“I don’t really want fame and fortune; I just want to enjoy playing my music for people that enjoy hearing it.” Sara Alina. That’s the kind of humility and maturity that first strikes you when talking to 16-year-old Sara Alina. It’s not what you would expect from a preparatory high school student who just completed her first CD, entitled “Sara Alina” and her first music video, but it’s a common thread in her life and her music. At 15, she attended Boston’s Berklee College of Music, where she completed “ Music Theory 101” and participated in a “ Songwriting Workshop”. “It all began with classical music and my Dad.” Born in Vienna, Austria, Sara was first introduced to music through her father Hans, a musical playwright. From a young age, she was enamored with the classics that were the ever-present soundtrack of her native land. Being immersed in the culture and beauty of Vienna fostered a deep love of the arts. She recorded her first song with her father at the tender age of six. At the time, “Pink Get This Party Started” was purely for fun, but as she grew, music became more of a driving force in her life. At seven, she began playing the piano an instrument that would later become the vehicle for creating her music. “This is what I’ve wanted to do since I was 13.” After moving to the U.S. with her family at the age of 12, Sara dropped the Austrian accent and embraced all things American. Here, she saw opportunity everywhere and thought becoming a singer/songwriter might be attainable after all. But she knew then, as she does today, that nothing comes easy, and making good music means hard work. Sara never deluded herself into thinking that success would come naturally, nor is it even what she’s striving for. The mature Sara knows that the odds are 50/50. But the dreamer in her wonders “what if”, each time she sits down at the piano to write. “I like to be introspective. That’s where my music comes from.” Each day, Sara takes time to turn off the cell phone and computer, and disconnect with the world in order to connect with her inner muse. This “me time” is the incubator from where her songs come to life. It’s here where she creates the hook and hears the tune, which is then nurtured and polished at the piano. She writes from what she knows, which at 16, is all about fun and being a teenager. Also a lyricist, Sara is able to blend the two into a friendly, approachable pop sound that is real, honest, and hopeful. Musically, Sara credits Rihanna, Selena Gomez, Rita Ora, and David Guetta as major influences on her work. “If I don’t become a successful singer, I’d like to race cars.” Sara loves going fast, whether it’s on a surfboard off St. Pete Beach or snow boarding down the Austrian slopes. She enjoyed a similar musical adrenalin rush with her music by featuring Atlanta rap artist Rodney Hill, aka Rocko, on one her singles entitled Better Days on “Sara Alina”. “You have to love it, or there’s no point in playing music.” While Sara is much more exposed to the music industry than many artists her age, her feet remain firmly planted in the reality that it’s all about the music. She would be perfectly happy teaching music and playing some gigs. It’s the passion for music that comes first. Everything else is just a bonus.