Ximena Sariñana - writer and singer of smart, ironic songs

Getting an interview on NPR is akin to hitting gold. Sales of books or albums usually rise after the author or musician appears on NPR. But in the case of Ximena Sariñana, excitement in the indie world began a little earlier when iTunes offered one of her songs as a freebie. Her debut album is called "Mediocre," but the lyrics - I read a translation, of course - of the title song are anything but so; they pointedly express the tragedy of mediocrity and a lack of individuality.

As an indie singer-songwriter who's on the crossover path, Ximena has a nice mix of influences in her music - jazz, rock, and a little pop (but minimal; it's almost subversive pop). Her voice, sans vibrato, packs a wallop, which may come as a surprise because Ximena is a pretty small person. Perhaps I like her all the more because of it. And I certainly like how she makes this quirky rendition of "Volare" completely hers. She just about eats up the song.

Mediocre, by Ximena Sariñana
Un Error, by Ximena Sariñana