Xandra Pohl Addresses How and Why People Often Underestimate Her

The DJ found the music industry difficult to break into—but she made it happen anyway.

Xandra Pohl was photographed by Derek Kettela in Belize / Derek Kettela/Sports Illustrated

SI Swimsuit rookie Xandra Pohl works as a DJ for a living and will tell you candidly that gaining a foothold in that space hasn’t exactly been easy. The 23-year-old says that, as a female, it has been “really tough” to break into the industry and “have people take [her] seriously.”

“Because of the way I look, people believe I have an inability to do things, or that I’m not smart. I feel like that’s completely unfair,” she adds.

Still, she is gaining traction. Pohl is on the cusp of releasing her own music and signing with a record label, and her Drunk Tour has been playing venues since the beginning of March. (It wraps up at the Thaw Out Music Festival in Knoxville on May 4, having made stops in Las Vegas, New York City, Chicago, Miami and Washington, D.C..) There’s no doubt that she owes her success, in part, to her determination and confidence.

“I just want people to know, I love who I am,” she says while on set at her rookie photo shoot in Belize. “I’m gonna keep doing what I’m doing. I’m confident about it. I’m passionate about it. I am who I am.”

Following her appearance on the runway at the 2023 Miami Swim Week, the DJ is officially joining the SI Swimsuit family this year. Pohl makes her debut in the brand’s 60th anniversary edition next month. Read more about her story here and catch a glimpse of her stunning photos here.