Xandra Pohl Attributes This Surprising Trait As the Key to Her Success

The DJ, SI Swimsuit rookie and content creator just dropped her debut single.

Xandra Pohl / Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images

Xandra Pohl has had a phenomenal year so far. The Miami-based DJ wrapped up her two-month debut tour in May, just a few weeks before her SI Swimsuit rookie feature in the 60th anniversary issue was released. The content creator, who graduated from the University of Miami with a degree in marketing and a minor in music business, also just dropped her first single, “Body Say,” and we have been listening to the track on repeat.

The 23-year-old takes pride in her adaptability and determination. It’s not easy to break into such a male-dominated industry, especially so early in your 20s. While celebrating the launch of the 2024 SI Swimsuit Issue in Florida, the model, who posed for Derek Kettela in Belize for her photo shoot, divulged what she thinks has been key to her success thus far.

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“I [attribute my accomplishments] to, I don’t know how healthy this is, but, really taking one thing at a time. I mean if you ask literally anyone in my life, I am a person [who lives] in the moment. I’ve always been pretty chill and laid back, but especially with traveling [often], so much stuff is out of my control,” she explains. “I realized when everything is going wrong around me, the only thing I can do is control myself and the way that I react. If I freak out, it doesn’t help anyone. I really matured so much in the past year, of just understanding that whatever’s meant to be is meant to be, and stuff is out of my control. If I’m a good person and if I just keep doing what I do and I stay who I am, I think I’m going to be fine.”

Xandra Pohl was photographed by Derek Kettela in Belize. Swimsuit by MEDINA Swimwear. / Derek Kettela/Sports Illustrated

Amid her busy schedule, the Ohio native, who recently launched a jewelry collaboration with Electric Picks, has picked up some effective travel hacks along the way—and also developed a mentality of not letting small mishaps derail her plans or positive attitude.

“Half the time all my flights get delayed for shows and everyone’s stressing out around me and I’m like, we all just need to breathe,” Pohl adds. “We can’t control the plane, cant control the weather, and if something doesn’t work it, then it doesn’t work out. We’ll reschedule and apologize and move on.”

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