Andrea Tierra

My name is Andrea Tierra. I was born in Medellín, Colombia, known to it's inhabitants as The City of Eternal Spring owing to it's wonderful climate and exotic flora. I am the eldest of three children and from a very early age my parents, Luz Stella and Mario taught me how to love life and to appreciate it's many colors- in a city like Medellin both things were possible. I grew up in countless literary circles, watching my father recite his poems regarding rural campesino life and my mother cook the most exquisite and delectable offerings of the region of Antioquia- the land of my ancestors. I barely cried during my childhood. I think deep down I knew I had to save my salty tears for much later. I wrote my first poem at 12 years of age and I actually hid it below my mattress out of sheer fear that someone would find out how I really felt. The combination of the ever-present Colombian regional music styles such as Trova, Bambuco, Pasillos coupled with my love of poetry helped me develop artistically and to try out all sorts of crazy things, so that when I was bigger (that is, if one actually gets to be "big") it was clear- I decided I wanted to sing. When I turned 16 my family and I emigrated to the United States, in search of what precisely, I'm not sure. What we found however was a land that graciously supported all our dreams and continues to do so to this day. I live in New York, an enticing Big Apple but one that's difficult to bite as I've never stopped missing my homeland. I've never been able to wake up with out sensing Colombia's unique aroma, that mild blend of chocolate and country. At 19 years of age, I abandoned my second semester of Publicity and I dedicated my body and soul to Love. Love is the reason why I sing, write verses, dance and allow myself to be carried by the wind every opportunity I get. Lucky I've got long hands to do so. Come to think of it, that must be the reason behind my butterfly's eagerness. One day, fleeing from men I came upon a man who was fleeing from women- Edmar Castañeda, a man with the noblest of hearts and a laugh like no other. Edmar, his harp and I sang one song together, we hit all the right notes and 20 days later we got married! Some years later, we were blessed with the presence of two little angels- Zeudi and Zamir- who decided to make our home theirs. I love Love (yes, I'm awfully corny and the redundancy is fully acknowledged). GOD is my greatest treasure and I carry Jesus Christ in my soul because he realized that greatest act of love humanity has ever known. I fully believe that I'm here to do something special and that my voice has a purpose, though it isn't truly my voice. My voice really belongs to other women, to other men, to whomever feels love, to those that suffer, to all those who are outraged by injustice and it also belongs to all those that want to cry out and can not. I have no other ambition than to be used by The Master of Life as He so deems and to shine a little light upon the world through my voice.