SAMARA RIVIERA

Photos by www.QuentinElias.com
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Every once in a while I see an artist perform live that leaves me breathless. This is the case with Quentin Elias. I saw him performing live on Miami Beach and right then and there I knew I had to tell everybody about this gorgeous man. Not only is he a talented singer/songwriter but he has been bit by the acting bug. And who doesn’t want to see and hear this man act and sing? I’m sure you all do just by looking at his pictures. He is a French adonis who can easily land on the 50 most beautiful people of the world’s list. Because he is one of the most beautiful looking men I have ever laid eyes upon and he can sing too. Quentin Elias started out in Europe with a very successful singing group called Alliage but in 2001 decided to take the solo route and started recording his own music. The result is a very beautiful ballad called Always the Last to Say Goodbye. (Log on to his web site to view the sexy video with the very sexy surprise!) Other hits include So What and Serve It Up. Also a hot Spanish track called Baila. Welcome to America. He has now worked on remixes of his songs with Junior Vasquez and has performed all over the east coast including New York and Florida. And now I want to bring him to you in California. Mr. Elias is now working on his first album to be released in America and will soon be seen on the small and big screens all over. Not bad for someone who is already a very successful international recording artist. Did I mention he’s beautiful, gorgeous, and easy on the eyes? But not only that he also seems to have a heart of gold and a personality to match his good looks. Beautiful inside and out. We know American gays are ready for this super talented man but is the rest of America? We will find out soon. For now get to know Quentin Elias up close and personal before the rest of America catches on to his talents and takes him from us. And now introducing the hottest looking French guy in America Mr. Quentin Elias.

Samara: So you were born in France. How long have you been in the U.S.?

Quentin: Over ten years. I moved to New York City when I was fourteen, fifteen.

Samara: Where have you lived in the U.S.?

Quentin: New York. Only New York. Florida, that was my second winter that I spent there, my first winter was like two years ago. And I liked it, I like the fact to be able to go away. I’m from New York. I’m a New York City boy. I’m not from Miami at all but I like to spend the winter down there. And sometimes to perform. I find people very interesting, they’re more open, they’re easy to work with. It was very exciting to perform when I was down there.

Samara: Have you been to California?

Quentin: I’ve been to L.A. to do shooting and to record two tracks Serve It Up and So What? I like L.A. But I’m more New York. But L.A. is cool, you know?

Samara: I thought you were Latino. Do you get that a lot?

Quentin: I get that a lot. A lot of people come and talk to me in Spanish and they get disappointed when I say, “No, no comprende.” But it’s a language that I want to learn. I grew up in a very poor neighborhood and a lot of people were Latin you know? I know about this community. I love Latin food and Latin song. I love Marc Anthony, Jon Secada, Gloria Estefan. I want to learn definitely Spanish.

Samara: Do you know any Spanish now?

Quentin: La primera vez que te vi fue como un flechazo. It’s the only thing that I know.

Samara: Was singing always a dream of yours?

Quentin: Yes, yes. I remember kids holding a microphone and lip synching songs. And then my mom put me on the dance class when I was six and then through the dance class I went to the singing class. And I’ve always been in the entertainment business. I had my first record deal when I was sixteen. Yeah that’s my dream that’s exactly what I want to do.

Samara: You’ve been very successful in Europe. Have any famous women tried to pick up on you?

Quentin: Mmm. I can’t say the name. Yes, yes.

Samara: Are you a metrosexual kind of guy?

Quentin: No, I don’t do my hair or my nails. I wake up in the morning, I jump in the shower, put my shorts, sneakers and go outside. I don’t spend a lot of time in the bathroom. Actually I hate that. But when I start to work for Boss model in New York to do a lot of modeling then you go on the set and they prep you and it’s totally different. But usually I’m very normal. Sometimes I feel like I wanna look good so I shave and I try to look good. But usually, during the week I am not a metrosexual at all. I mean sometimes you see guys from New Jersey have their eyebrow plucked. I’m not, I mean no, no. That’s great that guys today take care of themselves but I’m just regular guy, you know? I just chill.

Samara: Do you think your obvious good looks get in the way of your talent?

Quentin: It can be a bad thing because usually people, they judge you for how you look like and they don’t even want to see how you sound like or what you have to do. It’s a both ways. Sometimes it opens doors and people will see you or talk to you easily. I don’t say I’m a victim of my look I don’t say that because I don’t pay attention to it. But it can be both.

Samara: So, what is your work out regimen?

Quentin: Five times a week two hours a day.

Samara: All weights?

Quentin: Yes. Well I mean if you want to work out all your body parts you need to go five times a week. If you know how to work out and you know? I don’t do drugs, drinks, go out, smoke, whatever. So for me I like to be healthy, I love to go to work out. I don’t go to the gym just because I have to go to the gym I just love that give me a lot of energy end of my day. I love to work out I mean I’ve been working out since I’m fourteen, fifteen. I just love to work out.

Samara: Oh, OK, so it’s more of a passion.

Quentin: Yeah, it’s more like a routine every day you know? It’s like it’s part of my hygiene. It’s important for me.

Samara: So, how is your love life? Any lovers?

Quentin: Hmm... my love life? What do I have to say about my love life. Let me think for a second. (laughs) Well, let’s say for now I’m not happy in love. And I’m not lucky. Let’s say that. You know you can’t have everything. Work wise I’m happy. That’s a more important thing. And you know? I do want... my goal is to be successful with my work, get married, have kids. But right now is all my music and I love, love kids I’d love to get kids like within two or three years. I want have four kids. I would love to have a house full of kids, have two golden retrievers, go out on the country on the weekend, you know? Everybody dream about that. That’s what I want to do.

Samara: What qualities do you look for in a mate?

Quentin: Honest. The first quality that I’m looking for on a girl is honesty. I want people... anybody that come into my life I want them to be honest, faithful, true, loyalty, healthy. Just to be true. And I’m not somebody who look at you have to be perfect looking. I don’t care about that. For me there is no average people, there’s not good looking people. Today we live in a society that you open a magazine and people tell you you need to look like that and you have to be like that. I don’t believe in that. Sometimes you fall in love through a smile, you know? People tell, “oh my God, how come you guys fall in love through a smile.” It depends. The quality of your personality, it’s who you are. You know?

Samara: For those who don’t know, tell us what your musical style is?

Quentin: My musical style is... I would say more pop. I’m pop artist. But sometime I can have some R&B influence, some hip-hop influence, soul influence. But the major, major sound is pop.
Samara: By the way I love the ballad (Always the Last to say Good Bye) on your site.

Quentin: You know what I’m going to burn a CD with all my... with the song. I’m going to send it to you. I will definitely send you that.

Samara: Who would you like to do a duet with?

Quentin: I would love to do a duet with... of course I would love to do a duet with Beyonce, of course, she’s gorgeous. I love Annie Lennox. I would pick somebody who has done a lot, like legend like Tina Turner. You know people who made history in the rock/pop history. People like that.

Samara: Ever think about doing a Spanish song?

Quentin: Yes. I sang Spanish when you see me singing in Miami, right?

Samara: Yeah, that’s why I thought you were Latino.

Quentin: Yeah, that was Spanish. And the song called Baila. I wanna work with more Spanish but before going further in my Spanish track I wanna be able to speak Spanish because I don’t want to feel that the Latin community feel insulted by, “OK, this guy is singing Spanish but don’t talk Spanish.” You know? They won’t understand. So I wanna be able to say, “look I know how to talk Spanish and sing Spanish.” Sometime this year definitely.

Samara: Tell us about your latest single?

Quentin: Serve it up. It’s on my web site and I am going to launch the track in Europe. It’s going to be all over Europe. I work on that track especially for Europe and the dance version for United States. I’m working on a new track for American market. American market is so different from Europe market. So I want to do something specific for America. But I don’t want to forget about Europe where I come from so I need to give them some track once in a while.

Samara: And the name of the CD? When does it come out?

Quentin: The CD you can find online on CDBaby.com or cdfuse.com and it’s called Quentin Elias Serve It Up. And through my name you can find everything that I have released so far. My next recording in English will be in a major label here in America and then people can find it on Virgin and everywhere. But right now only can find me online.

Samara: Where can your California fans buy your music?

Quentin: Yeah, online. I’d love to go there to California to perform. I’ve never performed there. I would love to be able to perform there.

Samara: Well, maybe through this interview it can get you exposure for that.

Quentin: Maybe, yeah. Thank you so much.

Samara: What other career plans do you have?

Quentin: I’m recording the new track for America. I’m doing some performance all over the United States. I have to go spend some time in Europe to do the promotion of Serve It Up. So right now it’s going to be busy. I have some option to do some movies. I need to read for different producers. So, I’ve been really lucky lately.

Samara: So for your admirers. Do you like sex with the lights on or lights off?

Quentin: Let’s say that the first night when you start to get somebody your kinda shy maybe sex with light off, candle light because I want to see something. And then if you get married if you date that person and you wanna see more then of course everywhere daytime, lights on of course. When your used to a person you’re not ashamed anymore you’re not shy.

Samara: Give us a hint as to what your favorite sexual act is?

Quentin: My favorite sexual act? I mean I would say... honestly I would say kiss. Love to kiss. I mean for me when I meet somebody everything goes to the kiss. The first kiss, I know right there if it’s the right person or not. I mean you can’t build a relationship with a girl if she doesn’t know how to kiss. Or anybody I mean a kiss is so personal. Through a kiss you can feel if she’s sexual, if she like sex, if she knows how to do sex. But sex is not just intercourse. I mean sex is every level of intimacy.

Samara: What would you like to say to your California gay fans?

Quentin: I love to say that I am very receptive of the support. I can’t wait to be performing on a club over there and meet them and to be able to reach them somehow. And I love them.

Samara: Great. Hopefully you’ll get a new fan base in California.

Quentin: Thank you so much you’re adorable. And I’m going to send you everything. Thank you so much. Buh-bye.

www.QuentinElias.com

Add me at myspace.com/samarariviera