XANDRA Gushes Over Her Empowering and Special SI Swim Shoot in Jamaica

The 24-year-old DJ credits the ‘amazing’ team and photographer Yu Tsai for making her feel confident and comfortable.

XANDRA in Jamaica / SI Staff

XANDRA is still pinching herself over the fact that she’s back with SI Swimsuit for a second year—this time in the breathtaking landscapes of Jamaica. The professional DJ and content creator, who made her dazzling rookie debut in Belize last year, described the opportunity as a full-circle moment that solidifies her deep connection to the brand and its team.

“I cannot believe I’m saying this, but Sports Illustrated Swimsuit asked me to come back for the second year,” XANDRA shared excitedly on TikTok on Friday. “I wish I could tell you guys how excited I am. Sports Illustrated called me a couple weeks ago, and they were like, ‘XANDRA, do you want to come back and shoot in Jamaica?’ I don’t know if you guys understand—Sports Illustrated has been my lifelong goal, and every single person there is like my family. So I’m like, ‘Yeah!’ I don’t care what I have to move, where I have to be, I am gonna be there.”

XANDRA was photographed by Yu Tsai in Jamaica. Swimsuit by Lybethras. / Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

For her sophomore shoot, the 24-year-old spent the day at “the most beautiful” resort location, embracing the long hours and the intense energy required for a full production. “When you shoot, you shoot all day,” she explained. “So I think I got up at 5 a.m. and I wasn’t done till like 7:30 at night when the sun was going down.”

Despite not having formal modeling experience, XANDRA credits the brand’s sweet team and renowned photographer Yu Tsai for making her feel at ease in front of the camera. “I’m not a model. I’m not trained to model, so I need a lot of help with the poses,” she admitted. “But honestly, the team is so amazing, and Yu Tsai was the photographer, and he’s so amazing. They tell you really how to move your body, and they just make you feel so confident. Like whenever I get off those shoots, I literally feel like I could run the world. I don’t even know how to explain it—when you’re around people that just lift you up and make you feel so confident in your own body.”

More than just a photo shoot, XANDRA sees the experience as a sign of how far she’s come. “All I just want to say is thank you to everyone here for supporting me all throughout this way. Thank you to the Sports Illustrated team for bringing me back for another year. I seriously couldn’t be more grateful for all the friends and honestly, the family that’s come out of this whole experience. This is a reminder to everyone out there—never stop chasing your dreams,” she shared and expressed gratitude for her fans.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Sports Illustrated Swimsuit (@si_swimsuit)

“WE ARE BACK BABBBYY… I CANT believe we are back I love u all so much sports illustrated model here we come <3,” the Ohio native captioned the video shared with her 1.3 million TikTok followers. Watch the video here and watch another cute TikTok she filmed while on set here.

Read more about XANDRA’s return to the fold here and shop the stunning white look here.