurrection and reinventing yourself after being brought down by circumstances in life. I’m currently working on my first full-length album “Balloons For My Funeral” which plays with letting a version of yourself that no longer serves you die and celebrating life.

I hope that my music serves as a source of inspiration for anyone who feels that their voices are not being heard and that it empowers experimentation with one’s identity.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I definitely would check out restaurants in Bishop Arts. Have drinks in Lower Greenville & check out all the available shows in Deep Ellum

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I owe a million thanks to my mother Mildred Santiago. She has believed in me since day one and continues to be one of my best supporters in all my musical endeavors. From driving me to music lessons, to posting flyers around the neighborhood for upcoming shows, and for being the first to give feedback on new music. I would not be making music if it wasn’t for her support.

Website: https://xavierbernazard.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xavierbernazard/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/xavierbernazardmusic

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC707G0aPU8UqAENeqd23Qrw

Image Credits
Madi Rae Jones Alex Poole Danny Vadell